2007 celebrates the 150th Anniversary of Elgar’s birth on 2nd June 1857 in the cottage at Lower Broadheath which is now the Elgar Birthplace Museum.

Throughout his life Elgar remained fond of the cottage, despite the family moving to Worcester shortly after his birth. After his death in 1934 a National Appeal was launched to raise enough money to buy the cottage and establish it as a permanent memorial of his life and work. Personal donations came from across the nation, many from famous composers and musicians of the time such as Vaughan Williams, Yehudi Menhuin, Arnold Bax, Fritz Kreisler, and Adrian Boult. As the donations came in, the Daily Telegraph published the list of donors from the previous day.

Elgar with Yehudi Menuhin and Sir Thomas Beecham