Henry S. Houseley

Born in Sutton-in-Ashfield, England, September 20, 1851. Studied at the Royal College of Organists in London, earning an FRCO. Served as organist at St. Luke's, Derby, and St. James', Nottingham, then emigrated to Denver, Colorado, where he succeeded John Gower as organist of St. John's Cathedral. He was a Founder of the American Guild of Organists. Died March 13, 1925.

—AGO Founders Hymnal, p. 98-99

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Born: September 20, 1851, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, England.
Died: March 13, 1925, Denver, Colorado.
Buried: St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral, Denver, Colorado; his ashes were interred in the east wall of the choir.

Educated in Nottingham & London & by James Turpin, a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists, & Edmund Turpin, Houseley played the organ at St. Luke’s Church, Derby, England; St. Thomas’ Church, Nottingham; of the Sacred Harmonic Society of Nottingham; and was music lecturer at the college in Nottingham. He lived in Denver, Colorado, from 1888 to at least 1901. He became organist and choir director at St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral in 1892 when John Gower left that post; he served there the rest of his life. He was also for 30 years organist of Temple Emmanuel in Denver, for 25 years organist and music director at the Rocky Mountain and Colorado bodies of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasons, director of the Denver Symphony Orchestra, and director of the Denver Choral Society, which won a $1,000 prize in a Denver competition in 1896, and first prize at the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904.

Housley also directed a men’s chorus called the Apollo Club, played the organ at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church and the Oakes Home (an old age home run by the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado), was on the faculties of the Denver Conservatory of Music and the University of Colorado, and was on the board of the Musical Society of Denver. A prolific composer, he wrote anthems, pieces for mixed chorus, arrangements for women’s voices, men’s voices, songs, piano works, organ pieces, and six operas, including Native Silver and Juggler.

--www.hymntime.org/tch