This compilation of past and present Cornish Male Voice Choirs is little more than a list and an incomplete list at that!
We are hopeful, however, that its inclusion here will encourage the submission of the names of any choirs that have been missed.
We are hopeful, too, that the histories of individual choirs will be compiled and included in this website. If you would like to tackle the history of “your choir” then please go to “contribute” and follow the guidance.
Your choir deserves to have its history recorded
The information below has been gathered from concert programmes and should be verified before being used in factual histories.
Bodmin Male Voice Choir
Formed: Circa 1919
Closed: 1953
Re-formed: September 1985
Musical Directors: Paul Tyrrell (1985-????)
Accompanist: Des Phillips (1986-1988 or later), Russell Collins (1986-1988 or later)
Bugle Area Choir / ECC International Limited Eastern Area Male Voice Choir
Formed: 1947
Name changed in 1957 when the production works areas were formed.
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Directors: Russell Miners (1987)
Accompanist: Joyce Gibbons (1987)
Burraton Methodist Church Mens Choir / Burraton Male Voice Choir
Formed: 1964
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Directors: Ralph Blake (1964-1973), Phil Taylor 1973-1988 or later)
Accompanist: Muriel Forse (1988 prog)
Carnon Vale Male Voice Choir
Formed: June 1942 from members of the Home Guard in and around the Carnon Downs Area.
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Directors: Gordon Hall (1942-1948), Arnold Williams (1948-circa1980), David Kessell (1988 prog)
Accompanist: Kate Evans (1988 prog)
Chacewater and District Male Voice Choir
Formed: January 1947 ith 28 members.
First public performance: November 1947
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Directors: Ann Thomson (1988 prog)
Accompanist: Dennis Bennetts (1988 prog)
City of Truro Male Voice Choir
Formed:.
Musical Directors:
Accompanist:
Climax / Holman Climax Male Voice Choir
Formed: 1940 from employees at the Climax Rock Drill and Engineering Works to raise funds for the Lord Mayor of London’s Relief Fund for victims of the blitz and thus extended to the people of Plymouth who suffered the same experience in 1941.
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Director: Edgar Kessell (1940-1973), George Smith (1973-1990 or later)
Accompanist: Agnes Jane (1990), Roger Wills (1990)
Cornwall Police Choir
Formed: January 1956
Musical Directors: Superintendent George Glover (first), Edgart Kestell, Ernest Green, Edward Goldsmith, Sergeant Geoffrey Richards …
Accompanist: Chief Inspector Jan Deacon (first)
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
ECC International Limited Engineering Male Voice Choir
Formed: Early 1960s.
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Director: Garfield Craddock (1987 prog / 1988 prog)
Accompanist: Meryl Oliver (1987 prog / 1988 prog)
Four Lanes Male Voice Choir
Formed:
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Director:
Accompanist:
Fowey Male Voice Choir
Formed:
Musical Director:
Accompanist:
Hayle Male Voice Choir
Formed: February 1978.
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Director:
Accompanist:
Imerys Mid-Cornwall Male Voice Choir
Formed:
Musical Director:
Accompanist:
Kerrier Voice Male Choir
Formed:
Musical Director:
Accompanist:
Launceston Male Voice Choir
Formed from an amalgam of Launceston Brotherhood and the Merthodist Male Voice Choir.
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Director: Sue Ranson – Brotherhood (1988 prog) John Beare – Methodists (1988 prog)
Accompanist: Lawrence Pett – Brotherhood (1988 prog) Ida Stanbury – Methodists (1988 prog)
Liskerret Male Voice Choir
Formed:
Musical Director:
Accompanist:
Loveny Male Voice Choir
Formed: 1971
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Director: Nick Hart (1988 prog)
Accompanist:
Marazion Apollo Male Voice Choir
Formed:
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Director:
Accompanist:
Mevagissey Male Voice Choir
Formed: 1974
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Director: Harold Miller (1987)
Accompanist: Brian Mitchell (1987)
Mousehole Male Voice Choir
Formed: 1909
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Director:
Accompanist:
The Nankersey Male Voice singers / The Nankersy Male Voice Choir
Formed:
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Director: Denmam Dunstan (1988 prog)
Accompanist:
Newlyn Male Voice Choir
Formed:
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Director:
Accompanist:
Newquay Male Voice Choir
Formed: 1974
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Director: Alan Taylor (1987-1988 prog)
Accompanist:
Pelynt Male Voice Choir
Formed: 1966
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Director: Clifford Eatwell (first), Renzil Rowe (1988 prog)
Accompanist: Robert Whatty (1988 prog)
Penwithian Male Voice Choir
Formed: 1960s mentioned in the Pendeen article from Cornish Magazine.
Musical Director:
Accompanist:
Polperro Fisherman’s Male Voice Choir
Formed: Circa 1923
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Director: Jack Libby (1971-1988 or later)
Accompanist:
Praze Hayle Male Voice Choir
Formed: 1924
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Director: Marion James (1988 prog)
Accompanist: Gerald Verran (1988 prog)
Rame Peninsula Male Voice Choir
Formed: October 1976
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Director: John Woodfield (1988 prog)
Accompanist: Douglas Reeves (1988 prog)
St Agnes Male Voice Choir
Formed: Unknown but certainly in existance in the very early 1900s.
Musical Director: Mr Angwin
Accompanist:
St Buryan Male Voice Choir
Formed: Circa 1940
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Director: Hugh Rowe (first), Elizabeth Stubbings (circa 1985-1988 prog)
Accompanist:
St Columba Celtic Male Voice Choir
Formed: 1970
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Director: Ivan Kessell (first), Clifford Strongman (1988 prog)
Accompanist: Carrie Mills & John Wiggins (1988 prog)
St Dennis Male Voice Choir
Formed: 1922
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Director: Valerie Willcox (1987-1988 prog)
Accompanist: Doris Bullock (1983-1987 or later)
St Keverne Male Voice Choir
Formed: 1944
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Director: Hubert Hicks (1988 prog)
Accompanist:
St Newlina Male Voice Choir
Formed: 1981
Musical Director: Ivan Kessell (1981-1986), Ken Findlay (1986-1988 prog)
Accompanist: Sheila Findlay (1988 prog)
St Stythians Male Voice Choir
Formed: 1919 (A Male Voice Choir)
Re-formed: 1947
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Director: Sydney Bowden (1947-1983), David Eastburn (1983-1986), Ken Downing (1986-1988 prog)
Accompanist: Betty Gluyas (1947-1980), Kathryn Baldry (1988 prog), Peter Flinn – dep (1988 prog)
Saltash Male Voice Choir
Formed: 1964
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Director:
Accompanist:
South West Electricity Board Male Voice Choir
Formed:
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Director:
Accompanist:
Tamar Valley Male Voice Choir
Formed:
Musical Director:
Accompanist:
Tintagel Orpheus Male Voice Choir
Formed: 1929
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Director: Jack Thomas (1929-????), Melville Rowe (1988 prog)
Accompanist: Sheila Flower (Circa 1949-1988 prog)
Trelawny Singers
Formed:
Musical Director:
Accompanist:
Treverva Male Voice Choir
Formed: 1936
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Director: Edgar Kessell (1936-1975 or later), Edward Goldsmith (1977-????)
Accompanist: Edward Goldsmith (????-1977)
Treviscoe Male Voice Choir
Formed: 1936
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Director: Russell Kessell (1936-????), Hildegard Craig (1980-1888 or later)
Accompanist: Melba Kessell (1936-????), Inez Bilkey (1969-1988 or later) Brian Mitchell,
Wadebridge Male Voice Choir
Formed: 1920
Took part in the 1000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
Musical Director: Tony Tournoff (1988 prog)
Accompanist: Doris Beck (1988 prog)