Vincent Novello

Until it was destroyed by enemy action in 1940 there was a stained glass window in memory of musician Vincent Novello in St Andrew's chapel in Westminster Abbey. This was put up in 1863 and showed a figure of St Cecilia. The glass was by Lavers & Barraud. The inscription read:

In Memory Vincent Novello

He was born on 6th September 1781 in London, a son of Italian Giuseppe Novello, who had emigrated to England in 1771, and Joan (Wins). His elder brother was Francis. He was a choir boy at the Sardinian embassy and also an organist at the Catholic chapel of the Portuguese embassy in London. In 1811 he published "Collection of Sacred Music as performed at the Royal Portuguese church in London " and other collections followed. He was a founder member of the Philharmonic Society. In 1808 he married Mary Hehl and had 11 children.  Son Joseph Alfred Novello succeeded his father in the Novello publishing house, daughter Clara was a noted opera singer and Mary Victoria was a writer. Wife Mary died of cholera in 1854 after they had moved to Nice in France, and Vincent died there on 9th August 1861. 

Further reading:

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography

His workbooks are in the collections of the British Library and Royal College of Music

Occupation

Musician

Location

Chapel of St Andrew

Memorial Type

Window

Vincent Novello
Vincent Novello window

This image can be purchased from Westminster Abbey Library

Image © 2024 Dean and Chapter of Westminster