Music smith?

[Jane_Adams]

I'm doing my friend's family tree and I've just received a birth certificate which states that the person's father was a 'Music Smith'.

Any ideas what this would actually mean?

I'm trying to track him/them down on the census but with no luck so far.

Father's name (the music smith) is Frederick James Bush, and his wife is Annie Emily Bush (formerly Williamson) - I have found their marriage in 1880 in Pancras, and this birth certificate is for their daughter Julia Victoria Emma Bush, born 8 Feb 1882 in Pancras.


Any ideas?

[michaelpipe]

Perhaps one would have to assume 'composer' in the same manner that a writer can be referred to as a 'wordsmith'.

Michael

[Jan1954]

1881: RG11; Piece: 219; Folio: 15; Page: 26

2 Harwood Street, Kentish Town, St Pancras, Middlesex

Frederick Bush, 35, Carman, b Carlton, Norfolk
Ann E Bush, 35, b Pinner, Middlesex
Herbert F Bush, 7 b Kentish Town, Middlesex
Mary A E Bush, 4, b Kentish Town, Middlesex
George S Bush, 2, b Kentish Town, Middlesex

Also in the house, but enumerated separately are:

Rob (?) Bush, 77, Gardener, b Carlton, Norfolk
Miriam Bush, 78, b Winfarthing, Norfolk

If this is the right family, then it would mean that the marriage is a bit late or a second one for Frederick.

[Jane_Adams]

Perhaps one would have to assume 'composer' in the same manner that a writer can be referred to as a 'wordsmith'.

Michael


Yeah, I was thinking along the same lines, but then I wondered if perhaps it meant he made musical instruments!




1881: RG11; Piece: 219; Folio: 15; Page: 26

2 Harwood Street, Kentish Town, St Pancras, Middlesex

Frederick Bush, 35, Carman, b Carlton, Norfolk
Ann E Bush, 35, b Pinner, Middlesex
Herbert F Bush, 7 b Kentish Town, Middlesex
Mary A E Bush, 4, b Kentish Town, Middlesex
George S Bush, 2, b Kentish Town, Middlesex

Also in the house, but enumerated separately are:

Rob (?) Bush, 77, Gardener, b Carlton, Norfolk
Miriam Bush, 78, b Winfarthing, Norfolk

If this is the right family, then it would mean that the marriage is a bit late or a second one for Frederick.

Thanks for that. Hadn't come across that one yet :) Will have a look into it.


I'm also working on a theory that if he was some kind of musician he may have gone under a stage name (I have something similar in my tree, so it's kind of hit and miss which name you'll find them under).

[michaelpipe]

Yeah, I was thinking along the same lines, but then I wondered if perhaps it meant he made musical instruments!It would probably have been more specific if he made instruments - I'd go for musician or composer.

[Jane_Adams]

I've been looking on Freebmd, and I can only find one birth for Annie Emily Williamson, which is too late as its 1871.

There is an Anne Emily Williamson born 1851 in Medway which *could* be her. There are no other marriages for Ann(i)e Emily Williamson other than the one to Frederick James Bush.

I also found a death for a Frederick James Bush in Marylebone in 1898 which *could* be him, it put his birth at around 1845.

I have also searched the 1881 census for the address they're living at in February 1882 but they're not living there yet. I'm not sure how you search for specific addresses on other censuses (they were living at 25 Melton Street, Pancras (Somers Town)).

This family (and that of Julia's 'husband' (I can't find their marriage) has been a complete nightmare to trace!

[wesw]

A bit late, but better than never ...

A musicsmith usually means someone who is involved in printing music. Quite a big industry in Victorian times, before the days of recordings.

[Peter_uk_can]

I found that Musicsmiths were alive and well in New Orleans, although the word seems to have vanished from this side of the Atlantic. From the advertising, I gather that as suggested by "Wesw" the occupation involved the copying of musical manuscripts and binding them into books.

The occupation does appear in quite a few Uk census records, with and without a space or a -