Historical information
Biographical details: Born 1888, Nagambie; married Jessie Winifred Temby in 1910; died 27 Feb 1969 in Mont Albert.
Mr Joseph Sutton Crow lived at ‘Strathmore’, 75 Victoria Crescent, Mont Albert from 1924-1952. In 1907 Sutton gained a Diploma of Music at the Marshall Hall Conservatorium (later the Melbourne University Conservatorium). He taught piano and organ and was organist and choir-master in several churches. From 1912-1948 he served in that capacity at the Auburn Methodist Church. In 1910 Sutton Crow was appointed Assistant Secretary at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. In 1939 he became Assistant Director and Librarian and from 1941-1945 was its Acting Director. He retired in 1945. Administrator under Sir Bernard Heinze he devoted much time to the development of the ‘Music in the Schools” programme. This led to tours of country centres taking leading musicians to give concerts in schools and for the public, introduced by a talk on musical appreciation. After retirement he organized concerts for the Council of Adult Education and in 1950, when he concluded his professional work, he was giving concerts twice annually in 144 country towns. From 1926-1939 Sutton was Manager of the Melbourne University Symphony Orchestra (which later became the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra). During some years he had been Concert Manager for local and visiting musicians such as Edward Goll, a Bohemian pianist who lived locally, John Amadio, a flautist and Sutton’s wife Jessie Temby, a soprano who sang professionally until she gave this up for family life.
Donor was his daughter.
Physical description
A black and white portrait of a man wearing round tortoise-shell glasses.
