John ‘Ernie’ Warrell, formerly Organist at Southwark Cathedral and more lately at St Paul’s Deptford, died aged 95 on 17 August 2010 in Guy’s Hospital. He was admitted to hospital on August 2, after playing the organ the day before. His funeral is to be at Southwark Cathedral on Wednesday 8 September at 2.30pm.
ERNEST HERBERT (also known as John) WARRELL
MBE MA FKC Hon FTCL HonFGCM ARCO ARCM
23 June 1915 - 17 August 2010
Ernie was born in 1915 in Camberwell. He became a Junior Exhibitioner at Trinity College of Music, London in 1926. He worked as an office boy, first in Sharwood’s Pickle Factory, and then in a firm of solicitors, progressing to become an income tax clerk at which he worked until 1940. In 1937 he became articled assistant to Dr ET Cook, organist of Southwark Cathedral, the last Articled Assistant in England. His articles were interrupted by World War II when he served in the British army in the Pioneer Corps, Royal Scots and, after commissioning, in the Middlesex Regiment and Special Operations Executive.
On de-commissioning he became a professional musician and, after resuming his articles, was appointed Assistant Organist at Southwark Cathedral in 1946. His appointments include: Organist of Guy’s Hospital Chapel 1946 - 1953, St Mary’s, Primrose Hill 1953 - 1958, St John the Divine, Kennington 1962 - 1967; Organist and Lecturer in Music at King’s College, London 1953-1991; Lecturer in Plainsong at the Royal School of Church Music 1953-57; Director of Music Southwark Cathedral 1968-1975; Musical Director Gregorian Association 1968 - 85; Chief Examiner in Music for the International Baccalaureate 1984-1989. Choirmaster St Paul’s Covent Garden 1989-2006; Organist at Harrow and Wembley Progressive Synagogue 1991-2010; and Director of Music St Paul’s Deptford 2000 - 2010.
He was awarded MA (Lambeth) in 2006; appointed MBE 1990; Hon FGCM 1988; FKC 1977; Hon FTCL 1975.
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