Dr William Crotch

Dr William Crotch 1832 Eton College Chapel watercolour Public School Windsor

1832

Dr. William Crotch was born on July 5, 1775, Norwich. He was a composer and organist and he showed early musical talent as a child prodigy. He was most famous for probably being the composer of the Westminster Chimes played by Big Ben each time it strikes the hour. In 1797, he became Heather Professor of Music at Oxford University and acquired a doctorate in music in 1799. John Malchair, the musician and artist, became a friend whilst he was in Oxford and so with his guidance Crotch took up sketching. He also took Malchair's habit of recording the date and time of his picture passing this habit to John Constable upon meeting him in London in 1805. He became the first Principal of the Royal Academy of Music, a post he held for ten years until he resigned. His works are well represented in many public and private collections. The Tate holds three of his works. He spent his last years at Taunton, Somerset, where he died on December 29, 1847.