Likely start to Victorian piano tuning career
Posted: 18 May 2021, 16:31
Have just skimmed over Gill Green's excellent History of Piano Tuning. Just what I was looking for.
My great grandfather was a piano tuner (and, it seems, conductor, composer, sheet music publisher, retailer from store in the Crystal Palace, etc). His name was Charles Seaton (1838 - 1902). He tuned our piano (German , H. Hansen, Berlin) on 1.4.1900 (if I correctly interpret pencil mark inside, CS 1.4.00). Have a wonderful photo of him, tuning in tails, top hat to one side, at about that time, with long white the beard. Subject to double check, I think for every census from 1861 listed as 'musician and tuner' or 'pianoforte tuner'. His father was a dancing master, independently and at Rosherville Gardens (1859-1873). Trying to find how he became a piano tuner (Kennington/Peckham area). I wonder if Gill came across his name in her exhaustive study?
Hugh Bailey
My great grandfather was a piano tuner (and, it seems, conductor, composer, sheet music publisher, retailer from store in the Crystal Palace, etc). His name was Charles Seaton (1838 - 1902). He tuned our piano (German , H. Hansen, Berlin) on 1.4.1900 (if I correctly interpret pencil mark inside, CS 1.4.00). Have a wonderful photo of him, tuning in tails, top hat to one side, at about that time, with long white the beard. Subject to double check, I think for every census from 1861 listed as 'musician and tuner' or 'pianoforte tuner'. His father was a dancing master, independently and at Rosherville Gardens (1859-1873). Trying to find how he became a piano tuner (Kennington/Peckham area). I wonder if Gill came across his name in her exhaustive study?
Hugh Bailey