Abstract
In 1854, a solitary musical festival was held in Staffordshire. It was a grand occasion, involving six choral ensembles and a visiting group of instrumentalists known as the Orchestral Union of London. Although successful, and reputed to have been well attended, the festival failed to become an regular event. The reason for this apparent failure was a general lack of interest in musical concerns that prevailed in the Staffordshire area in the first half of the 19th century. This state of affairs was attributable to a shortage of even partially skilled musicians and suitable finances to participate in such activities. However, by the end of the 19th century, the Staffordshire area had a thriving amateur music-making scene, with prize-winning choral ensembles reported in national newspapers and journals, and ambitious conductors bringing comprehensive choral repertoire to the audiences of the area. This chapter aims to discover how the change in situation was achieved by exploring the musical and educational developments that occurred in the area and by presenting some of the personalities at work in the area during this pivotal time.