2007 will see the 150th anniversary of the birth of England’s most famous composer, Sir Edward Elgar and to coincide with the celebrations there will be a special exhibition at the Elgar Birthplace Museum in Lower Broadheath, Worcester.

Included in the exhibition will be part of the collection of 94 letters and cards written by Elgar to his friend, Dr Charles Buck of Settle, which were sold recently by Tennants for almost £13,000.  They were purchased jointly with a grant from the Victoria & Albert Museum and a donation from Mark Grafton, a member of the Elgar family.  Mark Grafton, is one of Elgar’s six living direct descendants and is also a member of The Elgar Foundation who run the Birthplace Museum.  He collected the letters from Nick Lambert of Tennants on behalf of the Elgar Birthplace Museum. Here they will be displayed for the enjoyment of present and future generations and will be made available to the public as part of the Museum’s research facility.

Sir Edward had a daughter Carice, though no grandchildren. His brother, Frank, and his sister, Polly, both had children and today there are six remaining great nieces and nephews of which Mark Grafton is one. Mark’s grandmother, Polly, was Sir Edward Elgar’s sister. Her son, Roland Elgar Grafton was Mark Grafton’s father and he moved to in Yorkshire in the early 1930’s where he established a textile agency business in the North of England. Today Mark and his two sons, Simon and Richard, live in North Yorkshire and run the successful interiors and wholesale textile company, James Brindley of Harrogate. 

Mark Grafton said ‘The family are delighted that these letters from our Great Uncle to his good friend, Dr Buck, have been secured for the Elgar Birthplace Museum to display for the enjoyment of all their future visitors. The letters offer an interesting insight into Elgar’s life over a period of 50 years and will, no doubt, prove a significant addition to the Museum.

Back to Press news

Mark Grafton and Nick Lambert of Tennants