Thomas Clark (of Canterbury)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Clark was a Canterbury
shoemaker
(cordwainer
) and a prolific composer of West Gallery music
, especially for the non-conformist
churches of the South East of England. Sally Drage, writing in the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, notes that he was 'particularly influential as the composer of early Sunday School collections'
Clark was born in St Peter's parish in Canterbury and baptized on 5 February 1775.
He was apprenticed as a shoemaker to his father, William Clark, and became a Freeman of the City of Canterbury in 1796 on completion of his apprenticeship as he was the son of a Freeman.
He married Anne Ledger in St George's Church, Canterbury, in November 1806. He took over the family business on his father's death in 1823. He retired from business in about 1842-3.
He died in Canterbury on May 30, 1859, aged 84.
The best-known of his hymn tunes is Cranbrook: it was originally set to the words 'Grace 'tis a charming sound' written by Philip Doddridge
, and published in Clark's first book A Sett of Psalm & Hymn Tunes [1805]. Cranbrook was later used as a tune for the Christmas hymn 'While shepherds watched their flocks by night
' and is now better known as the tune of the Yorkshire song 'On Ilkla Moor Baht 'at'.
Two other tunes by Clark were included in the 1933 Methodist Hymn Book with Tunes: they are Crediton (tune 565), which was first published in Clark's Second Set of Psalm Tunes ... with symphonies & an instrumental bass, adapted to the use of country choirs [c1807], and Warsaw (tune 606), which was first published in his Third Set of Psalm & Hymn Tunes [1807].
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
shoemaker
Shoemaking
Shoemaking is the process of making footwear. Originally, shoes were made one at a time by hand. Traditional handicraft shoemaking has now been largely superseded in volume of shoes produced by industrial mass production of footwear, but not necessarily in quality, attention to detail, or...
(cordwainer
Cordwainer
A cordwainer is a shoemaker/cobbler who makes fine soft leather shoes and other luxury footwear articles. The word is derived from "cordwain", or "cordovan", the leather produced in Córdoba, Spain. The term cordwainer was used as early as 1100 in England...
) and a prolific composer of West Gallery music
West gallery music
West Gallery Music, also known as "Georgian psalmody" refers to the sacred music sung and played in English parish churches, as well as nonconformist chapels, from 1700 to around 1850...
, especially for the non-conformist
Nonconformism
Nonconformity is the refusal to "conform" to, or follow, the governance and usages of the Church of England by the Protestant Christians of England and Wales.- Origins and use:...
churches of the South East of England. Sally Drage, writing in the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, notes that he was 'particularly influential as the composer of early Sunday School collections'
Clark was born in St Peter's parish in Canterbury and baptized on 5 February 1775.
He was apprenticed as a shoemaker to his father, William Clark, and became a Freeman of the City of Canterbury in 1796 on completion of his apprenticeship as he was the son of a Freeman.
He married Anne Ledger in St George's Church, Canterbury, in November 1806. He took over the family business on his father's death in 1823. He retired from business in about 1842-3.
He died in Canterbury on May 30, 1859, aged 84.
The best-known of his hymn tunes is Cranbrook: it was originally set to the words 'Grace 'tis a charming sound' written by Philip Doddridge
Philip Doddridge
Philip Doddridge DD was an English Nonconformist leader, educator, and hymnwriter.-Early life:...
, and published in Clark's first book A Sett of Psalm & Hymn Tunes [1805]. Cranbrook was later used as a tune for the Christmas hymn 'While shepherds watched their flocks by night
While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
"While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks" is a Christmas carol describing the Annunciation to the Shepherds, with words attributed to Irish hymnist, lyricist and England's Poet Laureate, Nahum Tate....
' and is now better known as the tune of the Yorkshire song 'On Ilkla Moor Baht 'at'.
Two other tunes by Clark were included in the 1933 Methodist Hymn Book with Tunes: they are Crediton (tune 565), which was first published in Clark's Second Set of Psalm Tunes ... with symphonies & an instrumental bass, adapted to the use of country choirs [c1807], and Warsaw (tune 606), which was first published in his Third Set of Psalm & Hymn Tunes [1807].
Publications
(from Tony Singleton's article)- 12 sets of Psalm & Hymn Tunes, 1805 to 1821
- Twelve Tunes in Peculiar Metre, ca.1810
- 9 sets of Psalm Tunes from 1805 to ca.1825 (the third set contains a Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis)
- Te Deum Laudamus and Jubilate Deo, ca.1808
- Several anthems published singly from ca.1808 onwards
- Sacred Gleaner, ca.1826-7
- Congregational Harmonist in 4 volumes from 1828 - ca.1835 (Editor)
- Union Harmonist 1841 (Arranger)
- The Juvenile Harmonist, 1842
- The Seraphim or Sacred Harmonist, 1842
- The Union Tune Book - revised and enlarged (Editor), ca.1842
- David's Harp (settings for all 150 Psalms) 1844
- British Psalmody, with Alexander Hume, pub.Edinburgh, 1844
- The Union Tune Book, continuation, 1854