Gerard Francis Cobb (Nettlestead, Kent, 15 October 1838 – 31 March 1904) was Junior Bursar of Trinity College, Cambridge. He was active as an Anglican layman, organist and amateur composer.[1][2][3]

Life

He was the fourth son of William Francis Cobb, rector of Nettlestead, Kent, and was educated at Marlborough College. He matriculated at Trinity College, Cambridge in 1857, graduating B.A. in 1861 and M.A. in 1864.

Cobb was an enthusiastic cyclist and was president of the Cambridge University Cycling Club. He was first president in 1878 of the National Cyclists' Union, originally the Bicycle Union.

He died in Cambridge on 31 March 1904.[4]

Music

Cobb is best remembered for his hymns and settings of Rudyard Kipling's Barrack-Room Ballads.[5][6] The poems set by Cobb include "To T. A." (1892), "The Young British Soldier" Op. 24 No. 1, "Mandalay", "Route Marchin’" "Soldier, Soldier", "Fuzzy-Wuzzy" Op. 24 No. 5 (1892) "Troopin’", "Ford o' Kabul River" Op. 26 No. 2 (1893) "Danny Deever", "Shillin’ a Day" "Cells", "Belts Op. 29 No. 1" "The Widow’s Party", "Screw-Guns", "Gunga Din" Op. 29 No. 4, "Oonts" Op. 29 No. 5, "Snarleyow" Op. 29 No. 6, "For to Admire", "Back to the Army Again", and "Tommy".

These songs were recorded by Ralph Meanley (baritone) and David Mackie (piano) for Campion in 2007. A smaller selection including "Lichtenberg" (1904), was recorded by Michael Halliwell (baritone), David Miller (piano) for ABC Classics, Australia.

Family

Cobb married in 1893 Elizabeth Lucy, daughter of John Welchman Whateley, of Birmingham and widow of Stephen Parkinson, tutor of St John's College, Cambridge; she survived him without issue. He gave up his posts at Trinity on marrying.[7]

References

  1. ↑ The Fantasy of Reunion: Anglicans, Catholics, and Ecumenism, 1833-1882 0199688060 Mark D. Chapman - 2014 -"GERARD COBB A few weeks later, another English theologian sympathetic to the cause of reunion, Gerard Francis Cobb of Trinity College, Cambridge (1838–1904) reported to Forbes on his recent visit to the Continent.37 Cobb, a layman ..."
  2. ↑ Fr. George William Rutler The Stories of Hymns: 2017 - - Page 238 1682780244 "and Oxford conspire to produce this florid praise of the Thrice-Holy. The composer, Gerard Francis Cobb (1838–1904), was presented for the M.A. by Trinity College in Cambridge, and the author, Richard Mant (1776–1848), belonged to Trinity ..."
  3. ↑ https://hymnary.org/person/Cobb_GF
  4. ↑ "Cobb, Gerard Francis (CB857GF)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  5. ↑ Richard B. Jewell - RKO Radio Pictures: A Titan Is Born 2012 - Page 168 0520951956 "The cost, 4,700 pounds plus 100 pounds for the rights to a song entitled ”Gunga Din” written by Rudyard Kipling and Gerard Cobb, were assumed by RKO as part of its production deal with Small."
  6. ↑ Andrew Selth -Burma, Kipling and Western Music: The Riff from Mandalay - 2016 Page 78 131729890X "These were by Gerard Cobb (1892), Arthur Thayer (1892), Henry Trevannion (1898), Walter Damrosch (1898), Walter ... of Cobb's 'Mandalay', described as a 'musical kindergarten sketch', by the prolific composer 78 Rudyard Kipling and ."
  7. ↑ Lee, Sidney, ed. (1912). "Cobb, Gerard Francis" . Dictionary of National Biography (2nd supplement). Vol. 1. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
Attribution

Wikisource This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Lee, Sidney, ed. (1912). "Cobb, Gerard Francis". Dictionary of National Biography (2nd supplement). Vol. 1. London: Smith, Elder & Co.

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