Christopher Dearnley

DEARNLEY, Christopher (Hugh). b. Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, 11 February 1930; d. Wilberforce, New South Wales, Australia, 15 December 2000. The son of the Vicar of St George’s Church, Wolverhampton, Christopher Dearnley might well have followed his father’s vocation, and at Worcester College, Oxford (1948-52) he read both theology and music, studying composition with Edmund Rubbra. National Service in the RAF near Salisbury brought him into contact with Douglas Guest, the cathedral organist, who invited him to play for some services; this led to his appointment as assistant organist in 1954, and three years later, when Guest moved to Worcester Cathedral, Dearnley was promoted to succeed...