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Samuel Slack (1757-1822) - known as the 'Tideswell Vocalist'.

SAMUEL SLACK was born in Tideswell, Derbyshire, in 1757, and became a well-known character both in Derbyshire and countrywide. Although described in a contemporary journal as 'an uncouth example of common manhood', he happened to be blessed with the uncommonly glorious bass singing voice which earned him his celebrity.

His wonderful vocal powers were first truly remarked upon by Georgiana, the Duchess of Devonshire, who arranged for the 'Tideswell vocalist' to be placed under the tutelage of the great singing master Spofforth. Such was the pupil's natural ability that he was soon in demand for all the great musical fetivals, including a performance for His Majesty King George III.

What made Slack particularly unusual was that his mellifluous voice was hardly matched by his coarse character, for he was a smoker, drinker and very much the 'Derbyshire lad'. Consider this reminiscence written in 1865:

'Samuel was addicted to the low tastes of the day, and was an inveterate lover of the pot and the pipe. He did not posess much delicacy in the choice of his company, nor was he very elegant in his conversation - his tastes, education and habits were the result of his early poverty. Yet the imperfections of the man were sunk in his heart, love of truth, and in the fact that he was nobody's enemy but his own.'

Anecdotes concerning Slack abound. When asked to lead the choir in Westminster Abbey he refused, preferring to sing instead with his local 'glee club' in Tideswell. And when he sang before George III, the monarch sent a lord-in-waiting to tell Slack how much His Majesty had been pleased with his singing. Slack responded to the liveried equerry: 'Oh, he wor pleased wor he? Ah know'd ah could dow it, to pleys 'im or onny-buddy else for that matter.' The King was said to be much amused by the earthy Derbyshire response.

Samuel Slack died on 10 August 1822, aged 65, and was buried in Tideswell churchyard close to a wall bordering Commercial Road. Initially there was no memorial, but that was remedied nine years later when a group of admirers paid for a headstone, which still stands today.

Part of it reads: 'As a tribute of respect to Samuel Slack this stone was erected by the voluntary contributions of Barlow choir and a few other admirers of that noble deep-toned melodist.'

The above article is one of the GRAVE MATTERS series on this site which aims to identify unusual or celebrity graves located in Derbyshire. If you know of any others, why not create a short article and add to the growing list.

• Derbyshire Characters - And The Nominees Are...
• SAMUEL SLACK
• Slack, Samuel - A Derbyshire Character

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County:  Derbyshire

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