James Ellor

ELLOR, James. b. Droylsden, Lancashire, 26 November 1819; d. Newburgh, New York, 27 September 1899. He was the second of six children born to Joseph and his wife Jane (née Bentley). The family was musical, and James excelled as a child on the 'cello and violin. By the age of 11 he was acknowledged to be the best music sight-reader in the village. Between 1835 and 1837 he was instructed in harmony by Charles Rider (or Ryder), a local musician and philanthropist who had taken an interest in the welfare of the young men in the Wesleyan chapel. James Ellor became choirmaster of the  Chapel in 1837. He wrote a number of hymns for the choir, including DIADEM: this was written for the 1838...