Introduction

Biography

Spark was the son of Will­iam Spark, a lay vi­car at Exe­ter Ca­the­dral.

He be­gan his mu­sic­al ca­reer as cho­ris­ter at Exe­ter Ca­the­dral. He was ar­ti­cled to Sam­uel Wesley, 1840–45, and went with Wes­ley to Leeds pa­rish church in 1842.

He lat­er played the or­gan at Cha­pel­town and St. Paul’s, Leeds; Ti­ver­ton, De­von; Da­ven­try, North­amp­ton­shire; and St. George’s, Leeds.

He is per­haps best re­mem­bered for his part in found­ing the Leeds Ma­dri­gal and Mo­tet So­ci­ety, and, with Hen­ry Smart, de­sign­ing the o­rgan for Leeds town hall, which opened in 1858.

Spark was elect­ed bo­rough or­gan­ist, a post he held the rest of his life.