PETER WALLIN (31-35)
Born January 29th 1921, died October 28th 2016
Peter was brought up in a creative environment where his mother played the piano and singing was always a popular pastime. Carols at Christmas were great fun especially Good King Wenceslas, where his father would be the King and he or his sister would be the Page.
After having had a singing trial with the organist Arnold Grier at his Parish Church, St. Peter’s, Ealing he joined the choir of New College, Oxford from 1929-30 before returning to London where he became a chorister at Westminster Abbey from 1931 until 1934. The highlight of his time at the Abbey was singing at the wedding of H.R.H. Prince George, Duke of Kent to Princess Marina of Greece in November, 1934.
Studies prevailed at the City of London School, followed by the 2nd World War when he was captured on Crete spending 4 years as a P.O.W. However, the camaraderie with his fellow prisoners encouraged many musical occasions - singing carols, entertaining the German Officers with musical dramas and playing the drums for more modern musical interludes including Glen Miller and jazz favourites.
On returning to England he met his future wife Valerie, to become a committed, loving family man of three children, regularly enhancing the congregation wherever he lived. He eventually sang in the choir of St.Thomas’s Church in St. Annes-on-Sea in 1968, when his younger son showed promise as a treble.
In 1971 the family moved to Suffolk where he joined the Ipswich Bach Choir, his love of choral works coming to the fore. This continued with the Bury Bach Choir after retiring and moving to Thurston in 1984 singing bass, baritone or tenor.
He also sang with the St.Cecilia Singers under Fred Oxley and then with the Suffolk Church Singers for many years until 2015.
Over the last year he continued to sing and entertain residents at his Ixworth Sheltered Accommodation after his wife died, even joining a local men’s choir for a short while until age began to take its toll.
All his children and their families have followed in their father’s footsteps enjoying a variety of musical activities with his 7 year old great granddaughter now joining a choir.
Peter has been an enthusiastic fund-raiser for many of his choirs over the years, and also attending old chorister functions across the country and abroad.
One of his very happy memories was attending the 2010 Old Chorister's Association Dinner when his contemporary, David Wilcox was guest of honour and another later one where he participated in the Procession of the Loving Cups.
We would also love going to St.Mary's Church, Warwick and All Saints in Leamington as I have been resident in Leamington Spa and Warwick for over 40 years. He avidly followed the lives of the various organists around the country knowing who was playing where and from whence they came.
The organ of course was his favourite instrument even though he never learnt to play it!
Another quirk of fate was moving to Lytham St. Anne's and meeting Stuart Horner, also an ex Abbey Chorister though somewhat younger. (I used to babysit his children!) They met again on several occasions at the Abbey and Stuart thinks dad may very well have sung with the Purcell Singers, as he does/did?
Jo Birkbeck (nee Wallin)
Born January 29th 1921, died October 28th 2016
Peter was brought up in a creative environment where his mother played the piano and singing was always a popular pastime. Carols at Christmas were great fun especially Good King Wenceslas, where his father would be the King and he or his sister would be the Page.
After having had a singing trial with the organist Arnold Grier at his Parish Church, St. Peter’s, Ealing he joined the choir of New College, Oxford from 1929-30 before returning to London where he became a chorister at Westminster Abbey from 1931 until 1934. The highlight of his time at the Abbey was singing at the wedding of H.R.H. Prince George, Duke of Kent to Princess Marina of Greece in November, 1934.
Studies prevailed at the City of London School, followed by the 2nd World War when he was captured on Crete spending 4 years as a P.O.W. However, the camaraderie with his fellow prisoners encouraged many musical occasions - singing carols, entertaining the German Officers with musical dramas and playing the drums for more modern musical interludes including Glen Miller and jazz favourites.
On returning to England he met his future wife Valerie, to become a committed, loving family man of three children, regularly enhancing the congregation wherever he lived. He eventually sang in the choir of St.Thomas’s Church in St. Annes-on-Sea in 1968, when his younger son showed promise as a treble.
In 1971 the family moved to Suffolk where he joined the Ipswich Bach Choir, his love of choral works coming to the fore. This continued with the Bury Bach Choir after retiring and moving to Thurston in 1984 singing bass, baritone or tenor.
He also sang with the St.Cecilia Singers under Fred Oxley and then with the Suffolk Church Singers for many years until 2015.
Over the last year he continued to sing and entertain residents at his Ixworth Sheltered Accommodation after his wife died, even joining a local men’s choir for a short while until age began to take its toll.
All his children and their families have followed in their father’s footsteps enjoying a variety of musical activities with his 7 year old great granddaughter now joining a choir.
Peter has been an enthusiastic fund-raiser for many of his choirs over the years, and also attending old chorister functions across the country and abroad.
One of his very happy memories was attending the 2010 Old Chorister's Association Dinner when his contemporary, David Wilcox was guest of honour and another later one where he participated in the Procession of the Loving Cups.
We would also love going to St.Mary's Church, Warwick and All Saints in Leamington as I have been resident in Leamington Spa and Warwick for over 40 years. He avidly followed the lives of the various organists around the country knowing who was playing where and from whence they came.
The organ of course was his favourite instrument even though he never learnt to play it!
Another quirk of fate was moving to Lytham St. Anne's and meeting Stuart Horner, also an ex Abbey Chorister though somewhat younger. (I used to babysit his children!) They met again on several occasions at the Abbey and Stuart thinks dad may very well have sung with the Purcell Singers, as he does/did?
Jo Birkbeck (nee Wallin)