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H. P. Finnis

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Rev. Horace Percy Finnis MA (17 April 1883 – 1960) was an Anglican clergyman and organist in South Australia.

History

Finnis was born in Claremont, Tasmania, the eldest child and only son of Rev. Herbert Robert Finnis (c. 1854 – 9 January 1936) and his wife Augusta Felicia Finnis, née Percy, (c. 1854 – 29 May 1901), who married in Rokeby, Tasmania on 11 April 1882.

The Rev. Herbert Finnis was rector of the Church of St. John the Baptist, Hobart, from 1883 to 1902, and of Deloraine, Tasmania from 1902 to 1908.[1] He married again, to Edith Kate Norris MA (1880–1951)[2] on 6 January 1903 (Feast of the Epiphany).[3]

Finnis was educated in Tasmania and then at Brighton Grammar School and Trinity College, University of Melbourne,[4] graduating MA in 1911.[5] He was ordained deacon in 1907 and priest in 1908.[6] In February 1908[7] he was appointed assistant curate and choirmaster of St John's Church, Toorak. He married in 1909 and would have three children (see below). He was appointed to the church at Meredith in August? 1911 In January 1918 he succeeded Rev. Rupert P. A. Hewgill as rector of St. John's Anglican Church, Adelaide.[8] He started a day school in May 1918, which prospered, and by his enthusiasm and example helped build up the men's group.[6] He was appointed precentor of St. Peter's Cathedral in September 1927[6] and

Musician

Finnis was described as 'an exceptional pianist',[4] and his wife was a fine violinist, and while university students notably played together.[9] He passed his Bachelor of Music in 1929.[10] In 1933 he founded, in Adelaide, the first branch of the School of English Church Music in Australia (later renamed the Royal School of Church Music) and served as precentor and organist of St Peter's Cathedral as well as teaching music at Pulteney Grammar School.

Family

Finnis married violinist (Marion) Dora Barrow (24 June 1880 – 24 February 1944) on 11 October 1909 in Brighton, Victoria. He married again, to Dorothy Kell Simpson (10 March 1903 – 19 May 1970) in Adelaide on 6 January 1945. He had three children:

  • Dora Felicia Finnis (1911 – 7 April 1932)
  • Maurice Meredith Steriker Finnis MA (6 August 1914 in Meredith, Victoria – 13 October 1995) married Margaret Mackellar Stewart MA in Adelaide on 11 August 1939 and had four children and divorced in 1976.[11] He lectured in philosophy at the University of Adelaide.
  • Lynette Elizabeth Finnis (May 1916 – ) married Charles Everson Gardner, son of Walter Everson Gardner[12] of Broken Hill in July 1938


. He was a senior lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Adelaide.

References

  1. ^ "Obituary Canon H. R. Finnis". The Mercury (Hobart). Vol. CXLIV, , no. 20, 375. Tasmania, Australia. 14 February 1936. p. 2. Retrieved 25 September 2018 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  2. ^ "Obituary". The Examiner (Tasmania). Vol. CX, , no. 75. Tasmania, Australia. 8 June 1951. p. 4. Retrieved 26 September 2018 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  3. ^ "Family Notices". The Mercury (Hobart). Vol. LXXIX, , no. 10, 273. Tasmania, Australia. 14 February 1903. p. 2. Retrieved 26 September 2018 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  4. ^ a b Reverend H.P. Finnis, State Library of South Australia, 1918, retrieved 25 September 2018
  5. ^ "Melbourne University". The Ballarat Star. Vol. 57, , no. 17337. Victoria, Australia. 25 December 1911. p. 2. Retrieved 26 September 2018 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  6. ^ a b c "Religious Notes". The Register (Adelaide). Vol. XCII, , no. 26, 854. South Australia. 10 September 1927. p. 15. Retrieved 26 September 2018 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  7. ^ "St. John's, Toorak". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 19, 223. Victoria, Australia. 27 February 1908. p. 6. Retrieved 26 September 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "Churches and Church Affairs". The Register (Adelaide). Vol. LXXXVIII, , no. 25, 827. South Australia. 6 October 1923. p. 5. Retrieved 26 September 2018 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) An interesting history of St. John's
  9. ^ "Melbourne Students' Symposium Company". Tasmanian News. Vol. , , no. 7406. Tasmania, Australia. 6 February 1905. p. 4. Retrieved 26 September 2018 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  10. ^ "Bachelor of Music Examination". News. Vol. XIII, , no. 1, 984. South Australia. 23 November 1929. p. 4. Retrieved 26 September 2018 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  11. ^ "HMSS 0089 Margaret and Maurice Finnis Papers, 1968-1997". ACT Heritage Library. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  12. ^ "Mr. W. E. Gardner Dies In Melbourne". The Barrier Miner. Vol. LVI, , no. 16, 476. New South Wales, Australia. 16 March 1943. p. 1. Retrieved 26 September 2018 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)

Category:1883 births Category:1960 deaths Category:Australian organists Category:Australian Anglican priests

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