Gerard Francis Cobb (

Nettlestead, Kent Nettlestead is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish on the road south-west of, and part of the Districts of England, borough of Maidstone. The parish includes Nettlestead Green and part of Seven Mile Lane. More than 800 people ...

, 15 October 1838 – 31 March 1904) was Junior Bursar of

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by Henry VIII, King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any college at either Cambridge ...

. He was active as an Anglican layman, organist and amateur composer.

Life

He was the fourth son of William Francis Cobb, rector of

, and was educated at

Marlborough College Marlborough College is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English Independent school (United Kingdom), independent boarding school) for pupils aged 13 to 18 in Marlborough, Wiltshire, England. Founded in 1843 for the sons of Church ...

. He matriculated at Trinity College, Cambridge in 1857, graduating B.A. in 1861 and M.A. in 1864. He died in Cambridge on 31 March 1904.

Music

Cobb is best remembered for his hymns and settings of

Rudyard Kipling Joseph Rudyard Kipling ( ; 30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936)''The Times'', (London) 18 January 1936, p. 12. was an English novelist, short-story writer, poet, and journalist. He was born in British India, which inspired much of his work. ...

's Barrack-Room Ballads. The poems set by Cobb include "To T. A." (1892), "The Young British Soldier" Op. 24 No. 1, "Mandalay", "Route Marchin’" "

Soldier, Soldier ''Soldier Soldier'' is a British television drama series. The title comes from a traditional song of the same name - "Soldier, soldier won't you marry me, with your musket, fife and drum?" - an instrumental version of which was used as its t ...

", "Fuzzy-Wuzzy" Op. 24 No. 5 (1892) "Troopin’", "Ford o' Kabul River" Op. 26 No. 2 (1893) "Danny Deever", "Shillin’ a Day" "Cells", "Belts Op. 29 No. 1" "The Widow’s Party", "Screw-Guns", "Gunga Din" Op. 29 No. 4, "Oonts" Op. 29 No. 5, "

Snarleyow "Snarleyow" is a poem by Rudyard Kipling, published in late 1890. The title character was a horse that was part of a team pulling a gun. The poem is one of many Kipling wrote depicting the life of soldiers in the British army. It appears that this ...

" Op. 29 No. 6, "For to Admire", "Back to the Army Again", and "Tommy". These songs were recorded by Ralph Meanley (baritone) and David Mackie (piano) for Campion in 2007. A smaller selection including "Lichtenberg" (1904), was recorded by Michael Halliwell (baritone), David Miller (piano) for ABC Classics, Australia.

Family

Cobb married in 1893 Elizabeth Lucy, daughter of John Welchman Whateley, of Birmingham and widow of

Stephen Parkinson Stephen Parkinson may refer to: * Stephen Parkinson (mathematician) (1823–1889), British mathematician and academic * Stephen Parkinson (lawyer) (born 1957), English barrister, solicitor, and head of the Crown Prosecution Service * Stephen Park ...

, tutor of St. John's College, Cambridge; she survived him without issue. He gave up his posts at Trinity on marrying.

References

External links

* ;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Cobb, Gerard Francis 1838 births 1904 deaths Church of England hymnwriters Fellows of Trinity College, Cambridge