History of the Choir

Copyright Alec Fraser 2012: all rights reserved

K Shoes Male Voice Choir evolved from the original works mixed voice ‘Netherfield Choir’ formed in 1929 by the Somervell family, founders of K Shoemakers Ltd, to raise monies for the local hospital.

The photograph above shows Netherfield Choir at their bi-ennial concert on 7th April 1938 in aid of the Westmorland County Hospital (now the Westmorland General Hospital). In the front row are Mr J Noble (Accompanist), Mr R A Somervell (Conductor), Mrs Helen Gillow Reynolds (Soprano soloist), Mr J M Somervell (President) and Mr Leslie Holme (Baritone soloist).

Becoming ‘Netherfield Male Voice Choir’ after the Second World War most of the choir’s efforts were put into the biennial Mary Wakefield Festival. In 1969 membership was opened up to non-employees and the choir then began to attract singers from outside the Kendal area. Mary Powney, now the choirs President, was invited to be musical director and took the choir from strength to strength. Under her leadership and with the sterling support from Colin Tolson the accompanist the choir has gained a succession of first places at many musical festivals. Here a group of singers who were also members of the choir at some time in the 1960s to 1970 have won a trophy at the Mary Wakefield Competition - exact date not known.

Thanks to Derek Halliwell who gave me the names of most of these men. Front row from left: Robin Davies, Not known, Ronnie Brennand, John Sumsion (MD), Not known, David Parker and Albert Mason. Back row: Jack Pearce, Angus Forsythe, Not known, Brian Johnston, Jack Beck, Not known, Robert Somervell and Alex Mclean. Robert and also Jonathan Somervell in the centre of the second row were members of the Somervell family mentioned above.

The choir also broadcast on local and national radio and television, made several commercial recordings, toured Germany and the Netherlands.

Here the choir are taking part in a music festival in West Germany in 1987:

The choir was hosted by the Heiligenhaus Male Voice Choir and stayed at the Hotel Huss which is midway between Frankfurt and Bonn.

Our next Musical Director Martin Webster came to us with an excellent musical history. During his working life in education in Hertfordshire he conducted many school choirs. His last post before returning north was as Head Teacher at Haslewood School in Hoddesdon near Hertford. ‘Out of school’ he was involved with Welwyn Garden City Male Voice Choir from 1983 to 1993, initially as a singer, then accompanist and then conductor. He was also a church organist, and choir master and accompanied many different groups of singers, including the Hertfordshire Gilbert and Sullivan Society.

In 2002 the choir sang at the funeral service of Donald Campbell in Coniston. In June 2003 the choir took part in a charity concert for our local Derian House Childrens Hospice.

In May 2009 we visited Killarney in Eire. A brief record is here

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the choir there was an Anniversary Concert in the Kendal Leisure Centre on 13th June 2009.

Our Current Musical director is Ian Allan who took over in July 2011. Most of our concerts are for local charities with just one concert a year, our annual Kendal Concert, being organised by the choir itself in order to raise much needed funds to cover the day to day running expenses.

A brief history of K shoes the company here

One of the founders of the company that became K shoes was John Somervell. One of his sons was Arthur Somervell (later Sir) who was a musician and composer. In turn his son Hubert conducted the Netherfield Choir in the 1930's and Hubert's twin Ronald conducted the Netherfield Male Voice Choir after the Second World War.

Information about Sir Arthur Somervell

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This page last revised (R31) on October 14, 2011