Lawrence Willgoose, born in 1907, and Rita Helen Margaret Mason met when they both worked

at the Picture House in Chesterfield Derbyshire –  she was the cinema’s cashier and he played the

clarinet in the orchestra pit. Remember, these were the days of the silent movies!

Lawrence played in the pit at the Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield for over thirty years as well as performing

with the Hallé Orchestra under Sir John Barbirolli and the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. During

World War II he enlisted in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps military band and after the war he re-formed

the band of the Hallamshire Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regimement (T.A.) in Sheffield. He wrote

the regimental march “Endcliffe Hall” which he was proud to conduct before Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Another clarinet player and composer was Friedrich Wildgans was born a few years later than Lawrence in

1913 in Vienna, Austria. He played in the orchestra of the Viennese State Opera and  the Viennese Castle

Theatre and was also Professor at the Viennese Music Academy.  His father was Anton Wildgans, details

of whom can be found on the Academics page.

Born in  Nottinghamshire, Anne Wildgust Kadwill was an organist and choir director for the Westminster

United Church at St. Catherine’s, Ontario, Canada. She wrote a song called Canadian Soldiers on Parade.

William Wildgust born in 1819 was an American artist. Read more about him by clicking on his name.

Frederick Wildgoose born in 1874 was the organist and choir master at St. Peter’s church in Upper Gornal.

Lubin Wildgoose played the double bass in the Matlock Brotherhood Orchestra. He also conducted the

Matlock Silver Prize Band, the Matlock Male Voice Choir and the Primitive Methodist Chapel Choir, in

which many of his siblings and cousins also sang.

Thomas Wildgoose is named in The Dictionary of British 18^th Century Painters in Oils and Crayons

by Ellis Waterhouse of Woodbridge, Suffolk. Thomas died in 1719.

Rebecca Wildgoose is the only ancestor to have her portrait hung in the National Portrait Gallery. It is a

hand-coloured engraving by the renowned Regency artist, Robert Dighton. Rebecca was a procuress

who went blind. Her second husband William Howse guided her around Oxford as she sold flowers. It seems

that she was well-known (even by the Prince Regent) and well-liked. The students of Oxford called her “Flora.”

In a performance on 11^th. April 1842 at the Theatre Royal Adelphie in London, Miss Fanny Wildgoose played upon

the pianoforte the “Fantasia On Airs from the Opera of La Donna del Lago”.