Mrs Sunderland Competition [1889]

The First Mrs Sunderland Competition began on 12th April 1889.

The judges were Mr John North, Mr J. E. Sykes and Mr D. W. Evans.

There were 37 competitors:

• 14 sopranos. The test piece was Hear ye, Israel from Mendelssohn's Elijah. Those whom the judges considered best, were then asked to perform their own chosen piece. The names or aliases* of the contestants were:
  • Miss Lizzie Bell (Middlesborough) 
  • Miss A. M. Falkin (Chesterfield) 
  • Dilettante* (Halifax) 
  • Julian* (Cleckheaton) - whose chosen piece was How beautiful are the feet
  • Miss Annie Haigh (Shelley) 
  • Miss Lucy Turner (Elland) 
  • Miss Gaudeline Walker (Huddersfield) 
  • Catherine* (Longwood) 
  • Student* (Paddock) - whose chosen piece was I know that my Redeemer liveth

  On the second day of auditions:

  • Master E. Fitz-George Rollinson (Batley) 
  • Frances Boys* (Wath-on-Dearne) 
  • Nellie Blye* (Huddersfield) 
  • Miss Emily A. Greenwood (Thongsbridge) 
  • Miss Rebecca Robertshaw (Halifax) 

• 13 contraltos. The test piece was Return, O God of Hosts from Handel's Samson
  • Miss Thackrah (Halifax) - whose chosen piece was Oh! rest in the Lord
  • Vanda Ruston* (Leeds) 
  • Edith Bourke* (Huddersfield) - whose chosen piece was Blumenthal's Sunshine and rain
  • Miss Marie Barraclough (Harrogate) - whose chosen piece was He shall feed His flock
  • Miss M. H. Watson (Bradford) 
  • Miss R. A. Dobson (Halifax) 
  • May* (Huddersfield) 

  On the second day of auditions:

  • Marjorie* (Hipperholme) 
  • Miss Amy Gaukroger (Sowerby Bridge) 
  • Marie Braithwaite* (Holbeck) - whose chosen piece was Tosti's Goodbye
  • Miss Florence E. Halliwell (Barkisland) - whose chosen piece was Smart's Lady of the Lea
  • Miss Annie Sophia Marshall (Morley) 
  • Elsie Moore (Headingley) - who failed to appear

• 10 pianists. The test piece was Chopin's waltz in C sharp minor (Opus 64) 
  • Miss Annie E Barnes (New Wortley, Sheffield) 
  • Miss Agnes Beldon (Eldwick, Bingley) 
  • Mr Robert Harries (Huddersfield) - whom the judges considered superior to the others

  On the second day of auditions:

  • Frances Boys* (Wath-on-Dearne) - whose chosen piece was Mendelssohn's Prelude and fugue in D, No. 2 (Opus 35) 
  • Miss Emily A. Greenwood (Thongsbridge) - whose chosen piece was Chopin's Polonaise (Opus 26) No. 1 allegro appassionata meno mosso
  • Victoria Field* (Elland) 
  • Pollie Neville* (Headingley) - whose chosen piece was J. Raff's Regandan
  • Mr Fred Green (Lockwood) 
  • Mr Edgar Varley (Marsh) 
  • Mr Ralph V. Rushworth (Bradford) - whose chosen piece was Mendelssohn's Rondo Capriccioso in E Minor (Opus 14) 

The judges decided to split the Mrs Sunderland Prize between the singers Julian* (Miss Fanny Wood of Cleckheaton), and Marie Braithwaite* (Miss Mary A. Rhodes of Holbeck). The two winners both received a silver medal and £2 12/6d.

Master E. Fitz-George Rollinson received a special judges' prize of one guinea.

The judges also gave honourable mention to Student* (Miss Wood of Paddock), Edith Bourke* (Miss Ada Burton of Huddersfield)  and Frances Boys* (Miss Sylvia Frances Wardell).

The winning pianist was Frances Boys* (Miss Sylvia Frances Wardell), the daughter of Mr F. N. Wardell, Her Majesty's Inspector of Mines at Wath-on-Dearne.

Mrs Sunderland presented the prizes

Page Ref: S231-1889

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