Peter Sproule

Peter Sproule’s singing career began as a young man while he was employed in the Engineering Industry in his home city of Lincoln, where he won over forty first prizes in music competitions, as well as numerous rosebowls. He performed as leading soloist in many oratorios, light & grand operas, and sang in the choir of St Mathias Church, Lincoln, in the years 1933-54, joining Lincoln Cathedral Voluntary Choir in 1954 as a tenor, and staying until 1958. In that year Peter won a competition, and one of the judges, Sir David Willcocks, advised him to turn professional, which he did by becoming a Lay Clerk in Durham Cathedral, where he stayed until 1964. After a year back in Lincoln Cathedral, he sang at Southwell Minster until he came to Peterborough Cathedral in 1976. At Peterborough he was Librarian for 13 years, and Senior Lay Clerk for 8, and was still singing with the Cathedral Choir at the time of his death.

Peter was almost seventy when he died of a heart attack on Sunday 14th June, 1998, in Peterborough District Hospital after only a few days illness. Just the Sunday previous he had conducted his Choir in a service for the Alexander Chapter Rose Croix in Long Sutton, Lincolnshire, of which he was very proud to be in the chair. The funeral service was held in Peterborough Cathedral, and was attended by many brethren, including the Provincial Grand Master, some from as far afield as Sheffield and Durham. The Choir sang Ptaçek’s Masonic Hymn, as well as joining the Cathedral Choir in some of the other music. There were many donations, which resulted in £400 being presented to the Coronary Unit at the Hospital, and £630 to the Cathedral Choral Endowment Fund, which is set up to ensure the Cathedral Choir’s future.

Peter was Initiated in Norman Lodge, No 1334, in Durham City in 1963, and in the course of moving for his career joined five other lodges, culminating with being installed as the First Master of Pro Musica Lodge, No 9547, in 1994. He received his first Provincial Honours from Nottinghamshire in 1990, and became PPrSGW in this Province (Northants & Hunts) in 1994. The PGM bestowed his Certificate of Merit on Peter at the 1998 meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge in recognition of his work, particularly with the Provincial Masonic Male Voice Choir. He was also Past Z of Alexander Chapter, No 1661, and a member of Pilgrim Preceptory, No 495.

Over the years Peter conducted the Choir, which is reputed to be the only male-voice choir regularly singing English Cathedral services, in more than 200 performances. He also played a key role in advising on the formation of other masonic choirs, notably in Durham and Staffordshire, and shortly before his death he had instigated the association of a number of masonic choirs, which it is hoped will eventually become nation-wide. Peter had conducted a deal of research into old Masonic Music, and one of his crusades was aimed at re-kindling interest in this neglected part of a great Masonic heritage, to which end he gave 28 lectures, illustrated by the Choir. He was also active in promoting the public interest in the Craft, and the Choir’s performances in public as masons pre-empted the current ‘openness’ by a decade or more.

In 1983 the Founder Secretary of Schola Regia Lodge, No 9105, asked W Bro Peter to form a choir to sing at the consecration, which took place in January, 1984. Following the success of this venture, a permanent choir was established, which became known as the Peterborough Masonic Male Voice Choir, and gave its first performance at the consecration of Thomas Deacon Lodge, No 9126, in October of the same year. The Choir flourished, and in 1986 the then PGM renamed it the Provincial Masonic Male Voice Choir.

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