William C Stockley If you cannot see a menu down the left of the screen, please click Home
	Conductor of BFCS 1845 - 1895
	WILLIAM COLE STOCKLEY 1829 - 1919. William Stockley was born 1st February 1830 at Footscray, Sidcup, Kent and came to Birmingham in 1850 to learn the business of 'pianoforte and music dealer.' Shortly after coming to Birmingham he married Miss Bryan of Strensham and within a year or two accepted the position of organist at St Stephen's Church, Newtown Row. Here he formed a choral society whose progress was so remarkable that when James Stimpson resigned from the Conductorship of BFCS in 1855 the vacant post was offered to and accepted by him. 1856 saw "Mr Stockley's Band" perform for the first time. This was the first orchestra formed of local musicians in the city and was the early predecessor of the CBSO. The young Edward Elgar played violin in the 'Band' for about seven years In 1858 William Stockley also became Chorus Master of the Birmingham Triennial Festivals. He had a natural genius for the direction of large masses in the performance of great works and his success in training the chorus and band was remarkable. When he became conductor of BFCS the choir numbered about 70 members - by 1869, when the Baton was presented to him [See Stockley's Baton] there were about 300 and when he left BFCS in 1895 there were 390 members! Stockley died at the age of eighty-nine living in rooms in Calthorpe Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham in 'reduced circumstances.' Gordon C Allen BFCS Archivist and Historian 17th July 2000
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