Introduction

Biography

John was the son of Jo­seph Var­ley Ro­berts and Eli­za­beth Hart­ley, and hus­band of Eli­za­beth Yates Jane Mann­ing (mar­ried 1866).

He be­came or­gan­ist at St. John’s Church, Fars­ley, at age 12; St. Bar­tho­lo­mew’s, Arm­ley, in 1862; and at the Ha­li­fax Par­ish Church in 1868.

He was edu­cat­ed at Ox­ford (BMus 1871, DMus 1876), FCO 1876. He went on to be­come or­gan­ist and ma­gis­ter chor­is­tar­um at Mag­da­len Col­lege, Ox­ford (1882) and or­gan­ist at St. Giles’ Church, Ox­ford (1885–93).

In 1884, he found­ed the Uni­ver­si­ty Mad­ri­gal and Glee Club at Ox­ford.

Works

• Practical Me­thod of Train­ing Chor­is­ters, 1898