John Stainer was an organist, composer, musicologist and educationalist active in Great Britain in the second half of the 19th century. His career began as a chorister at St Paul's cathedral. There followed appointments as organist to St Michael's College, Tenbury (1857); Magdalen College, Oxford (1860); and St Paul's cathedral (1872-1888). He was appointed professor of organ and harmony at the National Training School (1876-1883), later succeeding Sir Arthur Sullivan as principal; he sat on the council of the newly founded Royal College of Music; and he worked as an examiner around the country both for schools and training colleges - as H.M. Inspector of Music (from 1883) - and also for universities. Upon his return to Oxford from London in 1888 Stainer was appointed professor of music at Oxford University (1889-1899).
Stainer came from a large musical family, living in Southwark: the collection contains numerous letters between Stainer and his siblings, in particular William Stainer, Ann Stainer and Mary Stainer. In 1865 Stainer married Elizabeth C. (Sissey) Randall, who came from an Oxford family. Together they had seven children: John F. R. Stainer; Elizabeth Cecil (Cecie) Stainer; Ellie Stainer; Edward Stainer; Charles Lewis Stainer; Frederick Henry Stainer (1872-1874); William Edgar Stainer.
From the guide to the Stainer Archive, 1762-2010, (Durham University Library, Archives and Special Collections)
