Founder members of the Penzance Orchestral Society The Clefs
In 1906, six young men of Penzance who had formed themselves into a musical ensemble called 'The Clefs,' decided to form an Orchestra.
They were Walter Barnes, E. A. Gordon Rogers, George H. Shakerley, Alfred W. Robinson, Barrie B. Bennetts and Osbert Howarth.
The elected conductor was Walter Barnes, who said he had "colossal ignorance of everything appertaining to the conducting of an Orchestra".
The Penzance Amateur Orchestra played their first public concert on April 7th.1907, at St. John's Hall.
