Percy William Pilcher

The corresponding negatives are also now in the possession of the NRM.

Pilcher was born in Boston, Lincolnshire on 5 July 1866, the son of Margaret (née Westland) and William John Pilcher, FRCS, LRCP. He was educated at Bath College from 1879 to 1884, before moving on to Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where he changed subjects from medicine to music. Graduating with a B.A. in 1888 and an M.A. four years later, he studied externally under Frederick Bridge and was appointed to the position of organist at Shrewsbury Abbey in 1892. It is likely that he exerted some influence regarding the design of a new organ the abbey ordered from William Hill & Sons in 1911, but never fully completed. In Shrewsbury, Pilcher is reported to have been on the committee of the local motorcycle club in 1910. He became a member of staff at Shrewsbury School in 1918 and remained there until his retirement in 1935. He died suddenly at his home in the town on 3 May 1937. Pilcher married Margaret Mowbray Harewood at St Botolph's Church, Boston on 16 April 1895. The couple had four sons, the eldest of whom, Lt. Gerald Aubrey Pilcher (b. 27 February 1896), died at Ypres on 26 October 1917 as a result of wounds received during the Battle of Passchendale. Their second son, Col. Alan Humphrey Pilcher (b. 12 July 1898), served in the British Army during World War I (when he won a Military Cross) and also World War II. Evidently, Pilcher shared an interest in photography with his brother, Cecil Westland Pilcher, MRCS, LRCP (d. 17 July 1943), who "acquired considerable repute as an artist, photographer and etcher", and was president of the pre-World War I Boston Camera Club.

• Andante Grazioso (1890) London: Novello, Ewer & Co. (NOV580137). • Two Preludes (1892) London: Novello, Ewer & Co. (NOV580164). • Intermezzo (1893) London: E. Donajowski. An apparently unpublished "scherzo for strings and organ" (c.1900) is also documented, having been performed by the Shrewsbury Orchestral Society at public concerts on at least two occasions.

• Original Compositions for the Pianoforte. Op. 8. No. 1. Scherzo humoresque. No. 2. Impromptu in E. No. 3. Melody in D flat. Op. 9. No. 1. Tarantelle. No. 2. Nocturne. No. 3. Valse Caprice (1893) London: E. Donajowski.

• Advice to lovers, with words by Sir George Etherege (1892) London: Novello, Ewer & Co. No. 658 from Novello's Part-Song Book, Second Series. A madrigal. Pilcher also arranged "A Song of the Oar" by F.T.Prior of Shrewsbury School, for solo voice and unison chorus, published by Novello & Co. in 1900.