History

In the west cloister of Westminster Abbey is a memorial tablet to Sir (John) Frederick Bridge, Organist and Master of the Choristers at the Abbey. The tablet was unveiled at a service on 26 May 1925 and is by sculptor Eric Gill. The letters are painted red and black. The inscription reads:

"SIR FREDERICK BRIDGE C.V.O. Emeritus Organist, Organist of Westminster Abbey 1882-1918. Faithful in service Skilled in music Loving in friendship. Born 5 December 1844. Died 18 March 1924."

He was born at Oldbury in Worcestershire, the eldest son of John Bridge (died 1893) and his wife Rebecca (Cox). His brothers were Samuel and Joseph (who became organist at Chester cathedral). He was a chorister at Rochester cathedral in Kent, where his father was a Vicar Choral. Then he went on to Queen's College, Oxford and was organist at several churches before becoming organist of Manchester cathedral. In 1875 he was appointed deputy to organist James Turle at the Abbey and succeeded him in 1882. He composed many anthems and chants besides secular works and wrote anthems for the funerals of Lord Tennyson, Charles Darwin and Robert Browning. He was concerned with the music for Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee service in 1887 and was director of music at the 1902 and 1911 coronations. In 1897 he was knighted and was made a Commander of the Victorian Order. During his time a new Choir School building was erected in Dean's Yard and there were commemoration services for Henry Purcell, Orlando Gibbons and S.S.Wesley. He was known affectionately as Westminster Bridge.

He married his first wife Constance Ellen Moore (1847-79) in 1872 and they had two children, both of whom were baptised in the Abbey: Reginald Turle who was born 5 March 1877 and married Margaret Nix in 1911, and Mabel Constance who was born on 18 July 1878 and married Frederick Norcup, Lay Vicar of the Abbey, His second wife was Helen Amphlett (1852-1906) whom he married in the Abbey on 3 January 1883. The child from this marriage was Rosalind Flora born 10 February 1884 who married Edward Stainer (son of Sir John Stainer) in the Abbey in 1907. Sir Frederick's third wife was Marjory Wedgwood whom he married on 14 April 1914. He was also conductor of the Royal Choral Society, King Edward professor of music at London university, Gresham professor of music and musical editor of the Westminster Abbey Hymn Book.  He retired from the Abbey at the end of 1918 and was appointed Emeritus Organist and continued to live in his house, Litlyngton Tower, in the cloisters. His memorial service was held on 21 March 1924 and he is buried at Glass in Aberdeenshire.

A photo of his memorial can be purchased from Westminster Abbey Library.

Further reading:

Autobiography "A Westminster Pilgrim", 1918

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2004.