Piano Finisher

[SDM]

Please can someone tell me what a Piano Finisher actually does. My Grandfather put this down as his occupation in 1910 in Islington. Thanks

[Bill Kibby]

It tends to be exactly what it says, although "finisher" is a bit vague. He may have put the finishing touches to the polish, casework, action etc., but they tended to be called "action finisher" or something more specific. Then again, in a small business, he may have had more than one kind of finishing to do. His name may also have been stamped into the woodwork to show that he had done the piano, what was his name? Do you know who he worked for?

[SDM]

Thank you for replying to my request.
My Grandfather was Henry William Castro born 1881 in Holborn. His father was an Engine Turner.
In 1910 he married in Crouch Hill Islington as a Piano Finisher.
In 1911 on his daughers birth cert he is a Piano Finisher 721 Journeyman in Tollington Islington
In 1912 on his 2nd daughters birth cert he is a Coachbuilder(Master)in Tollington Islington
In 1914 on his 3rd daughters birth cert he is a Piano Finisher Journeyman in Edmonton West Tottenham.
He then enlisted as a Private in WW1 where at one point he mapped out defence plans for a Search Light Brigade (I have the plans)
On his demobolisation he again became a Piano Finisher. However sometime later he joined with some colleagues to form a Union but the Bosses got to hear of it and he was sacked and told that his name would be blacked and that he would never work in the industry again and he never did
He was an excellent woodworker.
At one point the family obtain an unpolished piano and someone came round and finished it for them.
He died in 1937 in Edmonton.
Again many thanks for replying any information would be gratefully accepted.
Best regards. Sheila Maycroft

[Bill Kibby]

Thanks for the information, it's not a name I have seen inside pianos. You may be aware that a journeyman is one who has served his apprenticeship, and is qualified to do his job.

I have never heard of Edmonton being described as West Tottenham, I grew up just along the road in Walthamstow.

[SDM]

once again many thanks for the information.

On my Aunts Birth Certificate dated 1914 the Registration District is Edmonton and the Sub District is West Tottenham in the county of Middlesex.
So that must have been the status back then. I was born in Tottenham.

Once again many thanks

Sheila