James Edward Adkins
James Edward Adkins FRCO (14 Dec 1867[1] - 4 January 1939) was an Irish organist and composer.
Background[edit]
He was born on 14 December 1867 in Belfast, the son of James Adkins and Emma Ryan. He studied at the Royal College of Music[2] and trained at Ely Cathedral under the organist, Edmund Thomas Chipp.
He married Louisa Day on 29 July 1889 in Richmond Upon Thames. They had three children:
- Edith Grace Adkins b.1890
- Edouardine Adkins b.1892
- James Francis Basil Adkins 1899 - 1917
- Eric Alan Edward Adkins 1904 - 1982
His son James Francis Basil Adkins, a Private in the 2nd Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment, was killed in Flanders on 1 Oct 1917.
His other son Eric was also a fine musician. Both Basil and Eric were st Paul's Cathedral choir boys.
Whilst in Preston he was conductor of the Preston Amateur Operatic Society 1895 - 1901, Conductor of Chorley Choral Society, 1890 – 1891, and Conductor of Preston Choral Society, 1905 - 1907.
He died on 4 January 1939 in Amounderness, Lancashire.
Appointments[edit]
- Organist at St. Anne's Church, Wandsworth
- Organist at All Saints' Church, Grosvenor Road, London
- Organist at St. Stephen's Church, East Twickenham
- Organist at St. George's Church, Esher
- Organist at Preston Parish Church 1890 – 1912
Publications[edit]
- Preston Parish Church: its organists, choir, and organs, 1574-1915.[3]
Compositions[edit]
He composed
- Magnificat and nunc dimittis in D 1898
- Tears, idle Tears. Four-Part Song for mixed voices 1908
- Magnificat and nunc dimittis for men's voices 1910
- Magnificat and nunc dimittis in G 1911
- Magnficat for treble voices 1911
- Te Deum for treble voices 1911
- Te Deum in G 1911
- Jubilate in G 1911
- Hibernia (Overture) Adagio & Allegretto from the Brandenburg Concerto No. 1. J. S. Bach. Arrangement 1923[4]