John Wilheim Ivimey

John William Ivimey (12 September 1868 – 16 April 1961) was an English organist and composer who specialized in comic operas. He also worked as director of music in schools and churches.

Ivimey was awarded the degree of Doctor of Music by the University of Oxford in 1916. His grandfather, another John Ivimey (1790–1874), was a younger brother of Joseph Ivimey (1773–1834) a Particular Baptist minister and historian, both being sons of Charles Ivimey, tailor, of Ringwood, Hampshire. He was a cousin of the New Zealand rugby footballer Fred Ivimey (1880–1961).

Career Ivimey was only twenty when he was appointed as assistant to Alan Gray at Wellington College in 1888.

While composing about twenty comic operas, as well as a symphony, a grand opera, cantatas and other songs, and much organ music, Ivimey was successively organist at St Peter's, Norbiton, and St Paul's, Onslow Square. He also wrote articles for magazines and journals and edited hymn books and books of songs.

After Wellington, Ivimey worked at Harrow School, the Chelsea Polytechnic, Dulwich College, and Cheltenham College, before being appointed as Director of Music at Marlborough College in 1915, continuing in post for twenty-five years.

In August 1933, Ivimey was appointed by Arthur Buxton as organist and director of music at All Souls, Langham Place. His last musical engagement was as organist at Llandaff Cathedral. Their daughter Edith Frances was born in 1894, in Wandsworth, and their son Alan Victor J. R. Ivimey in Fulham in 1900.

His first wife died in Surrey in 1947, aged 78. Later the same year, Ivimey married secondly Irene Glew, at Wells.

Ivimey died on 16 April 1961, living in retirement at Hillside, Bath Road, Marlborough, Wiltshire, leaving a widow, Irene Ivimey.

Works Fairy Genesta (operetta, produced at Surbiton, 1892) Y'lang Y'lang (operetta, produced at Surbiton, 1893) The Red Rider (operetta, produced at St George's Hall, London, 1894) Marie Tanner (burletta, produced at Cardiff, 1897, words by Broughton Black, Poland Henry, music by Ivimey) Rose of Lancaster (opera) Boys and Music (Reminiscences of five English Public Schools) (Marlborough: County Paper Office, 1935)