Obituary: Dr Dennis W Townhill


Obituary: Dennis W Townhill

Dr Dennis William Townhill, OBE, Organist Emeritus at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh, died on 18th July 2008, and his funeral took place at that Cathedral on Thursday, 24th July 2008.

Dennis was born in Lincoln on 29 May 1925, and his early education was at St Peter-at-Gowts Infant School. Michael Freeman, younger son of John A Freeman, started school on the same day, and Dennis and Michael became close lifetime friends.

Dennis auditioned for Lincoln Cathedral Choir and became a Cathedral chorister in September 1934. In those days Cathedral choristers attended Lincoln (now Christ’s Hospital) School and they wore a distinctive uniform consisting of mortarboard, short (bum-freezer) black jacket and pinstriped black trousers!

He had music lessons from an early age and at the age of thirteen was taught to play the organ. After leaving the Cathedral Choir at the age of fifteen, Dennis took on a succession of Sunday organ jobs and studied the organ under Dr Gordon Slater, the Cathedral Organist and Choir Master.

In his autobiography ‘The Imp and the Thistle – The story of a life of music making’ Dennis says ‘I was a frequent visitor to the Freeman household and during the war years, 1939-1945, I spent almost every Sunday evening there. After supper handbells were brought out and we spent an hour or two ringing – Michael, his father, Jack Walden and myself. I never learnt to ring in the tower for fear of damage to my fingers, but I did become reasonably proficient with handbells. I tended to wear gloves to protect my fingers, and acquired the nickname of "the gentleman handbell ringer."' 

Though Dennis never rang tower bells, his fiancée Mabel Ellingworth did, and was encouraged by John A Freeman (who was Master of the Lincoln Cathedral Company of Ringers) to attend practices at the Cathedral and to join the ringing for Sunday services. She became reasonably proficient but never had the confidence to ring a peal. Dennis and Mabel were married at St Peter-at-Gowts, Lincoln, in May 1949, and Michael Freeman was best man.

Dennis in his book writes ‘My friendship with the Freeman family led to invitations to join them on ringers’ outings from time to time. On more than one occasion we visited Surfleet. Here Rupert Richardson lived. My role was to play the organ for Sunday services and join the handbell ringers in the house.  Sunday lunch was always a sumptuous meal. Rupert Richardson sat at the head of the table carving slices from the largest joint of roast beef I have ever seen. The Richardson hospitality was boundless and the company always lively’.

Dennis’s first peal was at Surfleet on 19 May 1946 and consisted of 5088 changes of Plain Bob Major conducted by John Freeman.  The band was John Freeman 1-2; Rupert Richardson 3-4; John A Freeman 5-6; Dennis W Townhill 7-8.

Dennis describes his second peal as follows ‘Together with Bill (John was known as Bill to many people), Michael and Ken Croft we rang a peal in Lincoln School Library. Disaster nearly struck when Jack Green, the school caretaker, came in and began to talk to us. He even ruffled Michael’s hair. Fortunately we managed to convey to him that he was not wanted, continued ringing successfully and completed the peal’. This peal consisted of 5184 changes of Plain Bob Major conducted by John Freeman and was rung on handbells with a tenor size 17 in A. Michael Freeman 1-2; John Freeman 3-4; Kenneth S B Croft 5-6 and Dennis Townhill 7-8. The entire band were members of the Old Lincolnians Society. His third (and I believe final) peal was of Stedman Caters at the Millhouse’s residence in Rasen Lane, Lincoln.  It was again conducted by John Freeman and the band was – Jack Millhouse 1-2; Charles McGuiness 3-4; John Freeman 5-6; John A Freeman 7-8; and Dennis on 9-10.

In 1949 Dennis was appointed organist at St James's Church, Louth, and Music Master at the Grammar School in that town. Neither he nor Mabel did any more bell ringing, although he always supported and took an interest in the bellringers wherever he worked. After five years Dennis was appointed Organist and Choir Master at St James's Church Grimsby, and then in 1961 to his final post at Edinburgh Cathedral as Organist and Master of the Music.

He had a very distinguished career in Edinburgh and received a number of honours culminating with the award of an OBE in 1992. One of his most significant and far reaching innovations was the introduction of girls into the Cathedral choir.  A controversial move which has now been taken up by many other Cathedrals. He retired in 1991.

Mabel and Dennis’s daughter Barbara rings at Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, and is married to Ian Bell the Cathedral Ringing Master. Their son Dr Mark Bell is Central Council Representative for the Oxford University Society.

The following Quarter Peal was rung in memory of Dennis :

Scottish Association

Edinburgh, Lothian

St Mary's Cathedral

Thursday, 31 July 2008 in 57min (41cwt)

1278 Plain Bob Caters

1              Bill Brotherton (C)

2              Helen M Brotherton

3              Saskia Palmer

4              Matthew Frye

5              Steven Worrall

6              Simon Aves

7              Neil Ballard

8              W David Roskelly

9              Jonathan Frye

10            Jaime Hamper

First of Caters: 5

Rung half muffled in memory of Dr. Dennis W Townhill OBE 1925-2008, Organist Emeritus of the Cathedral and Organist and Master of the Choristers 1961-1991.

I acknowledge with gratitude the assistance of a number people for information included in this tribute, including members of Dennis’s family. I would particularly like to mention the Revd Michael Freeman.


Dennis and Mabel at grandson Mark Bell's wedding to Claire

JRK