Kennerley Rumford

Robert Henry Kennerley Rumford (2 September 1870 – 9 March 1957) was an English baritone singer of the 20th century. He was first known for his performances of Oratorio, but following his marriage to the well-known contralto singer Clara Butt, he toured with her throughout the English-speaking world singing repertoire of a more popular type. He was twice mentioned in dispatches while serving on the Western Front during the First World War.

Kennerley Rumford was born in Hampstead, London, England in 1870 the son of Joseph Kennerley Rumford who was related to Count Rumford the celebrated scientist. He was educated at King's School Canterbury and also in Frankfurt and Paris. He studied singing in Paris under Giovanni Sbriglia (in 1894) and Jacques Bouhy, and in London under George Henschel. He also studied under Blume, Lierhammer and Jean de Reszke. On 26 June 1900 he married the contralto singer Clara Butt – they had one daughter and two sons before Clara died in 1936. In 1941 he married Dorothy Jane Elwin.

Rumford made his first appearance in 1896 at St James's Hall in London. He went on to sing at the Birmingham and Handel festivals and at nearly all the principal London and provincial concerts and festivals. He made his reputation with works of a serious kind such as Bach's St. Matthew Passion (Bach Festival at Queen's Hall 6 April 1897) and Brahms's Ernste Gesänge (St. James's Hall Popular Concert 31 January 1898). He appeared before both Queen Victoria and King Edward VII.

...
Wikipedia