The British Musical Biography

[E] Proudman, Joseph, conductor and
teacher of singing, born in London, November
10, 1888. He sang in choirs as a boy ; was a
member of the Sacred Harmonic Society in
1857 ; Conductor of the City Choral Union,
1862, and a year later applied himself to the
Tonic Sol-fa method. He conducted concerts
at the Crystal Palace from 1864, and won a
prize at Paris in 1867. Some thousands of
singers passed under his hands. For years
he had acted as precentor at several churches,
and he was teacher of singing to the children
in Dr. Barnardo's Homes for more than twenty
years, and was an indefatigable worker in the
cause of popular music. He published Musi-
cal Lectures and Sketches, 1869; and Musical
Jottings, 1872; and was a specialist on the
staff of the Musical Herald. He died in
London, April 21, 1891. J. Frank Proudman,
his son, conductor, and sometime organist of
St. Michael's, Stoke Newington, took up the
work of his father in 1891, and made a repu-
tation as a conductor and teacher. Delicate
health decided him to leave England for
South Africa, and in February, 1897, he sailed
for the Cape, having obtained an appointment
at Maritzburg.

entry id: 329-R-15