“ BEECHAM, SIR THOMAS, 2nd Bart. (1879–⁠) , English musical conductor, was born April 29 1879, son of Sir Joseph Beecham, 1st bart. (1848–1916) , who had made a large fortune at St. Helens, Lancs., as proprietor of “Beecham’s Pills.” Young Beecham was educated at Rossall and for a time at Wadham College, Oxford. ”

“ His father was keenly interested in music and had given financial support to a number of musical enterprises in the North of England, where the son acquired considerable experience as a conductor. In 1905 he gave his first concert in London with the Queen’s Hall orchestra. A little later he founded first the New Symphony orchestra and next the Beecham orchestra, both first-rate concerns. In 1909 he appeared in London as opera conductor, and in Feb. of the following year the Beecham Opera Co., consisting entirely of English-speaking singers, was inaugurated. ”