George Pigott and Samuel James Pigott - Professors of Music

[magsb123]

I am researching for a friend regarding the Pigott brothers. They were baptised in Wakefield Yorks in 1796 and 1797 respectively. In the 1841 and 1851 census George is resident at 7 St Anne's Place, Lambeth and described as Professor of Music. He dies in 1853 in LOndon.  His brother Samuel James Pigott is in Dublin where his first child is born in 1824. Samuel is also described as Professor of music. (Samuel also dies in 1853 in Dublin). I have obtained info regarding their musical careers through the internet but cannot find which university(ies?) they would have attended.  Any ideas?

[stanmapstone]

At that time it was more usual for people to call themselves "Professor" of Music etc. if they wanted to impress. You can see plenty advertising in the newspapers, and in Directories in the 19th Century. In the 1881 Census there are 13 Doctors of Music, and 3,593 Professors of Music  
From the O.E.D. Professor Assumed as a grandiose title by professional teachers and exponents of various popular arts and sciences, as dancing, juggling, phrenology, etc.
1864 BURTON Scot Abr. IV. v. 255 The word Professor now so desecrated in its use that we are most familiar with it in connection with dancing-schools, jugglers' booths, and veterinary surgeries.

Stan

[magsb123]

Hi Stan,
I found your reply interesting regarding the term Professors of Music and I am sure that there were many who called themselves such, however, I feel that these two gentlemen may have been the real deal. Samuel James crops up many times on the net as a teacher of music, owner of a music shop in Dublin which survives to this day and owned the Stradivarius cello (now known as the Piatti). Both men were known to have played with such folk as Liszt and Hayden. I think that they were more likely to have studied music somewhere, rather than just have termed themselves professors. Dublin seems to have had a rich music heritage and I think they may have studied in that city maybe about 1815. Not sure where to pursue further. Thanks for your input. Regards, Margaret.

[stanmapstone]

Professor of Music is not a qualification, a Professor is an appointment as the principle lecturer or teacher in a field of learning  at a university or college. A Professor of Music at a university would have the degrees of BMus. (Bachelor of Music) and DMus. (Doctor of Music).  Another definition for professor is a person who claims skill and instructs or teaches, others in some occupation, art, etc. So Samuel James Pigott could quite easily have taught music, and owned a music shop, the brothers would have studied music somewhere or with someone, but as I pointed out, the term 'professor of music' was commonly used by people who were not a Professor at a University.
I see from http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/PIGGOTT/2006-07/1153614974 that Samuel James Pigott, was baptised  26 Nov 1797, and was a  "Professor of Music", 4 Harcourt place, Dublin, in 1825. This means he was only 28 years old; and George Pigott was in the orchestra of Her Majesty's Theatre, not a very likely occupation for a Professor 

Stan

[stanmapstone]

It seems "professor" in this context has a different meaning. "Professor of Music",  as applied to ordinary music-instructors, means they profess to teach music.
Profess; To make profession of, or claim to have knowledge of or skill in (some art, field, or science); to declare oneself expert or proficient in; to make (a thing) one's profession or business. OED

Stan

[cgpigott]

George & Samuel PIGOTT were musicians. They both played the cello, and worked in theatre orchestras - George in London, and Samuel in Dublin. Samuel even shared a concert platform with Franz LISZT, and for a period owned a Cello made by STRADIVARI, now known as the Red Cello.
Samuel also began trading in sheet music and musical instruments, building up a considerable business in Grafton Street, Dublin, the lineal descendant of which, the firm McCullough & Pigott, still exists.
I think it unlikely that they had a University education.
Their father, John PIGOTT, was recorded in London directories as a Barometer & Instrument Maker. He is said to have discovered, hidden in a secret compartment of his desk, a will relating to the PIGOTT family of Chetwynd in Shropshire.
I know quite a bit about the Dublin connection, where my own PIGOTT family lived ca 1760 to 1860. A lot of that information came from Louis PIGOTT, a descendant of one of the Pearlers in Western Australia, then living in Perth (1980's).
Regards,
Chris PIGOTT, Potts Point, N.S.W.

[magsb123]

Hi Chris,
Thanks for your message. I am helping a friend who is the great grandson of Louis Pigott you mentioned. He also knew about the desk with the hidden compartment and the deeds to Chetwynd, however, I have not yet been able to find the family connection apart from the fact that Chetwynd as a second name appears through the generations.

Re George and Samuel I was hoping that if they had a university education maybe I could find out more about them but as you and others have pointed out, it is not very likely.
I have quite a lot of info on the Pigotts too if you would like to exchange. Please contact me privately. Margaret from W.A.