Novello and Co - Publishers of affordable sheet music

 

Henry William Brooke 1848 - 1929

Henry W Brooke was a great-grandson of James Willis and Elizabeth Tebb through Elizabeth Willis (who married George Topham) and Marianne Topham (who married Henry Strangways Brooke). 

Henry W Brooke married Amy Eliza Littleton, the daughter of Henry Littleton. They were married in 1876 and Brooke was working for his father-in-law from 1881 onwards. Henry Littleton was a  music publisher. He joined the firm of Novello & co in 1841 and became a partner in the business in 1861. When Joseph Alfred Novello retired in 1866, Henry Littleton became the sole proprietor. When Henry Littleton died in 1888 the business was continued by his two sons. Novello and Co Ltd was formed, Henry W. Brooke became a director. 

Novello & co was established in 1811 when Vincent Novello published a collection of sacred music, composed by himself. He continued to publish church music including masses by Mozart and Haydn. In 1829 his son Joseph Alfred Novello took over the business, which operated from Frith Street in Soho. Joseph was just nineteen years old and was also a singer. He is credited as the first person to publish affordable sheet music. 

“Joseph Alfred took over in 1829 and after several company name changes reflecting other partners’ involvement, he reverted to the original Novello & Company name and established a virtual monopoly in low-cost mass sales of choral music. It brought the English speaking world performing editions of Bach, Handel, Haydn Mendelssohn and many others. Later it published individual choral works by Dvorák, Gounod and Saint-Saëns.

Educational publishing constituted an important part of the Novello catalogue throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Elgar, Bliss, Dyson, Holst, Howells and Moeran were signed. In the 1970s the list grew to include names such as R.R. Bennett, Bush, Frankel, Horovitz, Joubert, Leighton, McCabe and Musgrave. Novello acquired Elkin & Co in 1961 and Paterson’s Publications in 1989. These brought Scott, Quilter and Malcolm Arnold to the catalogue. Novello joined Wise Music Group in 1993 and today remains a major choral publisher and champion of new music.” https://www.wisemusicclassical.com/publishers/novello

I’ve already written about Julian Willis, the brother of our ancestor Charles William Willis. Julian died in 1904. In his will he appointed Henry William Brooke and another cousin, Frederick Fisher as executors of his will. He held shares in Novello and co Ltd and these were left to his wife, Fanny Alicia. 

A Black Sheep in the Family?

 

Charles William Willis 8/1/1842 - 29/6/1893.

Charles William Willis was the father of Edward William Willis and the grandfather of Mary Alice Willis. His parents were Charles Willis and Juliana (maiden name Goodwin). 

Charles and Juliana were second cousins. They were both descended from the same great-grandparents, Marmaduke Willis and Ann (maiden name Sadler) of Kirby Wiske, Yorkshire. Charles ran the Thatched House Tavern and Willis’s Rooms with his cousin, Frederick Willis. 

Charles and Juliana had eight children. Charles William was the eldest son. He had two older sisters and five younger brothers.

The family were quite well off. In 1851 they were living at 23, Shaftesbury Crescent, London with a cook, a nursemaid and a housemaid to look after them. Unfortunately the 1861 census for that area is missing - it would have been interesting to see Charles William’s occupation at that time and also whether Caroline Martha Graham happened to be working for the Willis family. She’s missing from the 1861 census too.

Charles William Willis married Caroline Martha Graham at St Mary, Newington on the 25th of February, 1867. Charles William described himself as a clerk and gave his father’s occupation as wine merchant. Caroline Martha’s father was Henry Graham, a tailor. The couple gave their address as West Street, Newington. They were married by banns. The Willis’s usually married by licence - a posher way of doing things!. The marriage was witnessed by Caroline’s parents, Henry and Martha. Henry’s occupation of tailor would have been several steps down the social scale so far as the Willis family was concerned.

Charles senior died on the 6th of December 1867. You might expect that, as the eldest son, Charles William might have taken on the family business but cousin Frederick Willis continued the business by himself. 

Charles left a long and rather complicated will. The executors were his wife Juliana, and Charles William’s younger brothers, Walter Willis and Julian Willis.  Walter was bequeathed a large old gold watch, chain, seals and appendages, which had belonged to his grandfather, William Willis. Youngest son Sydney received “the gold watch, chain seals, and appendages usually worn by myself”. All the siblings received sums of money. Charles William’s inheritance was to be held in trust, the income from which would start to be paid to him after the death of his mother (a bit like an annuity or pension). Walter, Julian, Sydney and older sister Edith received their inheritances without restrictions. Eldest sister Juliana and younger brother Arthur were also left funds in trust. These two lived with their parents until their mother’s death and then with their sister Edith’s family. 

In 1871 Charles William and Caroline were living in Temple Street, Southwark, occupation clerk. Later censuses describe him as “living on the interest of money” and “gentleman”.

Charles William’s mother, Juliana, died on the 13th of December 1887. She appointed her sons Walter Willis, Julian Willis and Sydney Willis as executors and trustees of her will. Charles William was the beneficiary of one seventh of the sum of £1350 - a legacy from William Joseph Goodwin (more to come about him in another story). This sum together with £500 was to be held in trust and Charles William would receive the income. The capital sum would revert to his siblings on his death (no provision for Charles William’s children!) Juliana was very specific that her two unmarried children would be disinherited if they married against the wishes of the trustees. I get the distinct feeling that Charles William married against the wishes of his parents!

By 1891 Charles William and Caroline Martha Willis and family were living at Cottage Grove, Penrose Street, Newington. Their children had been been named after various family members as if to emphasise their connections 

• Charles William was named after his father (Charles William), grandfather (Charles) and great-grandfather (William).

• Emma Louisa was named after two of her mother’s Goodman aunts. 

• Julianna Martha was named after her grandmothers, Juliana and Martha. Nobody seems to have been able to spell her first name!

• Bartholomew Julian G was named Bartholomew after his great- grandmother (her surname was Bartholomew), uncle (Julian), and presumably G stood for Goodwin or Goodman or Graham. 

• Victoria Edith (the Queen and Aunt Edith?)

• Edward William - no idea!

Charles William died on the 29th of June 1893, aged 51. He didn’t leave a will and administration of the sum of £295 went to his wife. It seems strange that he didn’t lead a more successful life. Did he upset his family by marrying the wrong person? Did he have a disability or illness that left him unable to work? Was he a drinker and gambler? Did he just want to lead an ordinary life? I don’t suppose that we’ll ever know. 

Charles William Willis’s sisters and brothers.

Juliana Willis was born in1839. She never married and lived with her parents until her mother’s death in 1887. Juliana then went to live in Sheffield with her sister Edith and her family.

Edith Willis was born in 1841. She married Edwin Makin in 1862. Edwin was a slate merchant and lived in Attercliffe, Sheffield. The couple made their home in Sheffield and had twelve children. Edith’s sister Juliana and brother Arthur lived with the family after the death of their mother.

Edwin died in 1912 and Edith died in 1923. 

Walter Willis was born in 1844. He was a civil engineer and worked for the West Middlesex Water Company as Superintendent of Supplies.

Walter married his cousin Clara Louisa Goodwin in 1871. Clara was the daughter of John Willis Goodwin. John Willis Goodwin was Walter’s uncle on his mother’s side. Clara and Walter were also third cousins through Walter’s paternal line. Walter and Clara had nine children.

Walter was a member of the Vintners Company by patrimony (entitled to membership because his father was a member). He was also an associate member of the Institution of Civil Engineers. Newspaper searches have revealed that he had an active interest in Sunday Schools, which were considered a good means of educating the poor in Victorian times. 

Walter and Clara lived in London and moved to Tunbridge Wells not long before Walter’s death. Walter died in 1907. Clara died in Worthing in 1923. 

Julian Willis was born in 1846. He became a doctor and was the house surgeon at the Great Northern Hospital, Caledonian Road, London. He was a member of the Royal College of Physicians and of the Royal College of Surgeons.There are numerous mentions in the newspapers of Julian giving evidence to the Coroners Court about patients who had been admitted to the hospital and were either dead on arrival or subsequently died.

Julian was a member of the Vintners Company by patrimony and was also a Freemason, belonging to the Lodge of Emulation. 

Julian married Fanny Alicia White in Sheffield in 1872. Fanny was the step-daughter of Edwin Makin’s sister.  Fanny and Julian had two children but neither survived infancy. After his stint at the hospital Julian practiced as physician in Micheldever, Hampshire, Later on the couple moved back to London and Julian had a medical practice there. 

Julian died in Bexhill in 1904. Fanny Alicia died in Torquay in 1922. 

Arthur Willis was born in 1847. He didn’t marry and doesn’t appear to have had an occupation. I think that I’ve seen a record that states that he was blind, but can’t find it at the moment. 

Arthur lived with his parents and then with his sister Edith’s family in Sheffield. He died on the 19th 1913.

Percy Willis was born in 1849 and died in 1852.

Sydney Willis was born in 1852 in London. He married Anna Maria Smith, the daughter of a leather merchant, in 1879. The couple didn’t have any children. 

Sydney was Clerk to the West Middlesex Water Company. He was a Freemason, belonging to the Lodge of Emulation. 

Sydney and Anna retired to Southwold, Suffolk. Sydney died in 1916. Anna Maria died in 1915.