Memorable Manitobans: Percy Graham “Paddy” Padwick (1888-1938)

Percyy Graham Padwick Click to enlarge

Educator, music educator.

Born in England, he came to Winnipeg in 1914. He taught at Lord Roberts School in 1920 where he established the Lord Roberts Orchestra, the city’s first school orchestra. Three years later, he founded the Winnipeg Youth Orchestra for children between the ages of 8 and 18 years. Performances by the orchestra were broadcast around Manitoba as instruction for other student musicians. Padwick taught music at Kelvin High School from 1926 to 1938. He founded the Western Canada Junior Symphony Orchestra to perform concerts over CKY Radio to a national audience. He died at Winnipeg on 5 July 1938 and was buried in the Brookside Cemetery.

Sources:

“A history of the Manitoba Schools’ Orchestra 1923 to 1964”, Leonard T. Takoski, unpublished MEd thesis, University of Manitoba, 1965.

Dictionary of Manitoba Biography by John M. “Jack” Bumsted, Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press, 1999.

We thank Bobbi Jo Panciera and Gail Singleton for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 11 May 2023

Memorable Manitobans This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations. Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text: Custom Search Browse surnames beginning with: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z Browse deaths occurring in: 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 Send corrections and additions to this page to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca Criteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements Help us keep history alive!