Letters & Stories
Extract from the Morning Star
PRIEST PROFILE – Fr Bruce Naylor by Trudy Naylor on her son Bruce Naylor
– June/July 1996 Issue
Bruce could be considered a musically deprived child. His parents were not musical, owned no musical instruments and lived in a remote area with no radio reception. At school he had a good singing teacher and he was also a member of the drum and fife band.
During a holiday he was heard singing by a music teacher who suggested he had a voice suitable for St Paul’s Cathedral Choir. He was accepted by Dr. Floyd, where he spent six happy years. However, to be able to attend the choir and Trinity Grammar School he had to live with his grandparents in the city. Bruce finished his schooling at Melbourne Grammar School where he learnt the organ from Albert Greed. In 1946, while on military service, he was organist of the Garrison Church, Kure, Japan. Canon Maynard appointed Bruce organist of St Peter’s Eastern Hill in 1951.
He went to England in 1957 and was a student at the Royal School of Church Music at Addington Palace. (Letters from Addington Palace aroused the curiosity of the local postman, who asked ‘Is your son a footman there?’). In 1961 he was appointed Organist and Choirmaster of Perth Cathedral and in 1965 was made an honorary deacon. He came to Adelaide in 1967 to complete a higher degree and before going to St Barnabas’ College he was Director of music at the Wilderness. Thirteen years of ministry followed. His interests are two cats – Chrysoston and Bronwyn (the latter named after Bronwyn Bishop, but I’m too polite to say why), 15th century Flemish Art, Architecture and incessant traveller when he has the money.