R.J. Maddern Williams (1942-1946) conducted the Orchestra while Walter Barnes was ill and after his death, until Walter's intended successor returned from War Service in the Navy.
Conductor : R.J. Maddern Williams (1942-1946)
Richard John Maddern-Williams 1906 was assistant organist at Norwich Cathedral.
Richard John Maddern-Williams, F.R.C.O. 1908 - 1922 was organist at St Peter Mancroft Norwich, Norfolk.
Mr. Maddern Williams, being an old friend of Walter Barnes, had been conducting the orchestra during the illness of Mr. Barnes, and continued to do so after the latter’s death. The orchestra was fortunate that a conductor of such a calibre was at hand to take over, otherwise it is difficult to see how it could have survived through the remaining war years.
He conducted the orchestra in concert for the first time in May 1942, and carried them through to April 1946. This was a particularly difficult time, with many players away on active service.
Walter Barnes had always planned to hand over the baton to John Morgan Hosking – indeed, Mr Morgan Hosking had conducted the Junior Section from November 1936 until he was ‘called up’ for service in the Navy. On his return from war, he took over from Mr Maddern Williams as conductor of the Penzance Orchestral Society. Mr Williams had indeed kept the orchestra going, through a very difficult period in its history.
In 1942, R. J. Maddern Williams - Madern Pendyn (Maddern of Pendeen) - was made a bard of the Cornish Gorseth for services to music in Cornwall.