Organists/Choir Directors
St Mark's Bilton from 1854

About 1854  - 1872 :  Henry Truslove

Born in Bilton in 1817 and Christened at St Mark's. He was Schoolmaster in Bilton and later worked at Rugby School as 'Collector and Accountant'. He died in Rugby aged 72 in 1889.  He would also accompany services from the Gallery on the fiddle. (He played the earlier Bishop Instrument - see bottom picture on 'T Thamer Case' page). About this time there was also Gallery harmonium, played by Mr Lawrence from Rugby. Also, probably prior to the Bishop organ there was a Barrel Organ which had about 12 Hymn Tunes.

1872 – 1878: William J. Hassall: 

Aged 31 in 1872, Schoolmaster in Bilton. Later Schoolmaster at Stretton on Dunsmore. 

1878 – 1885: Richard Washbrook:

Schoolmaster in Bilton

1887 – 1889: Alfred H Denny

Schoolmaster in Bilton

1890 – 1895: George Chapple

Schoolmaster in Bilton

1895 – 1915: John Wilson Higgie

Schoolmaster till 1932

1916 – 1917: Mr Stevenson & Mr E.J. Boynton

Mr Higgie was in the War in a training roleMr Boynton. previously at  St James Briercliffe Lancashire.

1917 – 1928: Edward H. Hall

He ran a musical instrument repair shop in Regent Street, Rugby.He fitted the Great 4’ Flute and Swell 8' Celeste Rank in 1924. He lived in Claremont Road, Rugby and was 70 in 1928 when he retired. 

1928 – 1948: Clement J Small (ARCO 1910) 

He worked in Railway Administration and lived in Clifton on Dunsmore at 'The Elms' where his wife ran the farm they owned. He was Organist at Brownsover in 1906 then at Ashby St Ledgers. After Bilton, he was organist at Yelvertoft and became deaf. His only son John, who  was severely injured in the 1939-45 war, died in 1946 and is buried in Bilton church yard with a 'War Graves' headstone. 

1948 – 1991: Peter Bourton
(LTCL 1952)

Longest serving. 43 years service(Twin Brother still alive at 97 in 2019)
A Technical Standards Engineer working for BTH/AEI/GEC in Mill Road Rugby. Between 1954 and 1964 he sometimes acted as Assistant Organist at Holy Trinity Coventry. Although retired from GEC, whilst still Organist and Choirmaster, he died of a heart attack in November 1991 at 69.
His assistants were: 
John Tole 1950–1965
 David Wilson 1965–1973
Peter Lock 1974–1976 
  Ann Stott 1978–1982
David Parry-Smith 1982–1986
(ARCO 1992)

1992 - 1994: Lorretta Henderson/Grace

A talented Pianist who was a school music teacher at Bloxham Primary School Rugby. Now St.Matthew's Bloxam C of E (VC) Primary School. Assisted by Christopher Harratt from July 1992, previously Director of Music at St John’s Cambridge Street Rugby.  This church closed in June 1992 and merged with nearby  church of St Peter's in Clifton Road. Chris died in 2021 to read his Obituary, please click HERE

1994 - 2005: Peter Lock  
Joint Organist till 2010 - (ARSM 2018) 

An Electrical Engineering Teacher, 29 years at Rugby College of F. E. Later working for WCC & The Imagineering Foundation developing STEM initiatives. Finally running the JLR Gaydon Education Partnership Centre. for 4 years. Peter was previously organist & Choirmaster at:  St Peter’s Grandborough 1963 – 1971, then St Peter's Clifton Road Rugby July 1976 –  June 1990. Assisted at St Mark's by: The late Christopher Harratt, then additionally Judith Lee from 1997.
Judith, Chris & Peter were Joint Organists  from Sept 2005 to July 2010 for Director's Gill Clark and Patsy Howes. * Peter returned to St Peter John, Clifton Road Rugby as Organist in July 2010 Judy Lee continued as Sub Organist and main Funeral Organist till April 2019, when she moved to Upper Shincliffe near Durham, thus serving for about 22 Years at St Mark's.

2005 - 2010: Gill Clark  Choir Director*

A Teacher, formerly Head of ICT at Bilton High School. She is a private singing teacher and was Musical Director of the leading local ladies choir ‘The Woodlands Singers’  from 1993 to 2018

2010 (Feb to July) : Patricia Howes Choir Director*

See Below

2010  - 2021: David Noble  (23/7/2010 -  26/3/2021)

David  Noble was a Teacher, at Bilton Grange Preparatory School Dunchurch, near Rugby,  he taught in the Junior Department and was Head of ICT, he was also designated as School Chaplain. 
David widened the repertoire of the choir significantly and organised visits for the choir to sing in various Cathedrals. He also instituted the tradition of monthly 1st Sunday full choral evensongs - often with visiting members from other church choirs. 
David wrote a number of choral works for St Mark'sHis wonderful setting of the traditional carol 'Love came down at Christmas', has been sung by a number of local choirs. Performances of his works at an Evensong in January 2014 at Exeter College Chapel Oxford are linked belowLink for 'Love came down at Christmas' H E R E .
Link for the Magnificat in D - H E R E Link for the Nunc -  H E R EHe also wrote  a very tuneful anthem setting of 'Light of the minds that know him'. This is linked  H E R E. It was sung by an Extended St Mark's Choir at Choral Evensong on May 1st 2022.   

April 2021➜ ➜ : Patricia Howes Director of Music

A Teacher, for some time ,Head of the Junior Section at the Independent Quaker School, SibfordPatsy Howes is now (2024) a teacher at Bilton Grange School .As well as DOM, Patsy is currently also the Choir Secretary. Also, she was on the on the recently disbanded Diocesan RSCM Committee for many years.

April 2021➜ ➜ : Phil Johnson Organist

A project manager in the telecoms industry, Phil started learning the organ under Timothy Hone at Coventry Cathedral and then Trevor Davies at St. Mary's Abbey Church in Nuneaton. He was organist at St. James Weddington (Nuneaton) during his school years. With work and family life getting in the way of both singing and organ playing, it wasn't until 2011 after a gap of almost 20-years, that he started playing again after being invited to assist at St. Mark's.Phil took up the position of 'acting organist' at Easter 2020 during COVID and, with his partner Jayne Waddington, and other choit members,  Richard Holmes, Miss Trines Ward and director Patsy Howes, they provided most of the music for the online Communion Service and monthly Choral Evensong for the the church during lockdown.Phil splits his time between the organ bench at St. Mark's and singing with Poscimur and Te Decet Hymnus in cathedrals around the country whilst the choir is on holiday. He also occasionally accompanies those choirs and for St. Mark's choir cathderal weekends E.G. Lichfield in September 2023.

Christopher Harratt
Late Assistant Organist  - Serving from 1992 to 2021 - 29 Years.  
Chris died suddenly aged 66 on 27th July 2021
For a short obituary please click HERE 

Members of the Assisting Organists Team - 2024

Tamsin Scammell, Music Teacher, Pianist and Strings player 

    Peter Lock, Joint Organist at St Peter & St John's Church Rugby 

YOUNG ORGANISTS
Sam Horton & Ben Tanner
(With initial Organ Lessons at Rugby School)


Up to date information on activities, services and visits for St Mark's Choir Bilton can be found on their Facebook Page.