Susan Sunderland
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30 April 1819
Susan Sunderland | |
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| Born | Susanna Sykes 30 April 1819 Brighouse, West Riding of Yorkshire, England |
| Died | 7 May 1905 (aged 86) |
| Occupation | Soprano |
| Spouse | Henry Sunderland |
Susan Sunderland (born Susanna Sykes) and known as the 'Calderdale Nightingale' and 'The Yorkshire Queen of Song' (30 April 1819 – 7 May 1905) was an English soprano. Some years after she retired, the annual Mrs Sunderland Music Festival was organised in Huddersfield, which is still running in the 21st century.
Sunderland was born in Brighouse, West Riding of Yorkshire in 1819, daughter of James Sykes and Hannah Smith. Her father was head gardener for the Radcliffe family (cousins of Sir Joseph Radcliffe, 1st Baronet) at Smith House, Lightcliffe. The property was later sold to Ann Walker.
Her soprano voice was discovered in 1831 by blacksmith Luke Settle, whilst she was singing in her garden. As well as being a blacksmith, Settle was also choirmaster of Brighouse parish church and provided her early training.
Sunderland was fifteen when she gave her first concert. Opportunities outside the area were restricted as there were no railways at the time. When she gave a concert in Huddersfield or performed as principal soprano at St Paul's Church, she would walk thirty miles in a day, often arriving home two hours after midnight.[1] She performed “Wise men flattering” by Handel and “The Captive Greek Girl” by Hobbes at the first Leeds Chamber Concert (around 1835).[2] She later performed in London, and travelled around England, Ireland and Scotland. She sang at the opening of Leeds Town Hall in 1858, singing before Queen Victoria, who later invited her to sing at Buckingham Palace. She retired in 1864.