Henry Wylde - Background

Background

Henry Wylde was born at Bushey, Hertfordshire, elder son of Henry Wylde (1795–1876) and Martha Lucy née Paxton. His father, then the organist at St Mary's Watford, was himself a music teacher. Henry, the father, one of the Children of the Chapel Royal was for many years vicar choral of the Chapels Royal and cantor there and he was a soloist at the marriage of Queen Victoria.

Young Henry's mother's Durham based Paxton family included the 18th century musicians Stephen Paxton (c.1734-1787) and his elder brother William Paxton (1725-1778). Both, originally cathedral choristers, became cellists and composers. William remained based in Durham but the better-known Stephen had moved to London by 1756 and the next year was elected a member of the Royal Society of Musicians. Not as well known but also active in London were Frances, a church organist and the brothers' nephew (d. 1779) also a cellist.

The vicar of Watford was the genial Hon. William Robert Capel (1775–1854), cricketer for Homerton and W R Capel's XI, later a chaplain to Queen Victoria. Capel, who might reduce his sermon to a very few minutes to be sure of catching a train to a foxhunt, wished to encourage a revival of the then moribund art of church music and its use in services. Capel stood sponsor at the baptism of Henry's younger brother, James, and may be safely presumed to have been a strong influence in young Henry's early career. About 1832 a new room was added to the Wylde house at Stone Grove and the Cassiobury House music library brought to it.