‘Barnsley Beauty’ – The Re Discovered Ancestry Of A Violin!

A Memory of Barnsley.

‘BARNSLEY BEAUTY’ – THE RE-DISCOVERED ANCESTRY OF A VIOLIN!
from KEN SILVER

Since my early years as a music teacher in the district of Hunslet Carr, South Leeds in about 1970 I have been - thanks to the kindness of a ‘mystery’ caller at my school, the owner of a violin bearing, internally, a hand-written label in fading brown ink, the following information:

J. WILKINSON, Violin Maker
Barnsley 1886

The un-named lady visitor in question was an elderly resident of the locality, but not known to me, who wished to offer a rather shabby-looking old violin for the use of the young pupils in the local primary school.

Initially I thanked her and declined, explaining that such a full-sized instrument was unsuitable in the small hands of a young child. The lady was clearly upset at the prospect of consigning the instrument to the dustbin, so, more in sympathy than for any other reason, I agreed (despite my having no previous violin expertise) to accept it for my personal use.

Guided by the school’s visiting violin teacher, I undertook a ‘clean-up’ and some modest refurbishments to return the instrument to some kind of playing order; and it was on this instrument that, alongside my young pupils, I took my first steps in violin-playing!

Over the years I regret that ‘my’ violin - for so it had become - spent more time INSIDE its case than out, but I was always keen find out what I could about its ‘pedigree’. The first real opportunity for this came in 1985, when I undertook a year’s study leave at the then Bretton Hall College. It was there that the ‘Barnsley Chronicle’ first fell under my gaze (I’m a native of distant South Leeds!) and it was this local publication which gave my Barnsley-made violin some coverage and did some initial research in local records.

From this basic starting-point I have since been able to explore further the ‘pedigree’ of this fascinating relic by applying the same tools and resources which I use as an amateur genealogist to explore my own and others’ family histories.

As a result, I now know that, virtually throughout the 19th century, there was a ‘dynasty’ of Wilkinsons engaged in the dual activities of inn-keeping and the distribution of sheet music, the manufacture and purveyance of musical instruments, and the presentation of musical entertainment in the Shambles Street area of Barnsley. The main focus of this jollity seems to have been the Musical Tavern at No. 29, Shambles Street, but other nearby addresses crop up - there must have been quite lively music scene in that part of town!

Old’ Joshua died a full 10 years before my 1886 date. However, I’m now pretty confident that I am able to narrow down ‘my’ J. WILKINSON to one of the 10 children of Joshua Wilkinson Snr., the original keeper of the Musical Tavern. ‘There’s still some uncertainty about which one was the actual maker of this instrument, but it appears that three of his sons bear the initial ‘J’ for their first Christian name:

From 1891 Census:
The Musical Tavern, Shambles Street:

- JOSHUA WATSON WILKINSON bn abt 1862 Cabinet maker (master)
- JOSEPH HENRY WILKINSON bn abt 1863 Musician

And, mentioned elsewhere:
- JOHN WILKINSON

Which of these is the most likely candidate? Who can tell?
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In addition to all of the above, I recently decided to join a small amateur orchestra, literally picking up my violin where I left off nearly half-a-century ago!

I also decided that the instrument itself deserved a more professional overhaul than had been possible in my hands. Four hundred-and-twenty pounds later, cleaned, adjusted, refitted and generally having had ‘the full treatment’, the result was astonishing! The tired old girl instantly sprang into life with a tone and sense of ‘authority’ which I had never imagined - and that just in my inexpert hands!

Over the past few weeks, I have sought the opinions of more experienced players who, without exception, admire both its sound and its ‘handling’ qualities. What’s more, one of my former pupils who took up the violin at my encouragement 45 years ago has not only played it, but given it the most fitting name of ‘Barnsley Beauty’! I think I’ll go with that!!

Ken Silver
Gildersome, Leeds