Huddersfield Choral Society. Amateur choir founded in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, in 1836. Regular concerts given since 1881. During 1930s had 400 members, but has since been reduced to 230. Has sung at most Brit. fests. and made many recordings. Its Messiah perf. is renowned. First overseas tour to Netherlands, 1928. Vienna Mus. Fest. 1958, Boston, Mass. 1965. Has also visited Berlin, Brussels, and Lisbon. At one time had its own orch. but now sings with independent orchs. Sir Henry Coward and Sir Malcolm Sargent were conds. for over 30 years each. Other conds. have incl. John Pritchard (1973–80); Owain Arwel Hughes (1980–6); Jane Glover (1988–97); and Martyn Brabbins from 1997. Chorus-masters have incl. Herbert Bardgett, Eric Chadwick, and Douglas Robinson. For centenary (1936) Vaughan Williams wrote Dona Nobis Pacem.

Venn, Henry (1796–1873). Christian organizer of missionary work, and one of the founders of the CMS (Church Missionary Society). On the basis of Matthew 28. 19, he envisaged the emergence of national churches with their own indigenous characteristics. This vision is summarized in the ‘three-self’ policy—though that concept and phrase may have originated from Rufus Anderson: the churches should be self-governing, self-supporting, self-propagating.