Born on 13 October 1868 at Tow Law, Co. Durham into a WM family. At 9 he was playing in a village chapel and at 14 was organist at Old Elvet WM chapel, Durham. He studied under the organist of Durham cathedral and between 1887 and 1938 was organist at several parish churches and Durham and Newcastle cathedrals. His tune 'St. Nicholas' (originally 'Dunelm'), set to HP 483 was earlier set to J.M. Neale's 'To the name of our salvation'. He died at Hexham on 26 Novembr 1947.