Walter Greatorex

GREATOREX, Walter. b. Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, 30 March 1877; d. Bournemouth, 29 December 1949. He was a chorister at King’s College, Cambridge, moving thence via Derby School to St John’s College, Cambridge. After eleven years as an assistant music master at Uppingham School (1900-10) he was appointed Director of Music at Gresham’s School, Holt in 1911, remaining there until his retirement in the summer of 1936. His pupils at Gresham’s included W. H. Auden* (who admired him as a civilizing and liberal influence), Lennox Berkeley and Benjamin Britten*, of whose precocious gifts he was initially rather dismissive (see Carpenter, 1992, pp. 27ff.). Named after one of the houses [residences...