A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Ayrton, Edmund

AYRTON, Edmund, Mus. Doc., was born at Ripon, in 1734, and educated at the grammar school there. His father, a magistrate of the borough, intended him for the Church, but his strong predilection for music induced his father to let him study for that profession. He was accordingly placed under Dr. Nares, organist of York Minster, and made such rapid progress, that at an early age he was elected organist, auditor, and rector-chori of the collegiate church of Southwell, where he remained many years. In 1764 he was appointed a gentleman of the Chapel Royal. He was shortly afterwards installed as a vicar-choral of St. Paul's, and afterwards became one of the lay-clerks of Westminster Abbey. In 1780 he was promoted by Bishop Lowth to the office of Master of the children of His Majesty's chapels, on the resignation of Dr. Nares. In 1784 the University of Cambridge created him Doctor in Music, some time after which he was admitted ad eundem by the University of Oxford. The anthem by which he obtained his degree, 'Begin unto my God with timbrels,' was performed in St. Paul's Cathedral, July 28, 1784, the day of general thanksgiving for the termination of the American revolutionary war, and was afterwards published in score. In 1805 he relinquished the mastership of the children of the chapel, having been allowed during many years to execute the duties of his other offices by deputy. He died in 1808, and his remains were deposited in the cloisters of Westminster Abbey. Dr. Ayrton's contributions to the Church consist of two complete morning and evening services, and several anthems. (Mus. Periodicals; Biog. Dict. U. K. S.)

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