RootsChat.Com
England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Yorkshire (West Riding) => Topic started by: mikebrunger on Sunday 12 May 24 22:12 BST (UK)
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I am researching my wife's family and have her 2nd Gt.Grand Uncle Thomas Chapman (1864-1944) working as a Joiner and Cabinet Maker in the village of Morley, Yorkshire in the 1881 census. Then in the 1891 census he is a Teacher of Music and later on he is a Professor of Music. My question is, is this normal and would there be any online records anywhere covering this?? I find it quite staggering he went from a manual job, rather like his father and male siblings who were Tailors and farmers, to an occupation working from home as a Music Teacher fulltime. In fact in the 1911 census his son Harold is also a Prof of Music and a violinist.
Any suggestions would be a great help. Thanks
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From the few I've seen the 'professor' in the title doesn't mean university. My interpretation is 'teacher of music.'
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Best place to find info on “Professors of….” Is the newspapers. They used to advertise for pupils.
This type of thing. - although not your man, and rather early.
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More the era?
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Thank you all so far for your quick responses. Some good suggestions to follow up on.
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I too have a family member who escaped from the drudgery of manual labour, this time in the coal mines, by persuing a career in music. William Thompson, son of a pit sinker turned violin maker, went from a job as a Colliery Time keeper to beating time in the theatre orchestra, first at Bishop Auckland 1891 and then in Leeds 1901. I doubt he studied conducting or how to lead an orchestra in a conservatoire! There was a strong folk music tradition amongst the miners, and the violin was a popular folk instrument.
I suspect quite a few people in the 19th century setting themselves up as music teachers or "professors " did not have any formal qualifications as such.
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In the advert found by mckha489, Mr T. Chapman has an F. C. V. qualification.
Was he a Fellow of the College of Violinists?
Correspondence courses were available from the Victoria College of Music and Drama.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_College_of_Music_and_Drama
Tony
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More the era?
I'm trying to get to grips with the BNA. Can you share what you did to achieve this result please?
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I access it via FindMyPast.
I just put T. Chapman in the name search and lessons in the other keywords box
Selected for Yorkshire and for the quick demo I was giving you I chose 1900-1909.
But I would also try Thos. Chapman, and Thomas Chapman.
And of course once you have violin you can narrow it down a bit there too.
Then you have to think musicians usually gave concerts. So worth trying Chapman + concert
It’s just a matter of trying all the variants you can think of, remembering that the OCR is sometimes wacky. I find the wording of one hit leads me to ideas for another search parameter.
That clip I gave you has the newspaper reference attached, so for your first try on the archive try searching in just that paper. That might help you get the hang of it.
I hope that all make sense.
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Thanks very much. That all makes sense.