Margery Moore is the professional name of Lilian/Lillian Margery Moore (1907'Durham University Music Exercises 1891–1980', GB-0033-UMU.487, and correspondence with the University archivist. – 1993'Margery Moore' in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration Indexes 1916–2007. London, England: General Register Office. Registration District: Waltham Forest, Inferred County: Greater London, Register Number: B43, District and Subdistrict: 2551B, Entry Number: 251.). She was a British musician – composer, pianist, pedagogue – who flourished in London in the 1930s and 1940s. The majority of her works were published by the London firm of Novello, with some published by other London firms: Boosey and Hawkes, Curwen, and Stainer and Bell.
Biography Margery Moore was born in the UK town of Birkenhead, the daughter of Thomas Moore (b. c. 1868), originally of Shenley in Hertfordshire, a 'railway employee', and his wife Catherine (b. c. 1877) originally of Beverley, East Yorkshire. By 1911 the family were living in Plymouth at 6 Green Bank Avenue.The National Archives of the UK (TNA) Series RG14, 1911.
In Plymouth Margery took piano lessons from a Miss F. Faull, under whose aegis in January 1918 she took to the platform in a concert in Devonport, Plymouth to raise funds for the Red Cross. One reviewer described her as "a clever young pianist".'Provincial Music: Devon'. The Musical Times Vol. 59, No. 901, Mar. 1, 1918. 132.]
In 1924 she passed the Royal Academy of Music licentiate examination (LRAM) in piano performance.‘Royal Academy of Music, Licentiate Examinations Easter 1924’. The Musical Times, Vol. 65, No. 976 (Jun. 1, 1924) p.493.
In 1929, on 14 September, she was awarded Durham University's Mus. Bac. degree as an external (corresponding) student. Her examination 'exercise' was a string quartet in D-minor. The university records show that by this date she had moved from Devon to Toynbee Hall, 28 Commercial Street, London.
By 1935 Margery Moore was a resident teacher at The Crofts, a school for girls in Station Road, Harrow. Electoral Registers. London, England: Harrow 1935. The London Archives.'
In 1935–36 Margery Moore was recorded as a member of the Union of Music Graduates,The Musical Times, Vol. 76, No. 1108 (Jun., 1935), p. 560The Musical Times, Vol. 77, No. 1120 (Jun., 1936), p. 562 which aimed to oppose the granting of spurious music degrees.'Union of Graduates in Music'. JISC Archives Hub. Onlime resource accessed 23 May 2023.
In 1936 Margery Moore published a series of four polemical essays in The Musical Times on the subject of piano teaching under the general title Some Problems of the Young Piano Teacher: 1. Children;The Musical Times, Jan., 1936, Vol. 77, No. 1115 (Jan., 1936), pp. 36–37 2. Adult Beginners;The Musical Times, Feb., 1936, Vol. 77, No. 1116 (Feb., 1936), pp. 134–135 3. Parents;The Musical Times, Mar., 1936, Vol. 77, No. 1117 (Mar., 1936), pp. 246–247 4. The Teacher.The Musical Times, Vol. 77, No. 1118 (Apr., 1936), pp. 333–334
From October to December 1936 a short series of advertisements appeared in The Musical Times in which Margery Moore offered her services as an editor for amateur composers at the cost of 1s per manuscript.See, for example, The Musical Times, vol. 77, no. 1124, 1936. Online resource accessed 23 May 2023.
In July 1938 Margery Moore published another article in The Musical Times concerning piano pedagogy entitled Concerning the Piano Class.The Musical Times, Jul., 1938, Vol. 79, No. 1145 (Jul., 1938), pp. 520–521.
The period 1933–38 was when Margery Moore was most active in having her compositions published, much of it focussed on music for schools.
In 1939, already a lecturer with the London County Council, working at Toynbee Hall, and also on the staff of the East Sheen County School for Girls,Richmomd Herald. Saturday 30 September 1944 she found time to teach piano to a teenage German émigré called Helmut Kallmann (1922–2012), prior to his emigration to Canada (1940) where he became a pioneering music historian.‘Helmut Kallmann’. Creative Canada: A Biographical Dictionary of Twentieth-century Creative and Performing Artists (Volume 2), University of Toronto Press (1972).Online resource accessed 22 May 2023.
At some point before 1939 and until at least 1960 Margery Moore lived at 34 Claremont Square, Islington.London, England, Electoral Registers, 1832–1965. Islington, Finsbury and Shoreditch Reference: Rg 101/130cThe National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register: Rg 101/130c. At first she lived there with her parents – Thomas aged 68 and Catherine aged 67 – and Roland DeRougemont, then a member of the Auxiliary Fire Service aged 27 and whom she married in 1940.Lilian M Moore, England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index,1916–2005. General Register Office; United Kingdom; Volume: 1b; Page: 1535.
In September 1944 Margery was appointed to teach a musical appreciation class at the Technical Institute, Richmond, Surrey. The same month she also took up a post with the Workers Educational Association, Guildford branch, to teach music appreciation on Wednesday evenings.Surrey Advertiser. Saturday 23 September 1944.
At some point before 1953 Margery and Roland divorced; he remarried in 1953 to Valerie Rampton.Roland A E De Rougemont, England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916–2005, General Register Office; United Kingdom; Volume: 5c; Page: 2118
The last mention of Margery Moore living in Claremont Square is found in the 1960 electoral register in which she appears as the sole occupant of number 34. She is also listed at 34 Claremont Square in the 1960 London telephone directory; the only Margery Moore in the directory. In 1961 the only Margery Moore in the London telephone directory is listed at 11 Canfield Gardens NW6. After this date and until the end of printed directories (after 1984) - as well as electoral registers - there is no identifiable reference to the musician Margery Moore until 1993.British Phone Books, 1880-1984
In 1993 Margery Moore was living in residential care at The Chestnuts, Cambridge Park Road, Wanstead. She died in Whipps Cross Hospital, Leytonstone on 19 March 1993 resulting from 'myocardial infarction'. On her death-certificate she is described as 'Music Teacher (retired)'.GRO Ref : 1993/ Quarter: March/ District [Waltham Forest] 255–15 Reg: B43/ Ent No: 251.
BBC broadcasts 1924, Friday 3 October 1924, 19:30 on 5PY Plymouth Margery Moore and Marion Clingan, piano duet - Spanish Dance [from op.12?] by Moritz Moszkowski; Polonaise [in Eb B.100?] by Antonin Dvorak.Radio Times Issue 53, National 28th Sep 1924 - 4th Oct 1924. BBC Genome Project, accessed 26 April 2026. 1925, Friday 6 Mar 1925, 20:45 on 5PY Plymouth Margery Moore, piano - "Play of the Waters" [Jeux d'eau] by Maurice Ravel. ]https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/page/5cccc83f28814fd99756eb7d7ae39302 Radio Times Issue 75, National 1st Mar 1925 - 7th Mar 1925]. BBC Genome Project, accessed 26 April 2026. 1929, Tuesday 9 October, 19:45 on 5PY Plymouth. A Chamber Music Concert. The Margery Moore Quartet (Sylvia Hill, vioiin 1; Christina McCleod (violin 2; Margery Moore, viola; Margor Read, 'cello.'A Chamber Music Concert' in Radio Times Issue 262, Southern, 7 Oct 1928–13 Oct 1928. 30. Online resource, accessed 25 September 2025
Composing Choral 1933 – Ceremonies of Christmas, Words by Robert Herrick.Cornish Guardian (Bodmin, Cornwall, England) Thursday 30 November 1933, 13. The Christmas number of the Western Weekly News is again an excellent production [...]. Among the principal features will be found ]...] Ceremonies [... [a musical setting of Robert Herricks's poem specially composed for the number by Margery Moore, of Plymouth, whose compositions include the opera "Drake", songs, and works for the organ. Online resource (Extracted Article Text | OCR), accessed 29 September 2025. 1935 – Laughing Song. (Three-part song. S.S.A.), Words by William Blake.'Works by Margery Moore held in UK libraries' JISC Copac. Online resource accessed 23 May 2023. There are still pretty words to be found in poets some of whose work has been over-set. Margery Moore has taken Blake's 'Laughing Song' (' When the green woods laugh with the voice of joy'), and fitted it with S.S.A. music that, thrown off at the right speed, and with real mirth in the 'Ha ha' bits (so many singers get solemn, and forget to smile), would make a charming short item. C is the lowest note in the alto part, but for one A . "The Musical Times", January 1936.The Musical Times, Vol. 77, No. 1115 (Jan., 1936). 1935 – Teach me, my God and King. (Hymn-Anthem for unison singing. Series: Novello School Songs No. 1729), words by G. Herbert. 1935 – The Wise Men (Novello Christmas Carols by Modern Composers No 512).Advertised in The Musical Times, Vol. 76, No. 1114 (Dec., 1935) 1936 – A Little Child's Song (S.S), words by Muriel Rodney. Series: Novello's Music for Sunday School Festivals No. 121.Advertised in The Musical Times vol. 77, no. 1126, 1936, pp. 1139. Online resource, accessed 23 May 2023. A tuneful work for two voices. The second voice is sometimes singing above the first, and both are of equal interest. There is a contrasted middle verse and the freely written accompaniment is well varied . "The Musical Times" January 1937.The Musical Times, vol. 78, no. 1127, 1937, p. 33. Online resource, accessed 23 May 2023. 1936 – For ever England : unison song for massed choirs. 1936 – Magic! (unison song), words by Muriel Rodney. 1936 – The Carol of the White Rose. (Novello Christmas Carols by Modern Composers No 515)Advertised in The Musical Times, Vol. 77, No. 1125 (Nov., 1936). 1936 – The Unkind Maid : S.A.T.B. 1936 – The Valiant Knight (Unison). Series: Novello's Music for Sunday School Festivals No. 122. A song for boys, 'The Valiant Knight,' words by Peter Brett, has a good tune, suitably bold and direct, which should make a ready appeal . "The Musical Times" January 1937. 1937 – Fear no more the Heat of the Sun (part-Song for S.A.A.T.B.), words by William Shakespeare. 1937 – Trotting. (Unison song for junior boys), words by Muriel Rodney.
Instrumental solo 1937 – Country Tune (for violin and piano).
Instrumental ensemble 1929 – String Quartet in D-minor; Durham University BMus examination exercise. 1936 – A Little Christmas Piece. (For violins and piano. Series: Elementary and School Orchestra Series for Violon and Piano. Grade Two. No. 11). 1935 – A Suite of Four Pieces: for school percussion band (piano, triangles, cymbals, tambourines, drums). 1935 – Children's Suite 1. Gyp's Courante. 2. Rosemary's Sarabande. 3. Barbara's Minuet. 4. Nell's Gavotte. 5. Michael's Bouree (for strings and piano).
Opera 1932 – Drake. Libretto by W. G. Lennox.'City Composer's Drake. A new opera by Miss Margery Moore'. Western Morning News (Plymouth, Devon) Thursday 31 March 1932. 5. Online resource, accessed 28 September 2025,
Organ 1932 - Allegretto. Novello's Selected Pieces for the Organ. Vol. 4 (1932) NB Mo.5 of "Five Little Organ Studies" 'Novello's Selected Pieces for the Organ', IMSLP. Online resource, accessed 28 December 2025. 1934 – Five Little Organ Studies: 1/ Allegretto; 2/ Andante; 3/ Allegro; 4/ Presto; 5/ Allegretto.