Papers of Herman Sutherland Bantock

Bantock's career as a provincial musician (he lived and worked in the north-west) is well documented in four receipt books which not only give amounts earned but also say for which orchestra he was playing, where and when. An idea of the repertoire he was expected to perform can be gleaned from nearly 200 programmes, brochures and flyers of concerts at which he performed. A significant item is a bound volume of programmes from the 1899 and 1900 series of Sunday concerts given at the New Brighton Tower. These concerts became nationally known for their innovative programming and many were conducted by Granville Bantock. Herman Bantock came into contact with many famous performers, conductors and composers, some of whom are represented in the collection either in photographs or in letters. They include Hamilton Harty, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and Hans Richter. Papers of Bantock's second wife, a cellist include some programmes and press clippings.The collection as a whole gives a remarkable picture of a life in music.

Herman Bantock (1874-1965), cousin of Sir Granville Bantock, the composer, and the father of Geoffrey Bantock, Professor of Education at the University of Leicester. Bantock made his living as a professional violin and viola player, initially in sea-side orchestras such as on Blackpool's North Pier and in the Rimmer String Quartet, and later in the Hall and Liverpool Philharmonic orchestras. His long performing career spanned sixty years. His second wife, Mabel (ne Whymark) was also a performer, a cellist in the Hall. Bantock was a keen sportsman, with some skill in cricket and lacrosse

Reference: University of Birmingham Research Libraries Bulletin ( Number 7, Spring 2000 ).

The collection is arranged in the following series: Bantock's notebooks; concert programmes, leaflets and brochures; engagement contracts; letters and postcards; newspaper and magazine clippings; photographs and reproductions; the Rimmer Quartet; souvenir brochures and syllabi; menus; artifacts; and miscellaneous items.

Open. Access to all registered researchers.

This collection was presented by a relative of Bantock in 1997 and 1999.

Please see online catalogue for further details.

Permission to make any published use of any material from the collection must be sought in advance in writing from the University Archivist, Special Collections. Identification of copyright holders of unpublished material is often difficult. Special Collections will assist where possible with identifying copyright owners, but responsibility for ensuring copyright clearance rests with the user of the material.

Further deposits are not expected.

The University of Birmingham Information Services, Special Collections Department also holds the music manuscripts of Sir Granville Bantock, Herman Bantock's cousin (GB 150 GB); nearly 200 of Sir Granville Bantock's letters in Letters Additional (a separate collection of letters); and the diaries and selected letters of Sir Edward Elgar (GB 150 EE).

Correspondence and other papers of Granville Bantock are located at Worcestershire Record Office.