Introduction

Biography

William was the son of Ro­bert Ben­nett, or­gan­ist of Shef­field par­ish church, and Eliz­abeth Donn, and hus­band of Ma­ry Anne Wood (mar­ried 1844).

A pi­an­ist, com­pos­er and con­duc­tor, he taught mu­sic at Cam­bridge Uni­ver­si­ty, and was a prin­ci­pal of the Roy­al So­ci­ety.

In 1863, he helped ed­it The Chor­ale Book for Eng­land, by Ca­the­rine Wink­worth.

Queen Vic­tor­ia knight­ed him in 1871.