Charles Sandys Stuart Shipley Packer (1810–1883), commonly referred to as Charles S. Packer, was an
Australian classical music composer, born in Reading, Berkshire, England. He was a graduate of The Royal Academy of Music in London. Packer was convicted of embezzlement and sentenced to penal transportation to Tasmania in 1839 on the ship Mangles. On release, he became a successful teacher and performer In 1863, he was convicted of bigamy and sentenced to five years' imprisonment in Darlinghurst Gaol with hard labour.
He was accompanist to the Sydney Choral Society, of which Joseph Massey was conductor, meeting at the Sydney School of Arts, and which performed the Handel oratorios Messiah and Judas Maccabaeus with some success.
On 30 November 1871, as organist to the York Street Wesleyan Church, he shared the programme with Frederick Morley at the opening of the Bourke Street Wesleyan Church organ.
He died in poverty in 1883.
Contents
Works
1855 City of Sydney Polka
Reminiscence of the garden palace
The crown of thorns : an oratorio — "his greatest work"
The royal Charlie polka
The song of the angels
Exchange ball schottische
The captive's child : ballad
Arm! arm! : Australian patriotic song)
Little Nell : a ballad
My Johnny was a shoemaker
Lily Lee (arrangement)
Queen of the west : new ballad (orchestration)
Australia hail! Australian national hymn
Recordings
1999 Classical Music Of Colonial Australia - Polka
Family
The organist Frederick Augustus Packer was a nephew.