Florence Margaret Spencer Palmer
1900 - 1987
Biography
Florence Margaret Spencer Palmer (1900–1987), who published music under the name Peggy Spencer Palmer, was a British composer, teacher, accompanist, and church musician. Born in Thornbury, Gloucestershire, she studied at the Royal Academy of Music and earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of London. Her teachers included figures such as Ivor Atkins and Benjamin Dale.
Spencer Palmer worked as an accompanist and secretary to Catherine Booth-Clibborn, daughter of Salvation Army founder William Booth, and later taught music for many years. She also served for a period as assistant organist at St Paul's, Onslow Square, South Kensington. Her output included hymn tunes, sacred vocal music, piano music, chamber music, and teaching materials.
Her tune ELLASGARTH was composed in 1950 and became a significant twentieth-century setting of Christina Rossetti's “None Other Lamb.” It appears with the hymn in Christian Praise and the revised Trinity Hymnal. The tune remains separately copyrighted in some jurisdictions and publications, even though Rossetti's text is public domain.
Spencer Palmer worked as an accompanist and secretary to Catherine Booth-Clibborn, daughter of Salvation Army founder William Booth, and later taught music for many years. She also served for a period as assistant organist at St Paul's, Onslow Square, South Kensington. Her output included hymn tunes, sacred vocal music, piano music, chamber music, and teaching materials.
Her tune ELLASGARTH was composed in 1950 and became a significant twentieth-century setting of Christina Rossetti's “None Other Lamb.” It appears with the hymn in Christian Praise and the revised Trinity Hymnal. The tune remains separately copyrighted in some jurisdictions and publications, even though Rossetti's text is public domain.
Hymns by Florence Margaret Spencer Palmer
None Other Lamb
Role: Composer