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H. P. Finnis

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Horace Percy FinnisMA (17 April 1883 – 1960) was an AustralianAnglicanpriest and organist inVictoriaandSouth Australia.

History

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Finnis was born inClaremont, Tasmania,the eldest child and only son ofthe ReverendHerbert Robert Finnis (c. 1854–9 January 1936) and his wife Augusta Felicia Finnis, née Percy (c. 1854–29 May 1901), who married inRokeby, Tasmania,on 11 April 1882. Herbert Finnis was rector of the Church of St John the Baptist,Hobart,from 1883 to 1902 and ofDeloraine, Tasmania,from 1902 to 1908.[1]He married again, to Edith Kate Norris (1880–1951)[2]on 6 January 1903 (Feast of the Epiphany).[3]He was warden ofSt Wilfrid's Collegeand rector ofCressy(1908–1921), rector ofLongford(1921–1923) then chaplain of the diocesan mission (1917–1926). He was an honorary canon ofSt David's Cathedral, Hobart(1921–1927). He then left for England where he served as curate in charge ofSt Martin's Church, Salisbury(1926–1927) and rector ofNevendonin theDiocese of Chelmsford(1927-1936).[2]

Finnis c. 1918

Finnis was educated in Tasmania and then atBrighton Grammar SchoolandTrinity College, University of Melbourne,[4]graduating MA in 1911.[5] He was ordained deacon in 1907 and priest in 1908.[6] In February 1908[7]he was appointed assistantcurateand choirmaster of St John's Church,Toorak.

He married in 1909 and had three children.

He was appointed to the church atMeredith, Victoria,around August 1911.

Move to Adelaide

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In January 1918 he succeeded the Revd Rupert P. A. Hewgill as rector ofSt John's Church, Adelaide.[8] He started a day school in May 1918, which prospered, and by his enthusiasm and example helped build up the men's group.[6]

He was appointedprecentorofSt. Peter's Cathedralandbishop's vicarin September 1927[6]in succession to Dr.W. Somerville Milneand was succeeded at St. John's by the Rev. E. A. North Ash, ofSt Mary's Church,Waverley, Sydney. J. M. Dunnhad been organist and choirmaster since November 1891, and when he retired, just a few weeks before his death in March 1936, Finnis took over the dual role. He was appointedCanonaround April 1946.

He retired in 1955.

Life in music

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Finnis was described as 'an exceptional pianist',[4]and his wife was a fine violinist, and while at university they notably played together.[9] He passed his Bachelor of Music in 1929.[10]

While a churchman in Victoria he was organist ofSt Andrew's Church, Brighton,then choirmaster ofSt John's Church, Toorak. In 1933 he founded, in Adelaide, Australia's first branch of theSchool of English Church Music,and served as its hon. secretary.[11]From 1927 he served asprecentorand from 1936organistof St Peter's Cathedral as well as teaching music atPulteney Grammar School.

He composed music for aNativity play[12]arecessional hymn[13]ananthem[14]andhymn tunes.[15]

Family

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Finnis married violinist (Marion) Dora Barrow (24 June 1880 – 24 February 1944) on 11 October 1909 inBrighton, Victoria.He married again, toDorothy Kell Simpson(10 March 1903 – 19 May 1970) in Adelaide on 6 January 1945. He had three children:

  • Dora Felicia Finnis (1911 – 7 April 1932)
  • Maurice Meredith Steriker Finnis MA (6 August 1914 inMeredith, Victoria– 13 October 1995) married Margaret Mackellar Stewart MA in Adelaide on 11 August 1939 and had four children and divorced in 1976.[16]He was a senior lecturer in Philosophy at theUniversity of Adelaide.
  • Lynette Elizabeth Finnis (May 1916 – ) married Charles Everson Gardner, son ofWalter Everson Gardner[17]of Broken Hill in July 1938

References

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  1. ^"Obituary Canon H. R. Finnis".The Mercury (Hobart).Vol. CXLIV, no. 20, 375. Tasmania, Australia. 14 February 1936. p. 2.Retrieved25 September2018– via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ab"Obituary".The Examiner (Tasmania).Vol. CX, no. 75. Tasmania, Australia. 8 June 1951. p. 4.Retrieved26 September2018– via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^"Family Notices".The Mercury (Hobart).Vol. LXXIX, no. 10, 273. Tasmania, Australia. 14 February 1903. p. 2.Retrieved26 September2018– via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^abReverend H.P. Finnis,State Library of South Australia,1918,retrieved25 September2018
  5. ^"Melbourne University".The Ballarat Star.Vol. 57, no. 17337. Victoria, Australia. 25 December 1911. p. 2.Retrieved26 September2018– via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^abc"Religious Notes".The Register (Adelaide).Vol. XCII, no. 26, 854. South Australia. 10 September 1927. p. 15.Retrieved26 September2018– via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^"St. John's, Toorak".The Argus (Melbourne).No. 19, 223. Victoria, Australia. 27 February 1908. p. 6.Retrieved26 September2018– via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^"Churches and Church Affairs".The Register (Adelaide).Vol. LXXXVIII, no. 25, 827. South Australia. 6 October 1923. p. 5.Retrieved26 September2018– via National Library of Australia.A history of St John's
  9. ^"Melbourne Students' Symposium Company".Tasmanian News.No. 7406. Tasmania, Australia. 6 February 1905. p. 4.Retrieved26 September2018– via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^"Bachelor of Music Examination".The News (Adelaide).Vol. XIII, no. 1, 984. South Australia. 23 November 1929. p. 4.Retrieved26 September2018– via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^"Church Music".The West Australian.Vol. 51, no. 15, 397. Western Australia. 29 October 1935. p. 10.Retrieved26 September2018– via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^"Church Notes".The Advertiser (Adelaide).South Australia. 14 December 1935. p. 21.Retrieved26 September2018– via National Library of Australia.
  13. ^"News From The Churches".The Advertiser (Adelaide).Vol. 95, no. 29, 525. South Australia. 30 May 1953. p. 24.Retrieved26 September2018– via National Library of Australia.
  14. ^"Governor's Daughter Marries".The Chronicle (South Australia).Vol. 97, no. 5, 469. South Australia. 14 October 1954. p. 3.Retrieved26 September2018– via National Library of Australia.
  15. ^"News of Churches and Church People".The Mail (Adelaide).Vol. 44, no. 2, 217. South Australia. 4 December 1954. p. 78.Retrieved26 September2018– via National Library of Australia.
  16. ^"HMSS 0089 Margaret and Maurice Finnis Papers, 1968-1997".ACT Heritage Library.Retrieved25 September2018.
  17. ^"Mr. W. E. Gardner Dies In Melbourne".The Barrier Miner.Vol. LVI, no. 16, 476. New South Wales, Australia. 16 March 1943. p. 1.Retrieved26 September2018– via National Library of Australia.
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