Frances Ethel Scarborough 1880-1956

[giles.enders]

Frances Ethel Scarborough   Born 10.1.1880 Crouch End, London    Died 9.12.1956  Graffham, Sussex

Daughter of Walter Scarborough, a timber merchant and Matilda Ann Keighley ¹, she was the third of six children ².  A pupil of Arthur Barclay, most likely at The Royal Academy of Music. She also studied in Berlin with Philipp Scharwenks. Ethel won the Musicians Company silver medal in 1905.  She left £12,000 in a complicated will which was judged to be void.

Orchestral

Symphony  1909
'Moods' suite for orchestra
'Aspiration' overture
Piano Concerto No.1  1905
Piano Concerto No.2  1908
Piano Concerto No.3 (either this or the second is in C minor)
'Promise' a fantasy for orchestra ¹

Songs
'The Secret of the Sea'  1903
'The De'il's awa' wi' the Exciseman'
'Farewell'  from the German of Uhland words by L Filmore 

¹This was described as 'turgid' in the Musical Times edition November 1922.

1.
Walter Scarborough 1855-1934  Matilda Ann Keighley  1852-1937
2.
Emily May Scarborough 1877-1960
Constance Amy Scarborough 1878-1964 she married and had 4 children
Frances Ethel  Scarborough 1880-1956
Eleanor Grace Scarborough 1882
John Trasler  Scarborough 1883
Walter Howard  Scarborough 1885

The following was kindly researched for me by Diana White:

She became a prolific composer, producing orchestral and choral works, three piano concertos, a symphony, piano music and song cycles.  She was among the first women to conduct her own works, which she did between 1900 and 1925 when she became involved in Labour politics.

After presenting a petition containing 40,000 signatures asking the Board of Trade to re-open the steel works at Ebbw Vale, she stood for election against Aneurin Bevan and wrote and printed election songs.  She participated in the famous Jarrow march against unemployment in 1936 and during World War II she was chairman of Barnet Council.  On the side she composed songs for BBC's Children's Hour.

[musiclover]

I am really interested to see her music. Do you know where the scores are?

[giles.enders]

Wish I did.  Several years ago I wrote to the BBC who had no knowledge of her, yet as you see she even composed for them. This is the problem with poor archive keeping.

[Gareth Vaughan]

Yes, it's maddening that her music seems to have disappeared. She sounds a most interesting lady.

[Mark Thomas]

And what good are they doing there? Shades of Sterndale Bennett's Sixth Piano Concerto.

[Gareth Vaughan]

In that case, I think I will write to Lewis and ask for more information.