History of the North Staffs Symphony Orchestra: Timeline

Who's Who in this timeline?

Madame Marie Reymond - nee Karen Marie Elisabeth Holst born in Copenhagen, Denmark - founder of the NSSO.

John Cope - first conductor of the NSSO, mentored by and protege of Madame Reymond and later adopted by her.

Jean Reymond - husband of Madame Marie Reymond.

Fredrik Idon Holst - father of Karen Marie Elisabeth Holst (later Madame Marie Reymond). Holst was also known as Frederick, and sometimes simply Idon.

Juliane Marie Holst (nee Peterson) - wife of Frederik Idon Holst

James Cope - father of John Cope.

Acknowledgements

Many thanks go to Birte Havnø, Danish genealogist, related to Madame Marie Reymond, who spent many hours researching Danish and other records to provide us with the accurate information about Madame Reymond and her family in the early years. This brief biography is gradually being updated (April 2021) with her information, freely given.

Dates of interest

Note - Danish censuses are often not very precise about age. However, the church books are precise and good to get accurate dates. But when it comes to spelling names, they can change from birth to wedding to funeral. It can get confusing.

1761
John Cope senior was born. Becomes a millwright.
(Information courtesy of Lynn (Cartlidge) Skidmore in Western Australia

*1817*
According to his gravestone in Hanley Cemetery, Frederik Idon Holst, (father of Karen Maria Elisabeth Holst, who later became Madame Marie Reymond) was born in Copenhagen, Denmark. But this is an incorrect date it should be 1822, see below.

*1820*

According to the UK census of 1901, Frederik Idon Holst was born in 1820. An incorrect date. See 1822

1820

Juliane Marie, nee Petersen, (mother of Karen Marie Elisabeth Holst - Madame Marie Reymond) was born 02 December 1820 in Kalundborg and baptised 05 January 1821. Link here> to her birth record.

Birth Record of Juliane Marie Peterson
mother of Karen Marie Elisabeth Holst (Madame Marie Reymond)
02 December 1820

1822

Frederik Idon Holst (father of Karen Marie Elisabeth Holst - Madame Reymond) was born in Copenhagen 06 May 1822. He was baptised in Saint Petri German Church in Copenhagen on 06 June 1823, but his parents were not German. To confirm, the UK census of 1891, shows that Frederik was born in 1822, and this is also his date of birth shown in the Danish 1860 census. Link here> to his birth record.

Birth Record of Frederik Idon Holst
father of Karen Marie Elisabeth Holst (Madame Marie Reymond)
06 May 1822

*1822*
According to her gravestone, Juliane Marie (mother of Karen Marie Elisabeth Holst - Madame Marie Reymond) was born in 1822. But this is an incorrect date. See 1820 above.

*1853*

According to her gravestone in Hanley Cemetery, Karen Marie Elisabeth Holst (Madame Marie Reymond) was born in 1853. But this is an incorrect date. See 1858 below. She had 8 siblings, 6 of them girls.

*1856*

Another date recorded for the birth of Karen Marie Elisabeth Holst (Madame Marie Reymond). But this is another incorrect date.

*1857*

According to the UK census of 1901 Karen Marie Elisabeth Holst (Madame Marie Reymond) was born. But this is an incorrect date, see 1858.

1857

Juliane Marie (nee Petersen), mother of Karen Marie Elisabeth Holst, married Frederik Idon Holst on 16 October 1857. Link here> to their record of marriage. They had two children, Karen Marie and a little sister Yelva Albina Gunhilde Holst. She was born 12 September 1859 and died 09 March 1869.

Marriage record
Frederick Idon Holst and Juliane Marie Holst
16 Oct 1857

1858

Karen Marie Elisabeth Holst (who later became Madame Marie Reymond), daughter of Frederik Idon Holst and Juliane Marie (nee Petersen), was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 20 March 1858. She was baptised in Helligåndskirken (The Church of the Holy Spirit), Copenhagen, on 30 May 1858. Link here> to her birth record.

Birth Record of Karen Marie Elisabeth Holst
Copenhagen, 20 March 1868

1860
According to the Danish census records, the Holst family was recorded living in Copenhagen at No.15 Vimmelskaftet. Frederik Idon Holst was a Master Cooper, aged 38. His wife is Juliane Marie Holst (nee Petersen) born in Kallundborg, a Danish city, 103 km east of Copenhagen. In the household were 6 children, all girls: Wilhelmine 14, Agata Camila 12, Julie Adelaide 10, Juta Frederike Amalie 7, Karen Maria Elisabeth 2, and newly born Jelva Albina Guldeilke 3 months. As well as all these children are two Cooper's Apprentices.

No.15 Vimmelskaftet, Copenhagen
Image from about 2017.
According to Danish census records, this is where the Holst family lived in 1860

1871
Jean Reymond (the future husband of Madame Marie Reymond) was recorded in the 1871 UK census as a Pianoforte maker living at 179 Church Street, Stoke. He was aged about 53 and was unmarried and no-one else is recorded at that address during the census. He was recorded as being born in France.

1879
John Cope was born on 31 May 1879, son of a coal miner from Milton.

1881
UK Census - a record of Fredrik Idon Holst living in Stoke upon Trent. [needs confirming]

1881
In the UK census of 1881 John Cope is recorded as living at 97 Cinder Hill, Milton. He was 2 years old and lived with his Mother, Hannah, aged 21 and Father, James, aged 23, a coal miner.

1881
Jean Reymond is recorded in the 1881 UK census as a Professor of Music. He is living at 19 Croxton(?) Street, Stoke. He is recorded as the head of the household and a widower aged 63. Also in the house are two boarders, Ann Jane Johasen, aged 28, who was a music teacher. Her daughter of the same name is recorded as a scholar aged 8. Both the mother and daughter, were born in Hanley and Jean Reymond was born in Besancon, France.

*DATE* ? needs confirming
Some members of the Holst family of Denmark settle in North Staffordshire. The father, Fredrik Idon Holst, born in Copenhagen, came to The Potteries with his wife, Julia, and daughter, Caren Maria Elisabeth (later known as Madame Marie Reymond). They reside at 218 Waterloo Road, Cobridge, near Burslem. [needs confirming] ))))

1885
According to the Danish census of 1885 the Holst family, including Karen Maria Elisabeth were living in Copenhagen.

1887
In the online records of Staffordshire Births Marriages and Deaths, Jean Reymond married Karen Maria Elisabeth Holst in September 1887.

1891
In the 1891 UK census, the Reymond family was recorded as living at 218 Waterloo Road, Cobridge, Stoke-on-Trent. Jean Reymond, aged 73, was head of the household and was working for himself as a Pianoforte Maker. Jean was married to Marie, aged 34 and she was recorded as a Professor of Music, working for herself. (She was born in Copenhagen, Denmark)

Marie had therefore married a piano maker more than twice her age, near to the age of her father.

218 Waterloo Road, Cobridge, in 2017
Home of Madame Marie Reymond and her husband of 4 years, Jean

1891
In the 1891 UK census, James Cope (father of John Cope) and his family were living in Chapel Street, Talke, and this gives us the first inclination that John is not an only child. In fact this and later censuses (below) show he was one of eleven children. The children recorded in the census were: Adam, Sarah, Hannah, Esther, and Annie. But John was not recorded as being at this address. Where was he living?

1893
The Staffordshire BMD (REF: Stoke-on-Trent STO/43/021) recorded the death of Juliana Mariah Holst aged 72. She was the wife of Frederik Idon Holst and mother of Karen Marie Elisabeth, later Madame Marie Reymond. Information about family history can at times be confusing since, as can be seen, there are conflicting spellings of names and records of dates. According to her gravestone Julia Holst, aged 73, died on 25 February 1893.

1896
Thursday 24 February 1896. Madame Marie Reymond produced a concert at The Wesleyan Chapel, Milton, Stoke-on-Trent.

1897
Madame Reymond established a Music School in a newly built property, Alexandra Buildings, 76 Moorland Road, Burslem. The property was called, fittingly, Beethoven House. It is not certain if she lived on the premises, since four years later (1901) she is recorded as living at a different address - 20 Moorland Road, Burslem.

Alexandra Buildings, 76 Moorland Road, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent
Madame Reymond's music school at Beethoven House

1901

20 Moorland Road, Burslem, in 2016
Madame Reymond's home, just down the road from her music school

1901
According to the 1901 UK census, Madame Marie Reymond was now a widow aged 44 and was the head of the household at 20 Moorland Road, Burslem. Her husband, Jean Reymond had obviously died. She is described as a Teacher of Music. Also living at that property was her father Idon Holst (who we know as Frederick Idon Holst) aged 81, recorded as a widower. John Cope is also recorded as her adopted son. He was aged 21, single, and also a Teacher of Music.

1901
What about the rest of John Cope's family? They are recorded in the 1901 UK census as living at 9 John Street, Talke. James Cope was head of the household, aged 44, working as a stoker at a chemical works. The rest of the household comprised his wife, Hannah 41, son Adam 19 (a cleaner at Lees Engineers) and the younger children Esther 12, Annie 10, Amy 8, James 5, and Henry 3.

1904

The Potteries Orchestral Society (the NSSO's first name) gave its first performance in Burslem Town Hall on Thursday 8 December 1904 under the baton of John Cope, just 24 years old.

Burslem, Old Town Hall

1906
The North Staffordshire Orchestral Society (the NSSO's second name) gave its 'First Concert in its Forth Season' at the Victoria Hall, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent with Mr John Cope conducted the concert. here>>

John Cope in 1906

1907
Another new name is chosen for the orchestra - The North Staffordshire Orchestra.

1907
The Staffordshire Births, Marriages and Deaths (REF: Newcastle-under-Lyme NUL/57/480) records the death of Fredrick Idon Holst, father of Marie Reymond. His gravestone shows his death date as 05 September 1907. It also shows him as being 90 years old, but actually, according to Danish records, he was 85.

1908
Madame Reymond left Beethoven House and a Mr M Morton took it on. She moved out. (needs rechecking)

1909
The North Staffordshire Symphony Orchestra changed its name for the forth time. This name is the one that has lasted.

1911
The UK census in 1911 records John Cope living at 8 Pall Mall, Hanley, where he was head of the household. He was single and 31 years old and described as a Professional Musician (Teacher). The other member of the household was recorded as Marie Reymond (nee Holst) and she is described as a boarder. She is a widow, aged 54, and described as a Professional Musician.

Madame Reymond's home in 1911
8 Pall Mall, Hanley
The head of the household was John Cope

1911
What about the rest of John Cope's family? They are recorded in the 1911 UK census as living at 66 Bagnall Road, Milton. In in the 1911 census there is extra information compared with previous censuses. This record shows that James and Hannah Cope had "11 children born alive with 9 living and 2 died". James Cope, 54, was the head of the household and a labourer at the local Aluminium Works. Hannah his wife was 52. Sarah Lizzie, a daughter, was single and 26. James Idon was single and 16, he is recorded as apprentice at the Aluminium Works Lab. Another son, Henry, was 14. No other children were at the address for the census but 60 year old Stephen Baddeley is recorded as a boarder and recorded as blind. It is worth noting that James Idon may have been named after Marie Reymond's father although his middle name of Idon was not recorded in an earlier census.

1913
A fund raising event in 1913, just 4 years after the orchestra finalised its name. It was a two day event held at the Victoria Hall in Hanley. Madame Reymond did much to raise much-needed cash to cover the orchestra's expenses. She also raised money to help the War Effort which was looming.

Photo courtesy of Ray Johnson and Martin Laux
June 2019

1918
Sadly, John Cope's young brother James Idon Cope died in World War I on 13 April 1918, aged 23. He was a Sargeant in the Royal Fusiliers 2nd Battalion, and is recorded at the PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL HAINAUT, BELGIUM. You can find out more about him here>> http://www.everymanremembered.org/profiles/soldier/1641989/

1919
John Cope left the Potteries and joined the Royal Carl Rosa Opera Company as one of its conductors. He left the NSSO and Madame Reymond who was now aged 61. Fred Morris took up the NSSO baton.

The Carl Rosa Opera Company was founded in 1873 by Carl August Nicholas Rosa, a German-born musical impresario, to present opera in English in London and the British provinces. The company premiered many operas in the UK, employing a mix of established opera stars and young singers, reaching new opera audiences with popularly-priced tickets. It survived Rosa's death in 1889. The company, unlike many others, survived the First World War, but the sudden death of Walter Van Noorden in April 1916 was a bitter blow.

Cope joined, as conductor, in 1919 but by 1920 there were serious financial difficulties and Alfred Van Noorden was obliged to put the company into voluntary liquidation. Four years later (1924) control had passed to H B Phillips whose own opera company had merged with the Carl Rosa a few years earlier. H B Phillips began by reorganising the company although the pattern of provincial tours and London seasons continued as before. John Cope left in 1923. http://www.carlrosatrust.org.uk/index.html

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1921
Madame Marie Reymond announced that she was going to leave the Potteries to return to Denmark. In the end she didn't go.

NSSO Madame Reymond leaving The Potteries 1921?
Clipping courtesy of Staffordshire Sentinel

1922
Reginald Nettel became the orchestra's secretary. He joined the NSSO in 1920, at first playing second violin and later viola. He wrote a book called "North Staffordshire Music, a social experiment" published in 1977 by Triad Press. ISBN 0-902070-9-3

1923
According to Free BMD, John Cope married Mary H. Montgomery in Brighton, Sussex, in June 1923. Further research is required to find out more about Mary. Where did she come from, how long were they married, when did she die? It is thought she was a contralto in the Carl Rosa company.

1924
John Cope returned to The Potteries after 5 years at the Royal Carl Rosa Opera Company which had serious financial difficulties. He resumed the position of conductor of the North Staffs Symphony Orchestra.

John Cope in 1924

1924
Birth of John Cope's daughter, Mary E. (needs checking)

1926
3 November 1926. Lorry crashed into the home of Madame Reymond and John Cope.

1926
Madame Marie Reymond died on 27 December 1926, aged 73, at her home at 47 Charles Street Hanley. Karen Marie Elisabeth Reymond was buried in her Holst family grave on 30 December 1926 in Hanley Cemetery after a funeral service at Shelton Parish Church. John Cope, described here in Sentinel article as 'her adopted son,' played the organ.

Charles Street, Hanley, in 1965
Just prior to demolition
Madame Reymond's last home and where she died in 1926

47 Charles Street, Hanley, in 2017
Madame Reymond's last home, since demolished.
This is where she died in 1926.

1930
In May 1930 Josiah Wedgwood and Sons Ltd., the pottery manufacturing company, celebrated its bi-centenary with a magnificent Historical Pageant in Hanley Park. The NSSO accompanied the event with John Cope conducting. An official film was made of the pageant and here is part of it. You can clearly see Cope conducting, baton in hand, and some of the orchestra players in the foreground.

""The Pageant attempts to portray vividly with all the help of colour, spectacle, drama and music, the scenes of the glorious Past to the Present generation… Visitors from far and near will all be kindled with admiration and praise for the proud Heritage of the Potteries."" (from the original programme notes).

Many thanks go to Ray Johnson MBE of the Staffordshire Film Archive for making the extract from the film available.

1946
According to FreeBMD, John Cope's daughter, Mary, married her first husband James Davie in June 1946, in Hammersmith, London.

1947

1947
Newspaper clipping courtesy of the Evening Sentinel

1953

1954
North Staffs Symphony Orchestra gave its 50th Jubilee Concert under its conductor John Cope here>>

1954
John Cope retired from the orchestra

John Cope retired in 1954
Newspaper cutting courtesy of the Evening Sentinel

1956
According to FreeBMD, John Cope's daughter, Mary, married her second husband Gilbert F. Warden in December 1956, in Kensington, London.

1962
John Cope died at the North Staffs Royal Infirmary on 6 April 1962. Aged 82 (according to his gravestone)

1979
Cutting from The Evening Sentinel. Article by JO (Jack Oliver) about the 75th Anniversary of the Orchestra.

1994
90th Anniversary of the orchestra and a time to celebrate! In March the orchestra performed the huge, magnificent The Resurrection, Symphony No.2 by Mahler. Conductor Timothy Redmond.

This was its first performance in Hanley. The Potteries Premier

NSSO performance of Mahler Symphony No.2
L : Advertising poster
R : Cover of the programme
Photos: Terry Woolliscroft Collection

NSSO performs Mahler's Symphony No.2
Victoria Hall, Hanley
19 March 1994
Photo: Terry Woolliscroft Collection

The orchestra also celebrated in June 1994 with a specially arranged dinner at The Borough Arms Hotel in Newcastle under Lyme. J. Denys Johnson, the orchestra president officiated.

Members of the NSSO enjoy a celebratory dinner
President J. Denys Johnson on the left concludes his speech
Orchestra Secretary John Caddick Adams on the right
Date: June 1994 Photo: Terry Woolliscroft Collection

Members of the NSSO enjoy a celebratory dinner
Ralph Chadwick, Leader, makes speech
Date: June 1994 Photo: Terry Woolliscroft Collection

And a new supporters club for the North Staffordshire Symphony Orchestra was established called The Friends. This replaced the existing 'Patrons' list which was formed at the very beginning of the orchestra's life. The Friends Newsletter, called 'NSSOnotes' was first published in 1995. more>

1995

download pdf here>

1998
Munroe Blair takes over the reigns as President of the NSSO.

2000
The new Millenium - The North Staffordshire Symphony Orchestra gives a performance of Bizet's Carmen at the Victoria Hall in Hanley.

2004
Centenary of the North Staffordshire Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra's 100th Birthday Celebration was held on 8 December 2004, 100 years to the day and in the exact same venue where the NSSO gave its first public concert, Burslem Old Town Hall. Almost 140 sponsors, Friends, guests, past and present orchestra members, and current and former conductors attended the rather special event.

Burslem Old Town Hall 2004

To celebrate and document the 100 year history of the orchestra, Kathy Niblett researched and wrote a book - 'A Unique Orchestra'. More details here> https://nssohistory.blogspot.com/p/the-book.html

Together with the publication of the book a new logo was commissioned which highlighted the 100 years.

The NSSO Centenary Logo
1904 - 2004

2006
AGM Frank Procter retires and John Caddick Adams receives a long service award before his retirement.

2015 - November

Major upgrade of the NSSO website, created by Terry Woolliscroft

NSSO website home page
Upgrade - November 2015

2017 - November
Peter Stallworthy bows out. Our resident conductor for 16 years, Peter conducted his last concert with the NSSO on 11 November 2017. He had moved house to the Yorkshire Dales and the regular journey to our rehearsal room in Newcastle-Under-Lyme made it impossible for him to carry the baton for us. He was presented with a leaving gift by Paul Sellars, the orchestra chairman.

Peter Stallworthy, conductor of the NSSO for 16 years,
leaves us at the concert in 11 November 2017.
Here he is seen here being presented with a gift by
Paul Sellars, Orchestra Chairman

2019
Beethoven House in 2019. Originally built to the specification of Madame Reymond, now at 76 Moorland Road, Burslem, it is now the home of The Guild of Photo Hubs, The Guild of Photographers

2020 - March
Pandemic! The corona virus, COVID19 pandemic forced the NSSO to cancel all its planned concerts in 2020/21 season. Rehearsals were stopped and all of the usual NSSO activities came to a standstill.

2021 - September

Rehearsals resumed at the usual rehearsal venue in Newcastle-under-Lyme on 6th September 2021, after 18 months of inactivity. Plans for concerts and venues were still to be finalised. But we're back!

2021 - November 6th - "Come-Back-Concert"

The orchestra, under the baton of Spanish-born Jon Malaxetxebarria, played in its new venue of St Thomas More Catholic Academy Concert Hall, Longton.

The large audience welcomed the Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, Dr. Chandra Kanneganti, who officiated at the handover of the Presidency of the NSSO from Munroe Blair (who held the post for 23 years) to Sam Corcoran (life-long Friend and former Vice President)

Dr. Chandra Kanneganti, Sam Corcoran, Munroe Blair
Photos: Terry Woolliscroft Collection Date: 6 Nov 2021

Thank you to our retiring President, Munroe Blair

The NSSO wishes to make special note and express its extreme gratitude to Munroe Blair at this concert as he retires from the role of President of the Orchestra that he has filled for over two decades. Munroe addressed the 100th NSSO anniversary dinner guests, and the 110th dinner, and with his wife Margaret, attended almost every NSSO concert. Thank you, Munroe.

2013

New logo design for the NSSO. In time for the 120th Season, 2013-2014, a new NSSO Orchestra logo was commissioned. Narges, the designer, is an Iranian born graphic artist.