52 Ancestors - William Keen Warry - Professor of Music

Amy Johnson Crow of No Story Too Small issued the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge.  Each week focus on one ancestor and post something about him or her.

Me - My Dad - Dorothy Eleanor May Warry - Alfred William Warry - George Augustus Warry - William Keen Warry

My 3rd great grandfather William Keen Warry was born March 3, 1810 in Redcliffe, Bristol, England. By 1819 he was living in London, England as William and his father, Abraham, were baptized the same day at the Fryars Street Chapel on Friar Street, London. The Warry family lived in London during a time when pianos and organs where common place in a middle class homes, places of entertainment, and churches. Musical instruments, including the piano seemed to be big business in London during the nineteenth century. Looking at William's occupations on several records, it seems like my 3rd great grandfather may have be a part of this industry. 

The earliest record I found that lists William's occupation is the baptism of his daughter Mary Ann Eliza on January 24, 1836. His occupation is recorded as professor of music. On the England census records of 1841, 1851, 1861, and baptism record of his daughter Sarah Ann on November 27, 1837 William's occupation is stated as a musician. In the 1848 Post Office Directory, the baptism record of his daughter Emily in 1856, and in the marriage record of his son  William Albert Warry in 1864 he is listed as a musical instrument maker. On the England 1871 census and his son George Augustus Warry marriage record in 1875 his occupation is ivory maker.This occupation makes me wonder if he was involved with the keys of a piano.  The last census record in 1881 before his death on June 15, 1889 he is listed as a retired musician. It looks like William spent his life in the music business.

William's sons may have been involved in the music business as well. His son William Albert was definitely involved with the music business. He's listed as pianoforte finisher or maker in all of the records that I've found him in. Revisiting some of the records of my 2nd great grandfather George Augustus, I realize that he may have done some work on pianofortes. Being a carpenter and fancy cabinet maker George would have had the skills to work on the cases of pianofortes. 

Looking through old English newspapers I've found a couple of sales of households in 1894 and 1895 that includes pianofortes by Warry. Maybe made by my relatives?

Shields Daily Gazette September 21, 1894

Page 1 of 4

 

Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette February 28, 1895

Page 2 of 4

  

Interesting books on pianofortes:

McCammon piano fortes : how they are made. (1881?)

The Pianoforte, its origin, progress, and construction (1860)

More on William's family:

52 Ancestors - George Augustus Warry - Londoner

Sources:

"England & Wales, Non-Conformist and Non-Parochial Registers, 1567-1970," digital                                 images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 June 2014), William Keen Warry baptism; The National Archives; Kew, England; Piece 4239: Friar Street, Blackfriars (Swedenborgians), 1787-1837.

"England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1906," digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 May 2014), entry for Mary Ann Eliza Warry; London Metropolitan Archives, Clerkenwell St John, Register of Baptism, p76/jnb, Item 003, p. 9, no. 69.

 "England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1906," digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 May 2014), entry for Sarah Ann Warry; London Metropolitan Archives, St George the Martyr, Register of Baptism, p92/geo, Item 154, p. 104, no. 831.

1841 England Census, St Andrew Holborn (Above the Bars), Middlesex, ED 9, p. 2, line 19, Willis Warry; digital images, The National Archives of the UK (TNA), Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 8 June 2014); citing Class: HO107; Piece: 671; Book: 8; Folio: 5; GSU roll: 438786.

1851 England Census, St Pancras, Middlesex, p. 2, William K Warry; digital images, The National Archives of the UK (TNA), Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 June 2014); citing Class: HO107; Piece: 1494; Folio: 371; GSU roll: 87824-87825.

"England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1906," digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 May 2014), entry for Emily Warry; London Metropolitan Archives, Islington St Mary, Register of Baptism, p83/mry1, Item 1180. p. 215, no. 1717.

The Small Edition of the Post Office London Directory (London: W. Kelly & Co., 1848), p. 1136, Warry, Wm Keen; digital image, Ancestry.com (htttp://www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 June 2014).

1861 England Census, St Pancras, Middlesex, Ed 2, p. 67, William Warry; digital images, The National Archives of the UK (TNA), Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed ); citing Class: RG 9; Piece: 104; Folio: 87; GSU roll: 542574.

"London, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921," digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 June 2014), William Albert Warry and Sarah Anne Kay marriage; London Metropolitan Archives, Saint Pancras Parish Church, Register of marriages, P90/PAN1, Item 134.

1871 England Census, St. Pancras, London, ED 2, p. 48, William K Warry; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 June 2014); Class: RG10; Piece: 213; Folio: 79; Page: 48; GSU roll: 824597.

England, certified copy of an entry of marriage for George Augustus Warry and Emily Worthington, 1B/199/241, Pancras registration district, General Registry, Office, Southport.

1881 England Census, Islington, London, ED 72a, p. 27, William K Warry; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : accessed 10 June 2014); Class: RG11; Piece: 246; Folio: 81; GSU roll: 1341054.