NEWCASTLE'S MUSICAL HERITAGE AN INTRODUCTION By ...

place. If in the last quarter of a century there has been a distinct change and if
Newcastle has now, to a large extent, thrown off that record, much is due to the
talents and the energy of Dr Rea ... He came to us, work-a-day community,
distinctly behind-hand in the appreciation of the fine arts, because we had not
had time, in the busy, bustling middle of the century, to think much about these
things. He set himself the task of teaching the people to understand and
appreciate good music, and assuredly, his labours have, in no slight degree, met
their reward’
Three years after his death, his two sons, Charles Herbert and William Cecil,
had a memorial headstone erected in memory of their father and the occasion
was marked by a piece in the Newcastle Daily Chronicle on February 3 rd .
‘There has just been erected by his sons in the old Jesmond Cemetery a very
interesting memorial to the late Dr William Rea, the eminent musician. This is a
beautiful headstone 7 feet in height with a bronze medallion, life size surrounded
by a wreath very artistically treated followed by an inscription in memory of Dr
Rea and Mrs Rea and their 2 children who died young. The stone, which is a fine
block of hard Portland limestone and which will retain its whiteness has been
designed by Mr Rob North architect of Cliffords Inn and is based upon 18 th
century work. The relief in bronze is by that eminent and distinguished sculptor,
Mr Frank Derwent Wood, the aim being simple in design. The work was executed
in London and sent in finished state. The memorial of Dr Rea will interest and will
be much admired by his many friends and pupils who benefited so largely from
his earnest and unselfish labours to cultivate a taste for classical ideas in music
and to whom so many in the city and surroundings owe a great debt of gratitude
for much of the advanced interest in the divine art.’
The piece went on to give a description of the details engraved on a memorial
head stone, which are as follows:
In Loving Memory of
WILLIAM REA. MUS. DOC.
Who devoted more than 40 years to cultivate a love of good music amongst the
People of this City.
Born, March 25 th 1827; died March 8 th 1903
And of his dearly beloved wife
EMMA MARY
Daughter of Wesley Stoker Woolhouse F.R.A.S.
Born April 7 th 1835; died May 6 th 1893
Also their dear children who died in 1861
ELEANOR GERTRUDE on March 10 aged six years
EMMA BEATRICE on March 13 aged three years
The souls of the righteous are in the hands of God.
Wisdom, chap 3.
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