[1] Thomas Newburgh Tunnard was born on 30 July 1918 in Lexham, Norfolk.
He was a chorister at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, and then educated at Bedford School, the Royal College of Music and New College, Oxford 1937 - 1939, and 1945 - 1946.
In 1953 he founded the Warwick & Kenilworth Choral Society.
[2] From 1958 he was head of music at King Edward's School, Birmingham, following in the footsteps of his predecessor Willis Grant at the Cathedral.
In 1979 he was in charge of the choir of York Minster for a term while the resident Director of Music, Francis Jackson (composer) was on sabbatical.