Stephen S. (Stephen Samuel) Stratton

Born in London in 1840, he trained early as a chorister at St. Mary's Church, Ealing, and studied music under Charles Lucas. He went on to work as an organist and later became an important figure in Birmingham's musical life, where he served as a critic for the Birmingham Post and wrote regularly about concerts, composers, and performance.

He is especially remembered for books that made musical history accessible to general readers, including studies of Mendelssohn and Nicolo Paganini. He also co-edited British Musical Biography, a substantial reference work on musicians connected with Britain.

That mix of hands-on musical training and clear, public-facing criticism gave his writing a practical, readable quality. Though he died in 1906, his books still offer a useful window into late 19th-century British musical culture and the way classical music was introduced to wider audiences.