Malcolm Bull's Calderdale Companion : Foldout

Mrs Sunderland Competition [1889]

The First Mrs Sunderland Competition began on 12th April 1889.

The judges were Mr John North, Mr J. E. Sykes and Mr D. W. Evans.

There were 37 competitors:

14 sopranos. The test piece was Hear ye, Israel from Mendelssohn's Elijah. Those whom the judges considered best, were then asked to perform their own chosen piece. The names or aliases* of the contestants were:
- Miss Lizzie Bell (Middlesborough)
- Miss A. M. Falkin (Chesterfield)
- Dilettante* (Halifax)
- Julian* (Cleckheaton) - whose chosen piece was How beautiful are the feet
- Miss Annie Haigh (Shelley)
- Miss Lucy Turner (Elland)
- Miss Gaudeline Walker (Huddersfield)
- Catherine* (Longwood)
- Student* (Paddock) - whose chosen piece was I know that my Redeemer liveth
On the second day of auditions:
- Master E. Fitz-George Rollinson (Batley)
- Frances Boys* (Wath-on-Dearne)
- Nellie Blye* (Huddersfield)
- Miss Emily A. Greenwood (Thongsbridge)
- Miss Rebecca Robertshaw (Halifax)
13 contraltos. The test piece was Return, O God of Hosts from Handel's Samson
- Miss Thackrah (Halifax) - whose chosen piece was Oh! rest in the Lord
- Vanda Ruston* (Leeds)
- Edith Bourke* (Huddersfield) - whose chosen piece was Blumenthal's Sunshine and rain
- Miss Marie Barraclough (Harrogate) - whose chosen piece was He shall feed His flock
- Miss M. H. Watson (Bradford)
- Miss R. A. Dobson (Halifax)
- May* (Huddersfield)
On the second day of auditions:
- Marjorie* (Hipperholme)
- Miss Amy Gaukroger (Sowerby Bridge)
- Marie Braithwaite* (Holbeck) - whose chosen piece was Tosti's Goodbye
- Miss Florence E. Halliwell (Barkisland) - whose chosen piece was Smart's Lady of the Lea
- Miss Annie Sophia Marshall (Morley)
- Elsie Moore (Headingley) - who failed to appear
10 pianists. The test piece was Chopin's waltz in C sharp minor (Opus 64)
- Miss Annie E Barnes (New Wortley, Sheffield)
- Miss Agnes Beldon (Eldwick, Bingley)
- Mr Robert Harries (Huddersfield) - whom the judges considered superior to the others
On the second day of auditions:
- Frances Boys* (Wath-on-Dearne) - whose chosen piece was Mendelssohn's Prelude and fugue in D, No. 2 (Opus 35)
- Miss Emily A. Greenwood (Thongsbridge) - whose chosen piece was Chopin's Polonaise (Opus 26) No. 1 allegro appassionata meno mosso
- Victoria Field* (Elland)
- Pollie Neville* (Headingley) - whose chosen piece was J. Raff's Regandan
- Mr Fred Green (Lockwood)
- Mr Edgar Varley (Marsh)
- Mr Ralph V. Rushworth (Bradford) - whose chosen piece was Mendelssohn's Rondo Capriccioso in E Minor (Opus 14)

The judges decided to split the Mrs Sunderland Prize between the singers Julian* (Miss Fanny Wood of Cleckheaton), and Marie Braithwaite* (Miss Mary A. Rhodes of Holbeck). The two winners both received a silver medal and £2 12/6d.

Master E. Fitz-George Rollinson received a special judges' prize of one guinea.

The judges also gave honourable mention to Student* (Miss Wood of Paddock), Edith Bourke* (Miss Ada Burton of Huddersfield) and Frances Boys* (Miss Sylvia Frances Wardell).

The winning pianist was Frances Boys* (Miss Sylvia Frances Wardell), the daughter of Mr F. N. Wardell, Her Majesty's Inspector of Mines at Wath-on-Dearne.

Mrs Sunderland presented the prizes

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