A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Westbrook, William
WESTBROOK, William Joseph, Mus. Doc., born in London Jan. 1, 1831. His instructor was Mr. R. Temple, a blind organist. In 1848 he became organist of St. Bartholomew's, Bethnal Green, which he exchanged in 1851 for St. Bartholomew's, Sydenham, where he has since remained. He took his degree of Mus. Bac. at Cambridge in February 1876, the exercise being a setting of Psalm xxiii. for chorus, solo voices and orchestra; and his Doctor of Music degree in May 1878, his exercise, 'Jesus, an oratoriette,' for solo voices, eight-part chorus, and orchestra, having been performed with great success in the chapel of Queen's College, Cambridge. He is Examiner in Music to the College of Preceptors; was sub-organist at the Crystal Palace for some three years, and conductor for thirteen years of the South Norwood Musical Society, with which he has given 73 concerts of high-class music.
Dr. Westbrook has published much in various branches: very many organ-pieces, original or arranged; songs, part-songs, madrigals, canons; English text to many songs of Mozart, Schubert, and Fesca, etc.; in part or entirely the English text of De Beriot's, Dancla's, and Alard's Violin Schools; Organ Tutors; a large portion of the first 12 volumes of the 'Musical Standard'; very many pieces for the harmonium, etc., etc. He has a large number of pupils in the neighbourhood of his residence.