William Herschel, Yorkshire musician

I wasn't aware that the astronomer William Herschel was also a musician, and had a strong Yorkshire connection. Being in Yorkshire these days, that interested me. That's a picture of Whitby sands near our house. (If you, too, live in the UK, see the end of this blog for important information.)

Thanks to a reader, David Walmsley, for the following.

Chandos Super Audio CD (CHSA 5005) in the "Contemporaries of Mozart" series,
states that Symphony #2 was composed in Richmond in September 1760, #8 in
Sunderland in April 1761, #12 in Pontefract in December 1761, #13 also in
Pontefract in March 1762, #14 in Leeds (perhaps a day's journey from
Pontefract at the time) in April 1762, and #17 in Pontefract again in July
1762. All his 24 symphonies were composed between 1760 and 1764.

Chronology.
Born 15 Nov 1738 in Hanover. Father violinist/oboist in infantry band.
Basic musical education given at Garrison School, which Wilhelm left in
1752.
1753 joined the Hanover Guards as violinist and oboist.
1756 (Seven Years War start) posted to England (as precaution against
possible attack by French). Fell in love with England and out of love with
the army. When he got back to Hanover his father managed to secure his
release by a loophole: he had never been sworn in! Later in the same year
(1756) he and his brother Jacob (organist and composer) went back to
England. Jacob stayed three years and went back. Wilhelm stayed, though he
saw little future in London.
1759 Director of the band of the Durham militia for 2 years.
1761 Pontefract (no details given).
1763 Director of subscription concerts in Leeds.
1766 offered "similar position to organist" at new Octagon Chapel in Bath.
Became main rival of Thomas Linley (1732-95) with benefit concert given in
Assembly Rooms on New Year's Day 1767 (Jan 1st, not March 25). Stayed there
ten years as centre of musical Bath.
Life divided thereafter between music the money supplier and astronomy the
avocation.
George III gave him a pension of 200 pounds a year in 1782 so the he could
give up his career as a musician. He had discovered the seventh planet
(later called Uranus) and named it Georgius Sidus (the star of George) on
the 13th of March 1781. He wasn't knighted until 1817, in his 79th year. He
died in 1822.

We shouldn't forget the work of his sister Caroline, who may have had a strong partnership in the discovery of Uranus, and made discoveries of her own. She also lived almost century.

If you're in the UK, check out my upcoming itinerary for the UK edition of Lady Notorious (a stop in Leeds, for example) here and come out to meet me. I'd be delighted.

Jo :)

A typical Georgian country family

This seems to be to be a typical development through the 18th and 19th centuries.

"John Spencer
Born 1718, died 1775. John's ancestors had accumulated wealth through the early iron industry. Coal pits took on more importance during their tenure. John was a huntsman, a bold rider, a hard drinker with a violent temper and speech, but open and warm hearted with good manners, a paternalistic approach. He was scholarly and possessed a large library. He was never interested in politics but became a racehorse owner and ran cockfights on Sunday in Cawthorne Park. However he attended the local All Saints Church regularly. Parson Phipps at this tme lived at Banks Hall, a batchelor for most of his life (An "old parochial squire") with no male issue.
John Spencer introduced about 100 deer into the park between 1760 and 1766, they were purchased in February. 1762. 18, pl93 The deer 'dissipated 'during WW2. By 1807 the Hall was basically as it is today.

Walter Spencer-Stanhope
Born 4th Feb 1749 died 4th. April 1821. He inherited Cannon Hall from his uncle, John Spencer in 1775. Walter changed his name from Stanhope to Spencer-Stanhope (18, p2) A politician, educated at Bradford Grammar School, University College, Oxford, Law studies at Miiddle Temple member for Carlisle (first of four constituencies). A close supporter of William Pitt the Younger and William Wilberforce (Yorkshire anti-slavery campaigner).William Wilberforce was a frequent visitor to Cannon Hall.

Walter had income from estates, iron furnaces and coal mines. A bloomery had operated at Cinder Hill and there still are numerous "Smithy Fields"12, p51 to the north (see Ordnance Survey maps)
In the l650's the Spencers' had manufactured iron at Bamby Furnaces, Wortley Forges, Bank Furnace (Thornhlll Parish) and Kirkstall Iron Works near Leeds. Timber was taken from the surrounding woodlands for this purpose.l2, p62 Even back in 1352 there was a contract to supply wood and iron for the "iron blomes at Kirkstell near Otley".12, p51
By the 1750's pit coal was being used in the smelting of iron, and after1744 the occupation of "collier" was listed more frequently in the Parish Register.12, p62

In 1783 he married Winifred Pulleine (she was an only child) this gave him more property and wealth in North Yorkshire such as Carlton Hall, Nr Richmond and in Northumberland. They were blessed with a happy marriage producing 15 children.
Walter was a humanitarian (eg pre 1775 he had all the Horsforth Estate tenants vaccinated against smallpox). He became a religious humanitarian after meeting William Wilberforce.18, p4
In 1787 Walter began the practice of delivering the Sunday evening sermon.18, p4 He worked against the cruelty to animals in sport, e.g. in July 1794 he had a bull-baiter shoot his own bull; bull Baiting was made illegal by 1835.18, p4
By 1799 the Barnsley Canal had been opened with a branch line to Barnby (Cawthorne) Basin, this allowed the collieries at Silkstone and Barnby Furnace to increase their output. By the early 1800's the largest output had been achieved at Norcroft and Bamby Furnace.12, p62

Cliffe hill was the main road to Cannon Hall in the late1700's to the early 1800's. It is now little used, the main entrance being more directly in front of Cannon Hall itself.
In 1805 Walter Spencer-Stanhope commanded 600 Staincross Volunteers, a false alarm was raised (instead of a warning beacon, a brick kiln had been lit near Pontefract Beacon) The Volunteers walked to Hemsworth on the way to Pontefract, when informed by a horserider with a letter.

John Spencer -Stanhope Born 1787, died 1873
Studied Greek mythology, married Lady Elizabeth Wilhelmina Cox third daughter of Thomas Cox (Coke of Holkham). In 1817 Thomas Cox had 7000 farmers visit his estate in Norfolk. Elizabeth married John Spencer on 5th. Dec 1822, prior to this, in 1810, John had toured Iberia where he had been imprisoned. He later toured Greece. The carriage which brought Sir John Stanhope home on parole from a French prison also carried Mrs.George Batchelor from Barnsley whose husband was due to be buried in Cawthorne, he had been a coachman at Cannon-Hall.12, p99
On Nov. 2nd 1869 Bishop Marsden, the grandson of Samuel Marsden [once a blacksmith of Horsforth, and who was sent out on the recommendation of WilIlam Wllberforce and Sir Walter Stanhope as chaplain to the convicts of Australia] gave a lecture in Cawthorne about Australia. Mr John Stanhope reminded Bishop Marsden of his own father's interest in Samuel Marsden. It was Samuel who in 1808 sent his nephew in Leeds the first bag of Australian wool ever received in England.12, p168

From this page.

The image is from the Cannon Hall website, here.