John Birch was organist and master of the choristers at Chichester Cathedral, where he served from 1958-80, then at The Temple Church, London, until 1997, following in the footsteps of George Thalben-Ball, Walford Davies and EJ Hopkins. He was only the fourth organist there since 1841.
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JCB wins £36m hire firm contract
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Manufacturing firm JCB has won a £36 million contract to build 550 new machines from a UK rental firm, with the promise of more orders to follow.
Death of twins at Stafford Hospital 'totally avoidable'
Wednesday 23 May 2012
The mother of newborn twins who died following an overdose at a scandal-hit hospital has described their deaths as "totally avoidable" after a coroner said there were failings in their care.
Memorial to the dead of South Atlantic unveiled
Monday 21 May 2012
A memorial to the 255 British sailors, soldiers, and airmen killed during the Falklands War was unveiled yesterday.
Two die in Staffordshire dual carriageway crash
Saturday 28 April 2012
Two people have died and six others have been injured in a two-car crash on a dual carriageway.
Dowd given FA Cup final whistle
Wednesday 18 April 2012
Phil Dowd will referee the FA Cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool on 5 May. The 49-year-old will take charge of the Wembley showpiece for the first time.
Caretaker Austin Kelly jailed over child abuse
Tuesday 17 April 2012
A caretaker who systematically abused numerous young boys over a 30-year period has been branded a "depraved, predatory" paedophile and jailed for 13-and-a-half years.
Phil Dowd selected to referee FA Cup final between Liverpool and Chelsea
Tuesday 17 April 2012
Phil Dowd was today appointed referee for this season's FA Cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool.
JCB reports record sales and profits
Tuesday 17 April 2012
Machinery giant JCB hailed its ongoing investment in factories in the UK and overseas today as it revealed record annual sales and profits.
Patrick Lichfield: Lord and master of the celebrity snap
Friday 30 March 2012
Four decades of photo shoots with royalty and film stars, musicians and, well, everyday people left Patrick Lichfield with a wealth of stories as well as a pile of Polaroids. Visitors to Nunnington Hall in North Yorkshire can now catch a glimpse of those shoots with the first exhibition of the behind-the-scenes shots that formed part of his personal collection. It records every major shoot the celebrated photographer worked on from the early 1970s to 2004.
Mexican tourists fund British holiday with six-day burglary spree
Wednesday 28 March 2012
The group had initially visited the country on tourist visas last October to watch their football heroes
Love's Labour's Lost, Viaduct Theatre, Halifax
Tuesday 20 March 2012
There is a great chemistry between the Northern Broadside casts that seems to get better every time you see them and which on this occasion helps bring one of Shakespeare's less performed comedies to glorious life.
Abuse priest Alexander Bede Walsh jailed for 22 years
Friday 09 March 2012
A paedophile priest was today branded "shameless" by a judge and jailed for 22 years for a campaign of sexual abuse of young boys.
Pensioner celebrates 21st birthday
Tuesday 28 February 2012
An 84-year-old woman will turn back time tomorrow as she celebrates her 21st birthday.
Was Liverpool the home of the singing Sixties?
Sunday 26 February 2012
New film looks at origins of crowd chants – with Merseyside as pacemakers
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