[1] The Society was founded in 1845 by John McCaul, who was at the time president of King's College.
[2] It became inactive in the late 1860s, but was revived in 1872 by McCaul and organist James P. Clarke, who became its conductor.
[3][4][5] Under his leadership the Society presented Handel's Messiah at Shaftesbury Hall in 1873, with more than 150 voices.
[4] Frederick Torrington took over as conductor later that year, and the group went on to perform many oratorios, including premiers of Canadian works.
[3] The Society also performed both vocal and instrumental classical music and selections from operas.