| Biography | Covent Garden tenor Tom Burke, a former coal miner was dubbed the "Lancashire Caruso".
Tom's Burke's father, James Vincent, came to England from Wicklow in Ireland. He left Ireland almost penniless but once he arrived in Leigh he found a job labouring in a coal mine. He lived on Mather Lane and married Mary Josephine Aspinall in March 1889. They were regular church goers at St Joseph's
They had nine children; the eldest was Thomas Aspinall Burke. The children went to St Joseph's School. Thomas was above average at school, good at sport and musical, a talent it seems was inherited from his father. Tom left school at 12 to supplement the family income by working in a silk mill. When Tom was able to work full time his father bought a piano. Tom practiced singing at every opportunity and even practiced out doors. He joined the Church Choir. He practiced the piano and cornet. He also loved sport He played in a rugby team as a second row forward and he joined a gymnasium and found a passion for boxing.
However singing was his passion, he had singing lessons from Dr. Mort, an Atherton teacher of voice but he wanted to be enrolled at the Manchester College of Music. The lessons would have to be paid for so Tom needed to earn more money as his earnings helped support his family. He needed money to cover the costs of his tuition fees as well as find the rail fare to the college. To earn money he went around the local pubs selling tripe. He also sang in the pubs to earn his tuition money. He also sold insurance and worked as a waiter in the Pied Bull.
When Tom was 19 he walked to Blackpool to hear the famous tenor, Enrico Carusu sing. This inspired him and he knew this is what he wanted to do. His first appearance was in Leigh when he took over the part of a tenor to sing in Handel's Messiah. He was paid 30/- and had good reviews. This led to an interview with J.W Turners Opera Company. After the audition Turner told Tom he was good but he needed to get more practice. Tom was not bad but not good enough.
A family of professional entertainers named Swarbrick heard Tom singing on his way home from the pit. He was invited to join their family singing group, a gathering at the Swarbrick home on a Sunday night. They told the manager of a Manchester Theatre about Toms singing ability. He heard him sing and made arrangements for Tom to attend the Manchester College of Music. He was a full time student at the college. He studied hard and did not waste the opportunity.
Tom auditioned for the Halle Choir but the musical director Michael Hallin thought he was quite ordinary. However Christian Neilson, conductor of the Halle Orchestra thought differently and arranged for Tom to sing for the London Impresario, Hugo Gorelitz. Gorelitz gave Tom a contract. He was to study at the Royal Academy in London and attend paid singing engagements at various venues in the capital. This was in 1913 and Tom was 23. It was while he at the royal academy that he had the opportunity to sing before Enrico Caruso. After it Caruso said, You must go to Italy and there you will find your voice.
He got married, went to Italy. Tom was 29 when he sang for the first time at Covent Garden. This was in 1919 and the start of his successful music career. Unfortunately Tom could not handle the fame. His eccentricity, his sensitivity, the anger he still felt about the poverty he experienced as a child, his fighting spirit and also a deep antagonistic loathing towards people of wealth and power. His mixed up emotional powder keg erupted on several occasions and helped to ruin his career. He was at the top for about 12 years. He became known as The Lancashire Caruso.
From the early 1930s he began the slide downwards into obscurity. None-the -less, one thing is certain Tom Burke, the Minstrel Boy, had realised his dream. |