A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Gates, Bernard

GATES, Bernard. Second son of Bernard Gates of Westminster, Gent. Born probably in 1685; is mentioned in 1702 as one of the Children of the Chapel Royal; was made a Gentleman of the same in 1708 in place of John Howell, who died July 15, and Master of the Choristers, Michaelmas 1740, vice J. Church; resided in James Street, Westminster. In 1758 he retired to North Aston, Oxon, where he died, Nov. 15, 1773, aged 88 [App. p.646 "in his 88th year"]. He was buried in the North Cloister at Westminster, 'near his wife and daughter.' He held the sinecure office, now abolished, of Tuner of the Regals in the King's household—see his epitaph at Aston.

His chief claim to mention is his connexion with Handel, whose 'Esther' was acted under Gates's care by the Children of the Chapel Royal at his house Feb. 23, 1732, and afterwards at the King's Theatre, Haymarket. He also sang one of the airs in the Dettingen Te Deum on its first performance.

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