Stephen Samuel Stratton was born in London on December 19th, 1840. He began his career as a chorister of St. Mary's Church, Ealing. He studied harmony and composition under Charles Lucas. As an organist, he held these appointments—St. Mary the Virgin, Soho; and St. James's Church, Friern Barnet. On his removal to Birmingham in 1866, he was organist at St. Barnabas Church; Edgbaston Old Parish Church; St. John's, Harborne; and the Church of the Saviour (1878-1882). In 1879 he commenced a series of chamber concerts in Birmingham.