Henry Thomas Pringuer - Early Life (1852-1869)

Early Life (1852-1869)

Henry Thomas Pringuer was born on the 23 February 1852 at St. Peter's Place, Canterbury. His parents were Samuel Freemoult Pringuer (1828-1907), a cabinet maker of Canterbury, Kent; and Eliza Hayward (1825-1902) of Blean, Kent. It is likely that the Pringuer family were Walloon refugees, many of whom settled in the Canterbury area. A good portion of the Pringuer family also worshipped in Bethnal Green and Spitalfields, both often considered hubs of Walloon settlements. In 1861, at the age of just nine and a half, Dr. Pringuer was appointed organist of a chapel in Canterbury and in 1864, moved to All Saints' Church. Shortly after, he attained the coveted post of organist at St. Dunstan's. His tutors in Canterbury included Thomas Goulden FCO and Dr. William Henry Longhurst DMus. Goulden came from a large family of musicians who owned the Goulden's shop in Canterbury, which at one time sold pianofortes, American organs and gramophones. Dr. Longhurst (1827-1898) was organist of Canterbury Cathedral and was connected with the music there for 71 years. Dr. Pringuer was a chorister at the Cathedral before the age of 14, and in both 1911 and 1914, he attended the Cathedral Choristers' Association Reunion.