Arnold GIGNEY of George Russell

[johnwells]

I am researching my wifes family history , GIGNEY, and understand ARNOLD GIGNEY either owned, or managed George Russell piano makers of Stoke newington.

Does anyone have any further information about arnolds time at Russells, andae there any Russells pianos in sussex please

any photos of ARNOLD please

thank you


john wells

[Bill Kibby]

There were several piano firms named Russell, but I am not aware that any of them were in Stoke Newington, George was in Euston Road NW. I have no record of Gigney so far, but keep in touch. I presume you have googled the items on adelgigs.com etc. already? Perhaps you even wrote them? They give his name as Alfred and say that Russells were in Holloway Road, Stoke Newington. When I worked at Holloway Road, it was (logically) in Holloway, and although Stoke Newington was not too far away, I wouldn't have thought it covered Holloway Road! Furthermore, I can't seem to find any evidence that Russell was ever at Holloway Road, but I will dig deeper.

There are lots of surviving "George Russell" pianos, but many were made by Cramers in the 1900s, who took over the name. I couldn't tell you where to find one in Sussex, but perhaps a Sussex tuner may answer.

[johnwells]

Bill

Hi I have just re-found this site, and didn't recall actually leaving a message at that stage, but thank you for your informatiion.

Yes I am aware of the items on adelgigs, and the notes I am referring to when posting this request are from their site, and as far as I am aware it was compiled by them, certainly not me. I wonder where they got there information from.

Another innteresting connection is that in 1897 a family member EDMUND HENRY GIGNEY, applied for a patent No 17803 for the TRAANSCRIPTION MECHANISM FOR PIANO FORTE AND OTHER KEYBOARD INSTRUMENTS.

Appareently it was published in 1897 , by HMSO, SKU 171934 and moden day reprints come up on Ebay selling for £40 plus. Do you have any knowledge of that publication

john Wells

[Bill Kibby]

I can't say I have seen any more information about Gigney in two years, but if the "transcription" device was a transposing keyboard, that was a major contribution to George Russell's output - transposing upright pianos. There is a little information about these at
http://pianohistory.info/miscellaneous.html

I am still unable to connect Russell with Stoke Newington, but perhaps I will find something new that has turned up on the net in the past 2 years. You ask if the building still exists, but which building? What address? Try Google Earth.

Have you seen my comments about employees at
http://pianohistory.info/genealogy.html