Joah Bates

Joah Bates (c. 1741 – 8 June 1799) was an English musician.

Many references list Joah Bates as having been born 19 March 1740-41. However, there is one record that Bates was baptized as an infant at Halifax on 8 March 1740. He was the son of Henry Bates, an innkeeper and parish clerk. He received his early education at Dr. Ogden's school and learned music from Hartley, organist of Rochdale. He went afterwards to Manchester to Dr. Parnell's school, and while there he was much struck by the organ-playing of Robert Wainwright, organist of the collegiate church. He was subsequently sent to Eton College, where, on 2 August 1756, he obtained a scholarship. While he was at Eton he was deprived of music altogether, but he kept up his practice by playing on imaginary keys on the table. One of the masters, Mr. G. Graham, discovered his passion for music, and, being himself an enthusiastic amateur, gave him much encouragement. On 31 July 1758 he was nominated for a scholarship at King's College, Cambridge. But he was not admitted to the college till 4 May 1760.

About this time he obtained a university scholarship. He graduated B.A. in 1764 and M.A. in 1767. During his term of residence in Cambridge he got up and himself conducted a performance of the ‘Messiah’ in his native town, that occasion being the first on which an oratorio had been performed north of the River Trent. In his orchestra William Herschel, the astronomer, played first violin. Shortly afterwards he succeeded to a fellowship at King's and was appointed college tutor. The attention of Lord Sandwich, the first lord of the admiralty, whose second son was a pupil of Bates, was at this time attracted to his wonderful musical and general talents, and he made him his private secretary, and procured for him a small post in the post-office worth 100 pounds a year.

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