11 Facts About Ernest Lough

Ernest Arthur Lough was an English singer who was the soloist in Felix Mendelssohn's "Hear my prayer", which includes the famous "O for the Wings of a Dove", for the Gramophone Company in 1927.

Ernest Lough was a treble in the local church choir, at St Peter's, Forest Gate.

Ernest Lough auditioned at Southwark Cathedral, but joined the choir of the Temple Church in London in 1924, which was under the direction of organist and choirmaster George Thalben-Ball, who had just succeeded Sir Walford Davies.

Crowds of people packed the congregation to hear Ernest Lough sing at Sunday services, and his singing on the recording was considered so beautiful that a legend grew up that he had died after singing the last note.

Ernest Lough's voice broke in 1929, after he had made a number of other recordings, although none of them achieved the iconic status of "O for the Wings of a Dove".

Ernest Lough continued to sing in his spare time as a baritone, and was one of the "gentlemen" or adult members of the Temple choir.

Ernest Lough served in the fire service during the Second World War, and was present when the Temple Church burned down in 1942.

Ernest Lough appeared as a fire-control operator in a wartime propaganda film about the fire service in London, entitled Fires Were Started, which was filmed using actual firefighters rather than professional actors.

Ernest Lough was a member for many years of the Bach Choir, singing 1st bass, together with his son Graham.

Ernest Lough died at Watford General Hospital, Hertfordshire, England, aged 88, survived by his wife and three sons.

Ernest Lough's obituary appeared in The Times and The Guardian on 24 February 2000, and there is a commemorative plaque to him in the Temple Church.