Bernard Jackson

Dr Joseph Bernard Jackson MusD
Nicknames	Jacko
Born	1891
Died	1958 (aged about 67)
Years at BGS	1939-1951
Departments	Music
Subjects	Music

Joseph Bernard Jackson was a teacher of music at Boston Grammar School (1939-1951). He was organist at St Botolph's 1927-1951.

Before BGS

The Birmingham Bach Society was established by Bernard Jackson, a Bach enthusiast and musicologist, in October 1919 with a lecture on Bach's life, given at the Midland Institute. From these beginnings, the life of the Birmingham Bach Society continued with seasons consisting of lectures on Bach and concerts offering performances of his music for solo instruments or small ensembles, orchestra or choir, which in those days numbered a modest 12 to 16 singers.

The work of Dr Bernard Jackson continued until 1927 when the choir ceased operation until 1929 when it was re-established largely through the efforts of the former choir secretary Madame Minadieu as The Birmingham Bach Club and affiliated to The Bach Cantata Club in London.

At BGS

An account from Centennial Anthology written by Paul Mould

Dr Bernard Jackson was for many years organist at the Stump and, unfortunately for him, he was also our Music teacher. The music classroom was situated above the masters' common room, as far away as possible from the rest of the school, so the unmelodious wailing caused minimum nuisance.

In keeping control 'Jacko' had the added handicap of playing the piano with his back to the class. His most amusing and magnetic feature was the tufts of hair growing horizontally out of both ears. One day, while we were rendering 'Nymphs and Shepherds Come Away' and he was lost in the m usic, one daring lad could resist the challenge no longer. He crept behind Mr Jackson and set fire to the hairs protruding from his left ear with a lighter and managed to regain his seat and adopt an innocent expression before the alarmed 'Jacko' turned round.

The consequences of the miscreant's derring-do were that Dr Jackson had to visit the barber in haste to restore equilibrium by having the still rampant hairs removed from his right ear and also that the piano, rather belatedly, was moved to prevent anyone ever again approaching unnoticed.

Radio appearances

• A religious service - BBC Regional Programme Northern, 22 March 1936 19.55 - organist J Bernard Jackson
• A Recital of the Music of William Byrd - BBC Regional Programme Northern, 9 October 1936 21.00 - includes "Who made thee Hob, forsake the plough? a Dialogue between two Sheperds Variation on John, come kiss me now!" (Trans. for String Orchestra by J Bernard Jackson)
• John Taverner (c. 1495-1545) - BBC Regional Programme Northern, 3 May 1937 20.35 - A Recital of his Music by The Boston Choral Society and A Sextet of Strings from the Northern Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by J. Bernard Jackson from the Church of St. Botolph, Boston, Lincolnshire
• Bach - BBC Regional Programme Northern, 21 March 1939 20.30 - a programme arranged by J Bernard Jackson, organist of Boston Parish Church; the Boston Choral Society, conductor J Bernard Jackson

External links

• St Botolph's Church, Boston - List of organists - Wikipedia
• Signed letter from Granville Bantock - dated 8 Oct 1918 to J Bernard Jackson
• Signed letter from Granville Bantock dated 12 July 1927 to J Bernard Jackson
• Signed letter from Arnold Dolmetsch dated 29 Nov 1927 to J Bernard Jackson
• Signed letter from Granville Bantock dated 1 Jan 1930 to J Bernard Jackson
• Signed typed letter from Henry Wood dated 9 September 1932 to J Bernard Jackson
• Handwritten letter from Laurence Binyon, poet dated 4 Nov 1932 to J Bernard Jackson
• Signed letter from Herbert Howells dated 18 June 1947 to J Bernard Jackson
• Signed letter from R Vaughan Williams dated 19 July 1952 to J Bernard Jackson
• Signed letter from John Ireland dated 5 June 1955 to J Bernard Jackson

See Also

• Boston Grammar School 1939 (Part 5 of 8)
• Boston Grammar School Speech Day 1939
• Boston Grammar School Staff