Thomas Clark (1775–1859) was a

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the primate of ...

shoemaker Shoemaking is the process of making footwear. Originally, shoes were made one at a time by hand, often by groups of shoemakers, or cobblers (also known as '' cordwainers''). In the 18th century, dozens or even hundreds of masters, journeymen ...

( cordwainer) and a prolific composer of

West Gallery music __NOTOC__ West gallery music, also known as Georgian psalmody, refers to the sacred music (metrical psalms, with a few hymns and anthems) sung and played in English parish churches, as well as nonconformist chapels, from 1700 to around 1850. In ...

, especially for the Nonconformist churches of the South East of England. Sally Drage, writing in the ''

New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'' is an encyclopedic dictionary of music and musicians. Along with the German-language ''Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart'', it is one of the largest reference works on the history and theo ...

'', notes that he was 'particularly influential as the composer of early Sunday School collections'. Clark was born in St Peter's parish in Canterbury and baptized on 5 February 1775. He was apprenticed as a shoemaker to his father, William Clark, and became a Freeman of the City of Canterbury in 1796 on completion of his apprenticeship as he was the son of a Freeman. He married Anne Ledger in St George's Church, Canterbury, in November 1806. He took over the family business on his father's death in 1823. He retired from business in about 1842-3. He died in Canterbury on 30 May 1859, aged 84.Tony Singleton, 'Thomas Clark of Canterbury, 1775 - 1859'
West Gallery Music Association
/ref> The best-known of his hymn tunes is ''Cranbrook'': it was originally set to the words 'Grace 'tis a charming sound' written by

Philip Doddridge Philip Doddridge D.D. (26 June 1702 – 26 October 1751) was an English Nonconformist (specifically, Congregationalist) minister, educator, and hymnwriter. Early life Philip Doddridge was born in London the last of the twenty children of ...

, and published in Clark's first book ''A Sett of Psalm & Hymn Tunes''

805 __NOTOC__ Year 805 ( DCCCV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Siege of Patras: Local Slavic tribes of the Peloponnese lay siege t ...

''Cranbrook'' was later used as a tune for the Christmas hymn '' While shepherds watched their flocks by night'' and is now better known as the tune of the Yorkshire song ''

On Ilkla Moor Baht 'at "On Ilkla Moor Baht 'at" (Standard English: ''On Ilkley Moor without a hat'') is a folk song from Yorkshire, England. It is sung in the Yorkshire dialect, and is considered the unofficial anthem of Yorkshire. According to Andrew Gant, the words ...

''. Two other tunes by Clark were included in the 1933 ''Methodist Hymn Book with Tunes'': they are ''Crediton'' (tune 565), which was first published in Clark's ''Second Set of Psalm Tunes ... with symphonies & an instrumental bass, adapted to the use of country choirs'' . 1807 and ''Warsaw'' (tune 606),. which was first published in his ''Third Set of Psalm & Hymn Tunes''

807 __NOTOC__ Year 807 ( DCCCVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Abbasid Empire and Byzantine Empire * Emperor Nikephoros I is forced to sue for peace, ...

Publications

(from Tony Singleton's article) *12 sets of ''Psalm & Hymn Tunes'', 1805 to 1821 *Twelve Tunes in Peculiar Metre, ca.1810 *9 sets of ''Psalm Tunes'' from 1805 to ca.1825 (the third set contains a Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis) *Te Deum Laudamus and Jubilate Deo, ca.1808 *Several anthems published singly from ca.1808 onwards *Sacred Gleaner, ca.1826-7 *Congregational Harmonist in 4 volumes from 1828 - ca.1835 (Editor) *Union Harmonist 1841 (Arranger) *The Juvenile Harmonist, 1842 *The Seraphim or Sacred Harmonist, 1842 *The Union Tune Book - revised and enlarged (Editor), ca.1842 *David's Harp (settings for all 150 Psalms) 1844 *British Psalmody, with Alexander Hume, pub.Edinburgh, 1844 *The Union Tune Book, continuation, 1854

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Clark, Thomas (composer) 1775 births 1859 deaths Classical composers of church music English classical composers English Methodists People from Canterbury Shoemakers Musicians from Kent English male classical composers