John Cope (1879-1962), musician, Hanley
SHORT BIOGRAPHY
John Cope, born in Milton, Stoke-on-Trent, on 31 May 1879, was the son of James Cope a coal miner.
While still a schoolboy his musical talents attracted the attention of Madame Marie Reymond, a music teacher, living in Burslem. She assisted him to study the organ under Rheinberger, in Munich, and he eventually also became a conductor.
 |
| John Cope 1890s Studying the organ in Germany |
Back in the Potteries he conducted the Burslem Orchestral Union which Madame Marie Reymond had established at her own expense.
 |
| John Cope in 1906 |
The orchestra, after three name changes, became the North Staffordshire Symphony Orchestra, a name which has lasted to this day.
 |
| John Cope in 1912 |
Cope conducted for the Carl Rosa Opera Company in Sheffield and other cities, and he joined this company in 1919. (http://www.carlrosatrust.org.uk/index.html)
In 1924 he returned to the Potteries and resumed conducting of the North Staffordshire Symphony Orchestra. He was also organist at the Congregational church, Newcastle-under-Lyme, at St. Paul's church, Burslem and at Leek parish church. He was later appointed city organist to the Stoke-on-Trent corporation and was visiting music master at Newcastle High School and the Orme Boys’ School, Newcastle. He also acted as musical director and conductor of the Stoke-on-Trent Amateur Dramatic Society, and for some years was musical director of Sheffield Grand Opera.
Cope married Mary H. Montgomery in Brighton, Sussex, in June 1923 and had a daughter, Mary E. in 1924. Mary married her first husband James Davie in June 1946, in Hammersmith, London. Her marriage was dissolved in 1956. She then married Gilbert Forrester-Warden in December 1956, in Kensington, London.
 |
| John Cope 1950s |
John Cope died on 6 April 1962 at his home in Charles Street, Hanley. He was buried in the same grave as Madame Marie Reymond and her parents in Hanley cemetery.
 |
| North Staffordshire Symphony Orchestra - John Cope through the years |
John Cope 1930 - Stoke-on-Trent Historical Pageant
John Cope is seen here, in the following images conducting the NSSO who played at the 1930 Stoke-on-Trent Historical Pageant to commemorate the Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Ltd pottery company Bicentenary. Madame Marie Reymond had died 4 years earlier.
Many thanks go to Ray Johnson MBE, of The Staffordshire Film Archive, for kindly supplying the now-digitised 'official film' of the event, from which the screen shots were taken.
Many thanks go to Ray Johnson MBE, of The Staffordshire Film Archive, for kindly supplying the now-digitised 'official film' of the event, from which the screen shots were taken.
 |
| Wedgwood Portland vase costumes Photo: unknown source |
John Cope 1947
The Bronze Bust of John Cope
 |
 |
| John Cope - founder conductor of the NSSO Presented by members of The Friends of the Orchestra October 1947 The bust is currently in store at The Potteries Museum, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent |