The officers of the garrison, it need hardly be said, were beings whom we greatly venerated. Some of them we got to know very well. They would come frequently to the Cathedral services - many of them were, indeed, very musical. By permission of the organist a senior boy, E J Crow (who I have said, afterwards became organist of Ripon Cathedral), and I went several times to the Royal Engineer Barracks to sing part-songs with some of these musical officers. They treated us extremely well, giving us a good feed, which, boy-like, we greatly enjoyed, while they on their part seemed greatly to appreciate the musical evenings. We were amused at their astonishment at the way Crow and I could read whatever music they put before us, they having so much difficulty in singing their own parts even after practice. << less