Celebrating a historic 'first' for women in Oldham

Some 300 years ago a new set of rules for the choir of a local parish church were drawn up.

It listed 36 men and three women.

So far as is known, they were the first women ever to be allowed to sing in a church choir in England.

It happened in Oldham, in 1701, at the parish church of St Mary’s.

Now the event is to be celebrated in a play by local authors Livi Michael and Carol Davies.

After a successful premier at Millgate Arts Centre in June, they are doing a one off show in Oldham Parish Church next Tuesday (August 30) at 730pm, and they are hoping that some of the proceeds from this performance will go towards erecting a plaque commemorating these women somewhere near the west door of the Church.

The decision to include the women, taken by choirmaster Elias Hall, cannot have been anything but controversial.

It would certainly have faced strong opposition.

Even all-male church choirs had been forced to disband during the time of Oliver Cromwell half a century before. Puritans condemned the use of any music in religious worship.

With the restoration of Charles II in 1660, women were allowed to perform at theatres for the first time, but actresses were widely regarded as harlots.

The presence of women in a public church choir would surely have been regarded by some as sacrilegious.

Even today, the inclusion of women in the greatest cathedral choirs remains a matter of contention.

Playwright Livi said: “The dramatic potential of the situation was very clear to us.

"There must have been a lot of shouting and a lot of disapproval, and yet maybe the beauty of the women’s voices singing to God made people think again.”

Carol added: “Nuns had sung in choirs behind the closed doors of convents before this, but it seems that it may have been here in Oldham that women were been included in an English church choir.

"We think it’s a story that deserves telling, and we are sure that it will provide good entertainment at the same time.

"I am indebted to everyone who has helped tell the story of these three extraordinary women who put their necks on the line - literally - when they agreed to sing in Elias Hall’s choir.

"Our main characters really existed and you will see that Richard Sugden’s name adorns the list of vicars on the board behind you.

"However, despite all our research we could not find the names of our three intrepid singers, so we have chosen local names and used the Tetlow sisters who were church and choir benefactors at this time.

"There were three women amongst the 36 men in Elias Hall’s choir and they did sing at St Mary’s, Oldham, on Easter Sunday 1701 before the Bishop of Chester.

"As far as we can find out they were the first women to do this, certainly in England and most probably in Europe.

"Enjoy their story and be proud of their courage."

Tickets for next Tuesday's performance are available via: www.millgateartscentre.co.uk or by calling 01457 874644.

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