1864 – First School Choir is formed

Throughout the majority of the period when the School occupied its original buildings in the town centre, services would take place in the nearby St Mary’s Church.

However, when extensive repair work had to be carried out on St Mary’s in 1864, the School had to use its own chapel for all services except Holy Communion. A harmonium was purchased, and Headmaster allowed a School Choir to be formed, trained by an efficient organist.

This led to the first School Concert being given in that year, initiated entirely by the boys – which became an enduring annual tradition. While the concert was conducted by the Choirmaster, the management of it was in the hands of the Choregus (Head of the Choir).

For a long time, the School Concert was held in the Summer term, until the revival of Speech Day in 1888 led to its being transferred to just before Christmas.

After the move to Kingsland, and until the Alington Hall was built in 1910, the Concert had to be given in the Music Hall in the town. The event was hugely popular with Old Salopians, who used to attend in droves.

Originally, the first half of the concert was devoted to sacred music and the second half to secular. But this distinction ceased with the change of date. Amongst the serious music, some humorous additions were included. And one particularly popular institution was the ‘Old Boys’ Song’, a topical song, written for many years by Old Salopian Rev W.A.W. Evans, and subsequently (and by all accounts every wittily) by F.T. Prior. It was sung by an Old Salopian, with a chorus of Old Salopians. This tradition continued from 1865 to 1913, when it was abolished, apparently for being too frivolous.

Photo: First School Choir, 1864