Janet Monach Patey

Janet Monach Patey (1 May, 1842 - 28 February, 1894) was an English concert and oratorio contralto.

Early life

She was born Janet Monach Whytock in London in 1842.

Career

She had a fine alto voice, which developed into a contralto, and she studied singing under J. Wass, Ciro Pinsuti and Mrs Sims Reeves (i.e. Emma Lucombe). Miss Whytock's first appearance, as a child, was made at Birmingham, and her first regular engagement was in 1865, in the provinces.

From 1866, in which year she sang at the Worcester festival, and married John Patey, a bass singer, she was recognized as one of the leading contraltos; and on the retirement of Mme Helen Sainton-Dolby in 1870 Mme Patey was without a rival whether in oratorio or in ballad music.

She toured in America in 1871, sang in Paris in 1875, and in Australia in 1890.

Her daughter was Ethel Patey, the artist, who under her married name, Ethel Jackson, gave the portrait of her mother Madam Patey to the Tate Gallery.

Later life

She died at Sheffield on the 28 February 1894 and is buried in Brompton Cemetery, London.

External links

* [http://www.npg.org.uk/live/search/person.asp?LinkID=mp53324 National Portrait Gallery photographs]

References

*1911
* [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9E02E4D91F39E033A25752C0A9659C94659ED7CF&oref=slogin New York Times obituary, access 13 June 2008]