T.E Bevan and Co Calcutta

[Apearce]

Hi,
I've just been offered an upright piano as maybe a gift for my wife who used to play. I must confess I know very little about pianos which has brought me here. The piano is in moderate to rough condition but I think can be saved. I'm not after a valuation but more if anybody can enlighten me on a possible maker and history? Ive found a serial number (10282) and its labelled underneath the music sheet rest "Specially made in Germany for India and to the order of T.E Bevan and Co Ltd. London musical depot. Calcutta." there are no other markings that I can find anywhere apart from "T.E Bevan and Co Calcutta" inside the lid on part of the mechanism. Information on T.E Bevan is a bit vague on tinterweb and trying to find a maker is proving fruitless. Any information would be appreciated as it's making me curious! I did try to upload photos but as bit of a "tech dinosaur" I didn't manage it! many thanks for your time. Adam

[Bill Kibby]

Always interesting, but there is nothing in your message that tells me anything about the piano, only about Bevan. Numbers are sometimes useful, but not without a name, so photos are the only way.
Speaking as a fellow dinosaur, I really can't understand how I suddenly managed to create a whole new website all on my own last week!
Later renamed pianohistory.info
It took me YEARS to manage to upload photos here. Often, the problem is that they need to be reduced to 25%, but if you email them to me, I can put them up here.

[T e bevan greatgd]

Hi I'm so excited I just typed my great grandfather's name in as he had a piano company in calcutta well I'm his great grandaughter amazing I know someone was asking about t e bevan well he had a piano company in calcutta but also was from London I hope this helps t e bevan did have a son the only son he had sisters but my grandfather didn't or wouldn't take over he went on stage please love to see a pic of my great grandfather's piano x I don't play amazing t e bevan was a little Welsh man

[T e bevan greatgd]

Hi someone was asking about t e bevan a piano I have some photos of my great grandad in calcutta, he had a piano company out there, t e bevan did have a home in London as well x but mostly he lived in calcutta. Thomas Edward bevan had one son and three daughters, the son was my granddad x he got diswilled becouse he wanted to go on stage and didn't take the piano business or company on, my granddad has two girls I'm the eldest gran child x my grandad did make it on stage and played the piano beautifully x

[T e bevan greatgd]

T e bevan also did sheet music

[T e bevan greatgd]

Hi I'm t e bevan great granddaughter the shop he had in calcutta was called the London music depart

[Bill Kibby]

Thanks for that, did you say you have photos of Mr Bevan? May we know your name?

[T e bevan greatgd]

T e bevan, I'm jennifer saunders his great granddaughter of T E bevan yes we have photos of him and on a box we have his initial s with the date of 1921 if that's any use I don't know how to up load the photos for u, he was Welsh and a little man t e bevan x any thing I can help with would love to see pics of his instruments x my grandfather did play the piano that's t e bevan son and we had a piano but I never knew if it was a bevan piano x

[Bill Kibby]

You can email them to me to post. You should be able to see an email button on your screen, or my website.
Absolutely fabulous!
The original enquiry was a long time ago, 2012, so I doubt if we will hear from them.

[T e bevan greatgd]

I will sorted some photos for u wish we could get hold of the person who was asking about t e bevan if its ment to be it will happen x x

[T e bevan greatgd]

I've sent some photos by email, the man sitting in the side car is t e bevan the other man is his son my granddad x hope I've sent them right once Xmas is over I will find some more hotos and have a dig about and send u more x ty for ur interest and bare with me I will get them done xx

[T e bevan greatgd]

Sent some hotos by email saying invalid email address grr lol

[T e bevan greatgd]

Sent some photos by email I tried again so should of sent I haven't had error this time lol also bangos and ukuleles with the name t e bevan someone's got one in a private collection and is willing to sell it to me how wonderful, so I've sent this person a pic of T e bevan x if u need any more info please ask willing to help x jenny

[T e bevan greatgd]

Grr once again I can't send emails with pictures of T e bevan, ur emails keep coming back saying it's wrong so annoying lol., if there's any other way I can send them to u xx many thanks jen

[Bill Kibby]

You shouldn't growl at your computer, and some people believe that getting stressed actually makes the machine more likely to go wrong!
I get emails every day, so I don't know what is wrong, perhaps your typing?
We don't type email addresses on here, because it causes endless junk mail, but you can see my email address on my website.
If you search Google Images for bevan calcutta there are snippets there, but you may have seen them.
In 1883, Thomas Edward Bevan & Co.Ltd. were established in Calcutta, based at Grosvenor House, and used the name London Musical Depot.
If you search, there may be a source online for Calcutta archives. I don't know yet if I have any Calcutta information anywhere on my card and paper files.

[Bill Kibby]

By 1928, my "Musique Adresses Universel" lists T.E.Bevan & Co. as having branches in Calcutta, Darjeeling, Lahore, Mussoorie & Naini Tal.
It is quite possible that these towns may have more information on file in their libraries.

[T e bevan greatgd]

Hi thank you for that, but I did know about darjeeling as they went there when it got two hot in calcutta plus all the photos we have got plus furniture ect but ty will try the other places x

[Bill Kibby]

You can email Bill at pianohistory.info or press the contact button next to this message and select email. I have just done a test, it works.

[HughF]

Hi, I also am a great grandson of T E Bevan, Bessie K was my grandmother. My father Richard, who settled in Australia 1951 talked fondly of TEB. I do have some photos.

[T e bevan greatgd]

Hi so we are related ,I have we photos and art work and Indian music cabinet ,my grand father was your mums brother ,t e Bevan wanted my grandfather to take over the business but he wanted to be an actor ,and my grandfather was in the austrailian mounties ,I ve got photos we must stay in touch families are important I tried to put pic up on this site but I'm not savvy on a computer xx ,Hugh lovely to hear from u

[T e bevan greatgd]

I live in UK Nottingham ,forgot to tell you ,you can private message me ,my cousin going to Calcutta in the autumn so after as much info as possible you might be. Able to fill in the gaps lol I know there was Gracie Bettie which would be ur mum and there's another one I forgot the name lol my cousin his T E Bevans grandson two lol

[HughF]

Hi, my grandmother wrote her memoirs, so I could scan the early years for you, cheers Hugh

[T e bevan greatgd]

Hi Hugh yes I would love a copy of auntie Betty memories my name's Jenny ,my grandfather's name was Thomas George his stage name glen and the other sister was Dorothy wow you've made my day X Ty

[HughF]

I have scanned it, can I email it to you

Hugh

[HughF]

Hi Jenny, my email is, hugh.ontrack@bigpond.com

[T e bevan greatgd]

Ty Hugh ,mine is Jenny _ebony @hotmail.com I've tried to put pictures on here but couldn't do it,would of been my grandads birthday to day I surpose he would of been ur great uncle bless you Hugh xx

[tiger]

A December 1928 envelope with the Bevan logo UNDER-MUSICALPOSTAL HISTORY -music washes away the soul,appeared on E bay.Grosvenor House,Calcutta.
1 stamp franked and reverse side the staff music notation for a 1928 hit tune-
Ain,t she sweet.
Are there any more ?
Nigel

[Agastya02]

Hi! Someone was asking about T.E. Bevan and his piano company. I have some photos of my great-granddad in Calcutta, where he ran the piano business. While T.E. Bevan had a home in London, he mostly lived in Calcutta. Thomas Edward Bevan had one son and three daughters; the son was my granddad. Unfortunately, my granddad was disinherited because he chose to pursue a stage career instead of continuing the family piano business. Despite this, he went on to have two daughters—I'm the eldest grandchild. My granddad eventually made it onto the stage and played the piano beautifully!kolkata ff

[Jack77]

Hi someone was asking about t e bevan a piano I have some photos of my great grandad in calcutta, he had a piano company out there, t e bevan did have a home in London as well x but mostly he lived in calcutta. Thomas Edward bevan had one son and three daughters, the son was my granddad x he got diswilled becouse he wanted to go on stage and didn't take the piano business or company on, my granddad has two girls I'm the eldest gran child x my grandad did make it on stage and played the piano beautifully x

It was incredible to learn about Thomas Edward Bevan's piano company in Calcutta and the family's musical legacy. Clearly, your great-grandfather led a fascinating life with connections to London and Calcutta. Hearing that your grandfather pursued his passion for music and played the piano beautifully on stage despite the challenges the family faced can be a wonderful family story to share and an inspiration. And those photos have great sentimental value.