Charles Barratt Awards

What is the Charles Barratt Fund?

Sir Charles Barratt Memorial Foundation incorporating the Mary Palmer Award Registered Charity No.503108

The Sir Charles Barratt Memorial Foundation was established in memory of Sir Charles Barratt, who was Town Clerk of the City of Coventry from 1946 until his retirement in 1966.

In 1973 the City Council welcomed the suggestion that his memory be honoured most fittingly by the establishment of a Music Scholarship and, to this end donated the sum of £5,000 to a Trust to be set up formally to promote the Scholarship. Further donations have since increased the funds of the Trust. The interest received from the investment of the Trust Funds is used to make awards to young persons resident in Coventry for the purpose of extending their musical education.

The Foundation is administered by a Committee, the membership of which consists of interested lay members, representatives of the City Council, Coventry Music Service and an independent music expert.

By means of a Committee established under the Foundation, awards are available for Coventry-based students of school age requiring tuition in any kind of practical music, both instrumental and vocal. The awards will be to especially talented persons who at the time of application are residing in the City of Coventry or receiving full-time education at a school or college in Coventry. The Committee making the awards will have particular, but not exclusive regard to applicants who are under 18 years of age.

In addition, Mary Palmer left funds to specifically help young cellists in a similar way. This fund is now administered by the Sir Charles Barratt Trustees and the Mary Palmer Award is made to deserving young cellists.

Who was Charles Barratt?

Sir Charles Barratt was Town Clerk of Coventry from 1946 until his retirement in 1969

His untimely death less than a year after his retirement robbed the city of a most distinguished public servant.

Sir Charles' appointment as Town Clerk brought with it the leadership of a team of officers responsible for implementing the City Council's plans for the redevelopment of the city, which attracted world-wide interest for its pioneering in town planning.

He was greatly respected nationally for this far-reaching ideas on the reform of local government, which led to his appointment to national and local committees too numerous to mention.

His contribution to local government was acknowledged in 1966 by the conferment of a knighthood. Typically, the regarded this as much a tribute to the City and to local government as to himself.

One of his greatest interests was the Coventry School of Music, which he supported from its foundation in 1947 and of which he became President in 1964. Despite all his other commitments, he maintained this interest throughout his life. He was proud of the fact that the school came to play an important part in the cultural life of the city and was eventually taken under the wing of the local authority. This then became known as Coventry Performing Arts Service and now Coventry Music.

Download an information sheet and covering letter

Applications for 2024-25 open on 18th March 2024 and close on 8th May 2024. Decisions will be made in May/June and successful candidates will be informed in June/July.