History

In the north choir aisle of Westminster Abbey is a black marble bust in memory of organist and composer Orlando Gibbons. It is a copy by A.G. Walker of the bust in Canterbury Cathedral and was presented in 1907 by the Worshipful Company of Musicians. The gilded inscription reads:

ORLANDO GIBBONS ORGANIST 1625

Orlando was born in Oxford and baptised in 1583. His parents William and Mary actually lived in Cambridge. His brothers were Edward, Ferdinando and Ellis. After serving as a chorister at King's College Cambridge he became a member of the Chapel Royal and probably took part in the coronation of James I in 1603. He was organist at the Chapel Royal 1604-25 and court musician, writing songs, madrigals, keyboard music and anthems. In 1606 he married Elizabeth Patten and their children were James, Alice, Christopher, Ann, Mary, Elizabeth and Orlando. He was organist of Westminster Abbey 1623-25. He died in Canterbury on 5 June 1625 and was buried in the cathedral there. His wife was buried in St Margaret's church Westminster on 2 July 1626.

Christopher Gibbons

He was also an organist and composer and was baptised on 22 August 1615 at St Margaret's Westminster and was in the choir at Exeter and possibly a chorister at the Chapel Royal. He served as organist at Winchester Cathedral from 1638 and then at Westminster Abbey 1660-64 and was also Master of the Choristers 1664-66. In 1646 he married Mary Kercher and she was buried on 15 April 1662 in the north cloister of the Abbey. He married secondly in 1655 widow Elizabeth Filbridge and they had five children. He was buried on 24 October 1676 in the Abbey cloisters but he has no marker or memorial.

A photo of Orlando's bust can be purchased from Westminster Abbey Library.

Further reading:

"Orlando Gibbons and the Gibbons family of musicians" by John Harley, 1999

"Orlando Gibbons. A short account of his life and work" by Edmund Fellowes, 1925

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2004.