CUMMINGS William Hayman

William Hayman Cummings (22 August 1831 – 5 June 1915) was an English musician, tenor and organist at Waltham Abbey. Cummings was born in Sidbury (near Sidmouth) in Devon, UK. He was educated at St Paul's Cathedral Choir School and the City of London School, becoming a pupil of Dr E. J. Hopkins, J. W. Hobbs and Alberto Randegger, and was for many years a chorister in St Paul's Cathedral and the Temple Church.

In 1847, as a teenager, he was one of the choristers when Felix Mendelssohn conducted the first London performance of his Elijah at Exeter Hall. Cummings also sang at numerous festivals and concerts throughout Great Britain and twice toured in the United States.

He is credited in 1855 with linking Mendelssohn's tune to Charles Wesley's words "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing", which are now universally inextricably linked.

He later became a professor and later the principal of the Guildhall School of Music.

He died in London and is buried in West Norwood Cemetery, South London.