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Sir Granville Bantock 1868-1946 and the Bantock Family

sospiri

sospiri

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Although he was born in London and died there, Granville Bantock, the forgotten man of British music, had a very close association with the City, from his appointment as Director of the Birmingham & Midland Institute School of Music in 1900 until 1934. He was also instrumental (no pun intended) in founding what became the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.

Bantock.jpg


This short documentary (in two parts) details his life and contains both old and new glimpses of Birmingham, though sadly very little of his music. It contains contributions from both his son and grandson:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tA2PFTgz1s&feature=related

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d20PCP4tC4&NR=1

He is much underrated and now is almost forgotten, even in his adopted city, but it is interesting to note that the first President of the Bantock Society (founded after his death) was Sibelius, and Elgar dedicated the second of his Pomp & Circumstance Marches to Bantock - no mean recommendations! Many of his original scores are in the Library of Birmingham University and, during his time in Birmingham, he lived at the following addresses:-

Strathfield, Station Road, Kings Norton
Broad Meradow, Broad Meadow Lane
30 Elvetham Road
26 Wheeleys Road, Edgbaston
91 Metchley Lane.

I just thought it was about time that he had his own thread!

Maurice
 
How very sad I had not heard of Sir Granville Bantock who as you say Maurice was such an important man in our musical history not to mention how important he was to Birmingham.
 
Don't I remember that there was some sort of private school/college/crammer of that name, and run by a member of Granville's family, somewhere in Birmingham in the 1950s?

Chris
 
I'd vaguely heard of him, but didn't know there was a Birmingham connection until now. I don't think his works are performed these days, with the possible exception of some of his choral compositions.

Big Gee
 
Wendy:

I'm a bit out of touch with the CBSO nowadays, but I was an avid follower in my younger days when Rudolf Schwarz was principal conductor and, after I moved to Dorset, (Sir) Simon Rattle took over. But although both of these guys did much to promote the lesser known composers, I can't ever recollect either of them introducing Bantock to their programmes. Whilst he wasn't on a par with Delius or Elgar, some of his orchestral music is quite easy on the ear, and certainly equal to a lot of the music of Sir Arnold Bax, John Ireland, Walford Davies, etc. It needs the CBSO or Classic FM to take an interest and promote one of his pieces as happened with Gorecki a few years ago!

Chris:

I seem to recollect a Granville Secretarial College way back in the 1950s, though I always assumed the connection was with Granville Street rather than Granville Bantock!

They say he liked having his photograph taken and certainly he was very photogenic - a sought of benign headmaster appearance.

Maurice
 
Maurice,

I'm sure it was "Bantocks" rather than "Granville". And I've found a reference to it in Friends Reunited - Bantocks Tutorial School in Harborne Road. Apparently few other online traces.

(I only mention it in this thread because I remember being told at the time that there was a family link with Sir Granville, although it post-dates his death).

Chris
 
Slightly off-thread, but amongst Brum's many musical minutiae is that Sir Edward German wrote "Merrie England" while staying in a house on Anchorage Road, Sutton Coldfield. I had a part in "Merrie England" when Erdington Operatic Society performed it at Sutton Town Hall about 20 years ago, not 100 yards from where it was written! Not my favourite piece by any means, and not often performed nowadays (I'm glad to say...)

Big Gee
 
Chris:

He had four children and Harborne is the right area, but personally I've never heard of it - not that that means much! However, here is an entry from the 1956 Kellys. Raymond was the son speaking towards the end of Part 2 of that documentary. I haven't checked the remainder of the directories.



Big Gee:

Ironic that I should have been looking at (amongst other things) German's 'Merrie England' when I came across that Bantock documentary. My late mother always said that she liked Edward German, but it never appealed to me, She was of the right age, I guess!

Maurice
 
Unfortunately the 19th Century Newspapers just miss his Birmingham appointment, but here's a couple of announcements from 1891 of his forthcoming marriage.

Bantock_marriage.jpg


Bantock_Marriage_2.jpg


Maurice
 
Bantocks Tutorial College did most certainly exist. It was a private school in Harborne Road and the headmaster was a Mr Bantock. I knew he was in some way related to Greville but not to what degree. It specialised in preparing students mainly for GCE 'O' Levels. I was there in 1962/63. As I recall it's academic successes were limited although I did end up at Oriel College, Oxford with an MSt. and an MPhil. so something must have stuck! My fellow pupils were a good group, I had some fun there - it was my first experience of co-education. I do not know when it closed.
 
I first came across Sir Granville Bantock when researching the history of a cottage in Wales (Coed y Bleiddiau, on the Ffestiniog Railway?). I had never heard of him before yet in his time he was as well known as Edward Elgar. He deserves to be just as well known now and Birmingham are missing a trick by not promoting his music more in my opinion.

Bantock rented the cottage as a holiday escape early in the 29th century. At first it only had an outside loo and washing was in the stream running down below but later he built a bathroom to appease his rebellious family who didn't much like scrambling down the steep bank and bathing in the ice cold mountain water .

The cottage was later rented by St John Philby father of Kim Philby the spy although there is no evidence to suggest that his son ever stayed there.

It is now available to rent through The Landmark Trust.
 
Janet Hunt said:
I am certain he was not Edward Elgar, his friend was Elgar according to this article

Click to expand...
I think it is Edward Elgar

Edward Elgar with Bantock

Download Edward Elgar with Bantock from Bridgeman Images archive a library of millions of art, illustrations, Photos and videos.
www.bridgemanimages.com www.bridgemanimages.com

www.bbc.co.uk

BBC Radio 3 - Twenty Minutes, Elgar and Bantock in Birmingham

Fiona Clampin tells the story of two Birmingham professors of music: Elgar and Bantock.
www.bbc.co.uk www.bbc.co.uk
 
On Wikipedia it states Bantock’s Heberdian Hebridean Symphony was recorded at Riley's Hall, 25 Constitution Hill.
The Hall is mentioned in Viv’s post 3357 seen below, and with an old postcard.

Old street pics..

John Bright Street
birminghamhistory.co.uk

Today’s view.

E555CCC4-8EAA-48FD-B387-FF552868A630.jpeg
 
InnesSmith said:
Bantocks Tutorial College did most certainly exist. It was a private school in Harborne Road and the headmaster was a Mr Bantock. I knew he was in some way related to Greville but not to what degree. It specialised in preparing students mainly for GCE 'O' Levels. I was there in 1962/63. As I recall it's academic successes were limited although I did end up at Oriel College, Oxford with an MSt. and an MPhil. so something must have stuck! My fellow pupils were a good group, I had some fun there - it was my first experience of co-education. I do not know when it closed.
Click to expand...
 
Welcome to the Forum, Hartbloke. Hope you will be able in due course to post a comment relating to InnesSmith's earlier contribution (which you have successfully quoted in post #22).

Also, septerverius, did you intend to post a photo?

Please let us know if you need any help.

Chris
 
I was a "student" at what we called "Bantock's Crammers" in the autumn of 1957. It was at that time located in a private house on the North side of Harborne Road a few steps from the Five Ways/Harborne Road bus stops. It was indeed run by one of Bantock's sons, probably the one married to the composer. At that time this venerable institution specialised in repairing the sins of the public school system. For three months I attended two-hour sessions morning and afternoon, in a group of 6 - 8 17-year-olds who had failed "A" level examinations in science. We were guided to success in November re-sit examinations by a very wise elderly gentleman who wore a dark suit, highly polished black shoes, and had a gold chain and a pocket watch adorning his waistcoat. The young ladies were permitted to come and go freely through the front door, but the relatively unfortunate boys had to use the back door, at the times when it was open, for entry and departure. This was pivotal to my education as I went on to London University and then doctoral degrees proudly exceeding the education levels of my boarding school teachers. I was a member of a Quinton/Birmingham/Edgbaston family and Granville Bantock was a famous and respected member of the folk-lore of Birmingham music, my other career. I have a copy of his piano arrangement of Handel's Water Music in front of me as I write. I would be delighted to hear of others who benefitted from this part of the Bantock family activities.

Stephen.
 
Thank you, Stephen, for an excellent and informative post.

Below may be the image which septerverius was telling us about, adjoining the narrow-gauge Ffestiniog Railway line.

"Built of local slate and granite, Coed y Bleiddiau hunkers low into the mountain slope with woodland all around it. Its low eaves and thick walls were built for snugness, today just as when Mr Hovenden lived here with his wife and seven children. Later, this humble cottage was used as a holiday home by the renowned composer Sir Granville Bantock, and later still by the Arabist Harry St. John ‘Jack’ Philby".

Perhaps Sir Granville was a railway enthusiast as well as an accomplished musician. You didn't HAVE to be one to enjoy time there but I imagine it might have helped! In his time the railway would, in part, still have been operating in its original way - not so much the transporting of trainloads of happy holidaymakers (from Birmingham and elsewhere) past his front door on their way to and from Porthmadog and Blaenau Ffestiniog; but, rather, hauling trucks laden with good Welsh slate down to the port for onward transmission around the world.

Now a popular holiday let run by The Landmark Trust.

(Acknowledgement of source of image and text: The Landmark Trust website).

Chris

FfestiniogCottage.jpg
 
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