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Midland Adult School Union
Male Voice Choir
Challenge Shield Click on Shield to enlarge
Presented by Barrow Cadbury & his wife Geraldine Southall
To the Adult School Union 1910
The Shield states: "Held For One Year By The Winners
At The First Annual Music Festival Presented By B. & G.S.C. April 1910"
A BRIEF HISTORY
Towards the end of the 19th century Quakers, such as Cadbury, founded the Early Morning Adult Schools, offering the opportunity for adults to acquire that education missed when they were younger. In the 1840s Joseph Sturge set up an adult class in Severn Street, (Severn Street British School) (see also below) led by members of the Society of Friends. Following the success of this movement further activities were included - painting, leatherwork and music. "Several Mayors and Lord Mayors of the City acknowledged that their fitness for the office had greatly increased by the part which they had taken in Adult School work. The most famous of these was Joseph Chamberlain. After moving to Birmingham in the 1860s, he became a teacher at the Early Morning School attached to the Church of the Messiah (founded by George Dawson) in Broad Street. When he became a national figure ("Brummagem Joe" as he was later nicknamed), his busy career as a politician did not prevent him from keeping in touch with many his Adult School associates. In 1910, membership of the Midland Adult School Union had reached a peak of 25,195." ***
N.B. Midland Adult School Union Minute Books. Birmingham City Library Archive Department
Extracts from MS 272/I/5 Minute Book, 1884 – 1895 “….Midland Adult School Union formed Feb Thurs 14th 1884 at a meeting at Severn St. School.
Lancasterian School, Severn Street, 1809. Contemporary print From: British History Online. Not known if this is the school that Joseph Sturge started the Adult Class.
Information of Severn St. School state;
Choirs: The first choir would be Reuben Heaton,s Class 1. Choirs existed in Y.P.M., * Gooch St. & other meetings. * Believed to be “Young People’s Meeting” my italics.
Priory Women’s Choir started 1896, successful for 40 years. Conductor Henry Moore,
Nelson Street Male Voice Choir, founded by the same conductor about the same time.
Many other choirs started, Icknield Street, Clarke Street, Raddlebarn Road, Bearwood, Gooch St. mixed and others. Adult School Choral Society 1910.
Midland Adult School Choir Competition was very popular for many years.
Adult School Choirs were successful in the Midland Musical Competition Festivals. Some choirs still in existence.
Gooch Street Choir is now the Midland Music Makers
George Cadbury and Bournville Trust
Barrow Cadbury Trust Heritage Plaques
The Winners.(complete list. See Choir Web pages for individual details)
Note 1946/47 (Raddle Barn) & 1950/51 (Icknield) only one shield each is used.
ADULT SCHOOL UNION SHIELD Won Year Conductor
Icknield Street Early Morning School Yes 1910 Alan. W. Norton
No(2nd) 1934 (Harold) H. Winters
Yes 1935 H. H. Winters
Yes 1936 H.H. Winters
Yes 1937 H.H. Winters
Yes 1938 H.H. Winters
Yes 1940 H.H. Winters
No(2nd) 1934 H.H. Winters
Yes 1950 H.H. Winters
Yes 1951 H.H. Winters
Yes 1952 H.H. Winters
Yes 1953 A. Sewell
Clarke Street Yes 1913 H.J. Lewis
**** 1916 Notation on shield states Yes 1914 H.J. Lewis
“The only entrants Yes 1915 H.J. Lewis
83 Marks Awarded” Yes 1916 H.J. Lewis N.B. ****
Yes 1923 H.J. Lewis
Yes 1929 H.J. Lewis
Yes 1930 H.J. Lewis
Nelson Street Yes 1921 C.R. Dean
Yes 1922 C.R. Dean
Yes 1924 C.R. Dean
Yes 1927 C.R. Dean
Yes 1928 C.R. Dean
Yes 1931 C.R. Dean
Yes 1932 C.R. Dean
Yes 1934 C.R. Dean
Yes 1945 C.R. Dean
Raddle Barn (Now Bournville Pheonix) Yes 1926 Len Hunt
Yes 1933 Len Hunt
Yes 1946 E.T. Baldwin
Yes 1947 E.T. Baldwin
Steward Street Yes 1925 A.H. Phelps
Oldbury Yes 1911 T. Appleby Matthews
Yes 1912 T. Appleby Matthews
West Smethwick (Now Warley) Yes 1955 W. O. Jones
Yes 1956 W. O. Jones
The preceeding were the winners but who were the other entrants. Other schools with male voice choirs were;
Farm Street, (search on "Farm Street hall" (I have music overstamped by this choir)
Questions to be resolved;
Where were the festivals held?
The first was in the Central Hall, April 2nd 1910 Corporation St.
The one Circa 1946 was held at Moseley Rd Institute ***
(search on "Moseley Road institute"
Where was the Challenge Shield manufactured and when?
Would any kind reader let me have any details, emails preferable, or written information, photos (they will be looked after & returned), of the schools here mentioned but with particular links to the choirs and the shield.
Where photos are used I may have given acknowledgements but some are in the public domain or taken by myself. I will remove without question any that are deemed to be copyright.
Thank you, contact details at bottom of page.
*** Source "Adult Schools In The Midlands 1845 - 1995" Michael Hinson
*** Source "Adult Schools In The Midlands 1845 - 1995" Michael Hinson
updated 4/09/08
Email to; Cadbury Challenge Shield
Phone No. 07985041167
Webmaster: Challenge Shield
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