Christopher Gledhill

Gledhill, Christopher

Christopher Gledhill. Educator, organist, composer, b Borden, Kent, England, 21 Mar 1912, d Brundall, Norfolk, England, 14 Apr 1987; BA (Oxford) 1934, B MUS (Oxford) 1936, MA (Oxford) 1946. He was a grandnephew of Edwin Gledhill. He attended Marlborough College and later the RCM, and was an organ scholar at Oriel College, Oxford. After some years in the army (captain in the Royal Signals, serving in France and Madagascar) he returned to Oxford and received an MA. Gledhill emigrated to Canada in 1946 to become music master at Lakefield College School, near Peterborough, Ont. He lived 1954-61 in Montreal, where he was organist-choirmaster at St James the Apostle Church, then served 1961-77 as music director of the Prince Edward Island Dept of Education, Charlottetown, except for two years (1966-8) spent on the island of Mauritius as music specialist for the Canadian International Development Agency. Gledhill was also organist-choirmaster and music director 1961-78 of Charlottetown's Kirk of St James. He was a linguist and traveller as well as a musician. Gledhill wrote scripts for the CBC, gave organ and piano recitals, and appeared on TV as performer, conductor, and panel member. His compositions and arrangements include Two Folksongs (BMI Canada 1952), Fiddle Tune for piano (Harris 1954), and Folksongs of Prince Edward Island (Square Deal Press 1973). Abegweit, an orchestral suite (manuscript), was commissioned for the Prince Edward Island centenary (1973).