Lionel Dakers

DAKERS, Lionel Frederick. b. Strood, Rochester, Kent, 24 February 1924; d. Salisbury, Wiltshire, 10 March 2003. He was a child attender at Rochester Cathedral, where he was encouraged to study the organ as a boy. Against his father’s wishes he chose music as a career, and by the age of 15 he was already installed as organist of All Saints’ Church, Frindsbury, Rochester. His war service proved singularly fortunate: he was posted to York, where he was able to study under Edward Bairstow*; and then to Cairo, where he played the organ in the Cathedral. He was made ARCO in 1944 and FRCO in 1945. He then studied at the Royal Academy of Music, becoming assistant organist at St George’s Chapel,...