Families


THE WOOLLISCROFT FAMILY          

A Woolliscroft has been associated with the North Staffs Symphony Orchestra continuously since it was established in 1904. 


Joseph Woolliscroft

Joseph was a founder member of the NSSO. He played the bassoon and, as far as we can tell, never missed a concert.  He continued to play until 1949, the year in which he died.

Eric Woolliscroft

Eric was the eldest son of Joseph and was introduced to the world of music at a very young age. As a 6-year-old he was taken to rehearsals of the NSSO by his dad, the bassoonist. He played percussion with the NSSO and performed his first concert with orchestra at the age if 22 in 1948. He went on to play professionally with the Hallé Orchestra. During his 29 years with the Hallé  he was invited to play at NSSO concerts many times. Eric died at the age of 75 in 2001.

Eric Woolliscroft on timps at NSSO Concert
Terry Woolliscroft on 3rd trumpet from left

Terry Woolliscroft

At the age of 11 Terry joined the school brass band playing cornet at Blurton Junior High School, under Stuart Johnson. One year later he joined the Stoke-on-Trent City Youth Orchestra and Stuart then introduced him to the NSSO. Terry joined as a non-playing member of the orchestra and regularly 'sat in' on rehearsals sitting in the trumpet section, watching what went on.  It's what they did in those days! He played in his first concert with the NSSO in 1969. He 'retired' from performing in 2001 but now concentrates on managing the NSSO websites and on front of house duties at each concert.

Terry Woolliscroft playing cornet
in the Blurton Junior High school brass band 1966 


In December 2004, during the NSSO Centenary Celebrations at the Old Town Hall in Burslem, Kathy Niblett (nee Woolliscroft) was interviewed by BBC Radio Stoke. Kathy spoke about the book she had written detailing the history of the orchestra.  She also talked about the unbroken association which the Woolliscroft family has had with the orchestra.

NSSO Centenary 2004 
Kathy Niblett (nee Woolliscroft) talks to BBC Radio Stoke 
about her book and the Woolliscroft family


During the 2024/2025 Season, Terry will have been with the orchestra for exactly half of its life. He will also have been associated with the orchestra for longer than anyone else. 60 years.


THE CADDICK-ADAMS  FAMILY  



John Caddick-Adams

Talented viola player John Caddick-Adams, who dedicated nearly 60 years to the North Staffs Symphony Orchestra, died on 17 July 2008, aged 84. The orchestra's treasurer, Margaret Legg, said: "John was totally dedicated to the orchestra. It was his life. "He was always enthusiastic and was interested in what other musicians were doing. He is sadly missed."

Mr Caddick-Adams, formerly of The Brampton, Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire, died from lung cancer. He was managing director of tile manufacturing business John Caddick & Son in Cliffe Vale until its closure in the late 1980s.

Music was the major love of his life. After taking up the violin as an eight-year-old, he went on to lead the violas in the NSSO for 40 years. He was also the orchestra’s secretary from December 1949 until 1994. 

John Caddick-Adams receives long service award
Photo: Terry Woolliscroft Collection  Date: 16 July 2004 


Mr Caddick-Adams was born in what is now the Victoria Pub in Wolstanton, Staffordshire. After graduating from Cambridge University with an engineering degree, he served in Calcutta with the army, where he became involved in the Calcutta Symphony Orchestra. He joined the North Staffs Symphony Orchestra, where his father, mother and aunt were also members, on his return.

He married the late Joy Caddick-Adams in 1958 and they had four children: Peter, Margaret, Michael and Joan. Mrs Caddick-Adams joined her husband as an orchestra patron and sold tickets and programmes. As part of his involvement with the orchestra, Mr Caddick-Adams liaised with the conductors and soloists organising the sheet music for all the members. He also had a considerable say in the orchestral pieces played at the regular concerts. 

He announced his retirement from major performances in autumn 2006 but continued to attend rehearsals. His daughter Joan Langley said: "My father was a generous, kind-hearted and gentle man." He was an endearing character. He was full of energy and highly respected by those who knew him."

His son Mike said: "My father loved sailing and was very into cycling. He was well known for being out on his bike around Newcastle well into his retirement years. He was very proud of the time he had served in the orchestra – and even beating his own father’s record."

Mr Caddick-Adams was also a dedicated member of St George’s Church in Newcastle, where he was a choir member, church warden and treasurer for more than 20 years. He also held the church garden party regularly at his home, and was a keen supporter of the work of the Church Missionary Society and a leader of the Crusaders’ Union Bible Class.

Mr Caddick-Adams, who was also in the Ceramic City Choir for 10 years and the Bedford Singers for around 20 years. A service of thanksgiving took place at St George’s Church, Newcastle, on 29 July, 2008.


THE CARTLIDGE  FAMILY   

In May 2019, and completely out of the blue, we received a message via the NSSO Website, from a lady in Western Australia. She had been researching her family history. This is her story.

"Hello, my name is Lynn Skidmore nee Cartlidge. I live in Western Australia and I am related to John Cope, the founder of the NSSO.  He was my great, great, great grandmother's nephew, the son of her brother James Cope. Her name was Lucy Cope and she married my great, great, great grandfather John Cartlidge. Musician John Cope's grandfather, also named John Cope, was born in 1761. You may or may not know this history, but my cousins and I were absolutely amazed to discover it not that long ago. John Cope bears a striking resemblance to my father, uncle and cousin, who are all of the Cartlidge family of Stockton Brook, Staffordshire. We also have many relatives in the Hanley and Burslem area. The musical genetics must be strong in the family as my sister and I have been involved in singing choral music all our lives. Thank you, cousin John."
Kind regards, Lynn (Cartlidge) Skidmore

Here are a few more details about Lynn's connection to John Cope and the NSSO

I am a first cousin, three times removed, of John Cope, co-founder of  the NSSO. I live in the rural township of Vasse, which is in the Margaret River wine growing area of the lower South West of the State of Western Australia, 295 km south of the capital city of Perth. My father’s family is from Stockton Brook, Staffordshire and we have family ties to the towns of Burslem, Baddeley Green, Leek and Macclesfield.

Nine members of my immediate family emigrated to Sydney, Australia in 1956 when I was 18 months old.  In 2008 my cousin Pamela learnt about the NSSO and the connection between John Cope and the Cartlidge family.  It was only recently when doing more research that she found detailed information about John Cope and Madam Reymond and saw the various photographs and film footage of John Cope conducting the pageant, and shared this with the family.

Pamela and her sister Cynthia are the daughters of my father’s brother Joseph. I have a sister, Cheryl, a son Jeffrey, two grandchildren and a cousin Brian and we are all direct descendants of Lucy Cope and John Cartlidge.

Lucy’s father was John Cope senior, a millwright of North Staffs born in 1761 and her brother was James Cope, a coal miner, who in turn was the father of John Cope of NSSO fame.