Sixty Years' service

John Lord retires from the Choir on Low Sunday, 11th April 1999

John and June LordJohn and June Lord, by the Grantham Canal in Nottinghamshire

To some of us the names ‘Vincent Trivett’ and ‘Archie Shipley’ are simply the titles of two of St Peter’s Trust Funds. To John they mean much more, for Vincent Trivett was the Organist & Choirmaster and Archie Shipley the Choir Secretary when he joined the choir, a few months before war was declared (the Second World War, that is).

In the Parish Magazine of September 1997 John recorded, with characteristic generosity, the events covering his twenty-three years on the Choir Sub-Committee, including ten as secretary and seven as chairman. How was it, we ask, that he had sung in the choir for thirty-three years before joining the committee in 1972?

On John’s retirement from the committee two years ago, Keith Charter spoke not only of his length of service but more particularly of the quality of that service. Behind that striking appearance there lurks an unassuming, good-humoured gentleman who has little regard for his own considerable abilities but concentrates instead on the well-being of the whole Choir, particularly the junior choristers - many of whom have long since become seniors and hold him in high esteem.

John has ‘seen off’ four Rectors (the last by just one week) and several Directors of Music. All have been the beneficiaries of his outstanding loyalty. Not only has John sung thousands of services arid practices but many cathedrals have, from time to time, been treated to his special ‘Basso Profundo’.

He retires (entirely of his own decision, says June) with a record which few, if any, of us are likely ever to equal. Choir-wise, he will be greatly missed. Our heartfelt thanks, John. Extremely well done!

We hope he will now have a little more time for his hobbies - gardening and walking (Fell and dog) - but the all-important news is that John and June will continue to play a very active part in St Peter’s community which is, of course, so important to them.

John King, Choir Sub-committee chairman


http://www.stpetersnottingham.org/music/johnlord.html
© St Peter's Church, Nottingham
Last revised 1st April 1999