Our History

The idea of a federation uniting cathedral old choristers' associations was first raised at a reunion of the Peterborough Association in September 1910, in conversation with guests from York and Lincoln. Within weeks, the Peterborough Honorary Secretary Charles Dack was writing to the Precentor of every English and Welsh cathedral, proposing:

“To bring together individual associations into closer touch with one another and to further in every way possible the interest of these associations. The members of any association shall be received as honorary members by the association wherein they may be resident.”

The response was immediate and enthusiastic. By November 1910, so many associations had written in support that a provisional committee was formed — Arthur Hardgrave (York) as Chairman, Edward Laws (Durham) as Vice Chairman, Charles Dack (Peterborough) as Honorary Secretary and William Calladine (Lincoln) as Honorary Treasurer. Twenty associations had already pledged their support, and on a hot summer's day — 29th June 1911, in the Deanery Garden at Peterborough — the National Federation was formally born, just nine months after the idea was first discussed. Sixteen associations were founder members, from Bristol to Melbourne, Australia.

The first Festival was held in York in 1912 and a second in Rochester in 1914 — before the First World War brought proceedings to a halt. Arthur Grundy (Canterbury) revived the Federation after the war, organising the first post-war Festival at Canterbury in 1920 and combining the roles of Chairman and Secretary almost single-handedly. From 1925, Harold Cattley (Chester) took over as Honorary Secretary, and Festivals ran nearly every year until the Second World War intervened.

It was Frank Hewitt (Chester), Honorary Secretary from 1931 to 1975, who rebuilt the Federation after the Second World War, growing membership to 38 associations over more than four decades of service. In 1931 the Federation launched its own magazine, The Old Chorister, edited by Frank Hewitt himself until 1973. Under Canon Gordon Berriman's chairmanship (1957–1977), the Federation successfully lobbied the BBC to protect the Wednesday broadcast of Choral Evensong from the axe — a campaign still remembered with pride.

The 1980s and 90s brought modernisation: a redesigned, renamed Once-A-Chorister magazine under editor David Horner reached a circulation of 2,500; a Membership Card scheme and Federation Shop launched in 1993; and under Chairman John Holt the organisation computerised its records and streamlined its rules ahead of the new Millennium.

“In 2025, a programme of intensive transformation was proposed by members of the Peterborough Association — Samuel Barber, Oliver Hamilton-Box and Bradley Odep — with a clear ambition: to revitalise the organisation ahead of its 150th anniversary in 2060.”

In 2026, at our Annual General Meeting, we formally adopted a new name — Once a Chorister — carrying our history forward while speaking plainly to what we are. As broadcaster Alexander Armstrong once put it to one of our members: “Once a Chorister, Always a Chorister.” We couldn't agree more.