Composer Liz Lane has written a new work to help celebrate the bicentenary of the death of the Dr Edward Jenner, the pioneering English physician who created the first smallpox vaccine.

Born in the small village of Berkeley in Gloucestershire his first 'test-patient' in 1796 was James Phipps, the eight-year-old son of his gardener.

In his time, smallpox killed around 10% of the population, but in noting that milkmaids were generally immune to the disease, he postulated that inoculation with cowpox would give people protection.

The success of the vaccine saw him become one of the most celebrated scientists of the era, granted £30,000 in recognition of his work by Parliament.

Picnic Day

Liz's work follows on from an original community opera initiative and celebratory works that were first played in 2022.

'The Jenner Musical Picnic Day', will take place on Saturday 17th June in the garden of Jenner's home in the village. Liz's music is set to a set of songs commissioned by the Jenner Project and created in a series of workshops by members of the Berkeley local community and schools.

These will be sung by them accompanied by a flautist, violin player and a small brass ensemble comprising Jamie Smith (Grimethorpe), Robert Morgan (Lydbrook), Emily Dodsworth (Lydbrook), Daniel Thomas (Cory), Gregor Spence (Flowers) and Liz herself under the baton of Ian Holmes.

Duet

Liz has also written a special duet to be played by Jamie and Dan in the Temple of Vaccinia, the summer house in Jenner's garden where he vaccinated the local population free of charge.

Jenner was a violinist and flautist in addition to eradicating smallpox, being a pioneer of air balloons, cuckoo behaviour, poet, composer and more.