Draft:Thomas Anselm Burge

The Right Reverend Thomas Anselm Burge O.S.B., (14 September 1846 - 17 July 1929), aka Laurence Ampleforth, was a Catholic parish priest in Aigburth, Liverpool, England, and became Abbot of Westminster Cathedral. He was also an accomplished musician and expert on Church Music.

Early Life
Fr. Burge was born in London and educated first at Dr Crookall's School, Woolhampton and then from 1860 to 1865, at Ampleforth College.

Church life
The following is a summary of key events from several obituaries.

Fr. Burge took Solemn Vows and became Subdeacon in 1969. He was ordained Priest in 1874 and, after some other posts, was Prior of Ampleforth from 1885 to 1897. From 1899, he settled as Parish Priest of St Austin's Church, Grassendale and lived at the Presbytery in Aigburth Road, Liverpool, until his death in 1929, havng been nominated as Abbot of Westminster Cathedral in 1917. He is buried at Ampleforth.

Musical life
Fr. Burge was an accomplished musician and an authority on church music. He was a founder of the Rodewald Concert Society in Liverpool, but resigned from the Committee in 1913. His compositions include: Songs ''Ave Maria! O Maiden, O Mother, and Poor Lorraine''. For the Liverpool 700th Anniversary Pageant he also composed Chant of the Monks. For composing, he sometimes used the pseudonym 'Laurence Ampleforth'.