Frank Henry Shera

The collection consists of manuscripts bequeathed to the University Library by Frank Shera, comprising scores, lectures and other writings on the history of music, together with a small collection of correspondence relating to the Sheffield Philharmonic Orchestra in the years 1929-33.

Frank Henry Shera (1882-1956), M.A., Mus.M. Cantab, F.R.C.O., Hon. A.R.C.M., held the Chair of Music at the University of Sheffield from 1928 to 1948. Born in Sheffield on May 4th 1882, he was educated at Oakham School, and after reading Classics at Jesus College, Cambridge attended the Royal College of Music, where he studied with Stanford and Walford Davies for composition, and Sharpe and Parratt for piano and organ respectively. After teaching at various schools he went in 1916 to Malvern College as Director of Music. Following the founding in 1927 of a Chair of Music at Sheffield, Shera was appointed there the first full-time James Rossiter Hoyle Professor of Music in 1928 (Percy Carter Buck had been appointed to the new post for two terms of the first session only), a position which he held until his resignation in 1948. During these years he laid the foundations of and built up the Department of Music. Whilst at Sheffield he also served as Dean of the Faculty of Arts (1933-36) and Public Orator (1934-1945). On his retirement he was awarded the title Emeritus Professor.

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