The Crawshaw Manuscript

A manuscript octavo collection of music acquired by the Brotherton Library of The University of Leeds about the year 2000 contains sixty-one pieces of music from the third quarter of the eighteenth century. The manuscript is written in three hands. The first starts writing with two pages like a typical "Compleat Tutor" of flute or violin of the period with the notes of the treble clef, then note values, and then the first piece of music is in that hand too. The remainder of the music with one exception is in the second hand. Tha exception, the last piece in the book, is in a third hand. It also contains the signatures of several generations of the Crawshaw family, local professional musicians, and Thomas Crawshaw (1781-1858) was the last of the old Leeds Waits. Thomas was a wait from about 1800 until their abolition with the implementation of the Municipal Corporations Act (1835) in Leeds at the end of that year. He died a pauper. The music all dates from the mid-eighteenth century, and the other signatures in the book were of his brother William, father William who compiled most of the book, and presumably his grandfather William who wrote the first few pages. The last piece in the book appears to be in the hand of Thomas. As waits tended to run in families, this collection was probably associated with the Leeds Waits for eighty years prior to their abolition. See also my history of the Leeds Waits here.

The collection contains military marches, dances of the assembly rooms, pieces from the London theatres and pleasure gardens and a number of the fashionable Scottish tunes of the mid-eighteenth century. The music is in one, two, three, and in one case four parts, and the multi-part pieces are set out to be played from this one copy, e.g. (a) two (treble) parts written on facing pages, (b) Two treble parts on facing pages with the bass part written across the lower parts of both pages. Other pieces are for keyboard. The Brotherton Library has now digitised the complete manuscript volume which may be seen here.

Index

  1. Aria Andante Affetuoso of Mr. Chilcot, Thomas Chilcot, 1700-66, not one of his published pieces. Solo treble. JPG, MP3
  2. In Praise of Bacchus, George Bickham, The Musical Entertainer, 1737-8. Two trebles on facing pages and bass below treble 1. JPG, MP3
  3. Collin's Farewell to Grisy, George Bickham, The Musical Entertainer, 1737-8. Treble and bass in score. JPG, MP3
  4. The Northern Lad's Complaint George Bickham, The Musical Entertainer, 1737-8. Treble and bass in score. JPG, MP3
  5. Minuet by Mr. Festing, Michael Festing, 1705-52, Minuet in Gmaj from Opus 1 Sonata 9. Treble and bass in score. JPG, MP3
  6. Vauxhall or Spring Gardens, originally a gavotte from an organ concerto by Thomas Gladwin (1710–1799), organist at Vauxhall Gardens in the 1730s, to which the song “Colin’s Description to his Wife of Greenwood Hall or the Pleasures of Spring Gardens” was set and published in 1745. Treble and bass in score. JPG, MP3
  7. Minuet Primo and Minuet Secondo, unidentified source. Solo treble. JPG, MP3
  8. The Soldier's Song, "The Lillies of France", in the MS of James Gillespie, Perth, 1768. Treble and bass in score. JPG, MP3
  9. Trumpet Air, unidentified source. Treble and bass in score. JPG, MP3
  10. Capt. Death, James Oswald, Caledonian Pocket Companion, 1757, sung by Mr. Dennis at Sadlers Wells., Capt. William Death, privateer, died in a famous battle in 1756, James Oswald, Caledonian Pocket Companion, 1757. Solo treble. JPG, MP3
  11. Villa Francha Minuet, unidentified source, the Duke of Alba and Marquis of Villafranca was a Spanish aristocrat who had an extensive library including an extensive collection of baroque music at the Palacio de Liria in Madrid. The library was largely lost in a fire in 1795. Two trebles on facing pages. JPG, MP3
  12. Scottish Tune, unidentified source. Solo treble. JPG, MP3
  13. An Air by Mr Handel, The Compleat Tutor for the German Flute, John Johnson (1760). Two trebles on facing pages JPG, MP3
  14. Gavot, unidentified source. Two treble instruments, one above the other. JPG, MP3
  15. Minuet, unidentified source. Treble and bass on facing pages. JPG, MP3
  16. The Fairing, Possibly the bawdy ballad "A Fairing for Young Men and Maids" by Tobias Bowne (1680) about a shepherd’s attempt to seduce a damsel by the gift of ribbon from the fair. Treble and bass in score. JPG, MP3
  17. Minuets by Mr Festing, Michael Festing, see above for the first minuet. The first is treble and bass in score, the second for solo treble. JPG, MP3
  18. Lady Millbank's Minuet, William Herschel; Herschel stayed at Halnaby Hall, home of his Commanding Officer Sir Ralph Milbanke Bt. in 1760. Two trebles on facing pages, both divisi at times. JPG, MP3
  19. Lord Downes Minuet, unidentified source. Henry Dawnay, 3rd Viscount Downe (1727-1760) of Cowick Hall, East Riding, was Lt. Col. of the 25th Regiment of Foot, and died of wounds received in the Battle of Kampen in the Seven Years War. Two trebles on facing pages. JPG, MP3
  20. Sally, unidentified source. Single treble line. JPG, MP3
  21. Scotch Tune, unidentified source. Solo treble. JPG, MP3
  22. Duke of Glosters March, Entire New and Compleat Instructions for the Fife, Longman and Broderip, 1776. Single treble line. JPG, MP3
  23. Air, unidentified source. Two trebles on facing pages. JPG, MP3
  24. The Dust Cart, James Oswald, 1751. Solo treble. JPG, MP3
  25. Sung by Miss Macklin at the Theatre Royal in Drurylain, anon., Mary Macklin, well-known actress, 1734-81, “A Favourite Song in the Reprisal sung by Miss Macklin at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane”, James Oswald, Caledonian Pocket Companion, 1757. Treble and bass in score.JPG, MP3
  26. Minuet unidentified source. Two trebles on facing pages. JPG, MP3
  27. March, March in Judas Macchabeus. Handel, first performed 1 April 1747 at Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Treble and bass in score. JPG, MP3
  28. The Jigg by Mr. Humphries John Humphries, 1707-1740, Gigue from Opus 1, Sonata 5 in Dmaj. Two trebles on facing pages. JPG, MP3
  29. Brisk Are, unidentified source. Solo treble. JPG, MP3
  30. March, unidentified source. Two trebles and bass in score across facing pages. JPG, MP3
  31. March, unidentified source. Two trebles and bass in score across facing pages. JPG, MP3
  32. March, unidentified source. Two trebles in score, bass written separately, JPG, MP3
  33. The King of Prussia's March, Longman and Broderip, Entire New and Compleat Instructions for the Fife, 1776. Prussian victories in 1757-8 were celebrated with music by the Leeds Waits. Two trebles on facing pages. JPG, MP3
  34. England Air, unidentified source. Treble and bass in score. JPG, MP3
  35. Untitled, unidentified source. Two trebles in score. JPG, MP3
  36. Minuet, unidentified source. Two trebles in score. JPG, MP3
  37. Le Cor de Chasse or The French Chase, unidentified source. Solo treble. JPG, MP3
  38. Shilinagare, Shilanagary [Irish, Sheela na Guira, or Chiling O Quiry in “Twelve Scotch and Twelve Irish Airs” by Burke Thumoth, 1743. (One of the most often printed and used of Irish tunes in England.). Solo treble. JPG, MP3
  39. Minuet, unidentified source. Solo treble. JPG, MP3
  40. Minuet, unidentified source. Two trebles in score. JPG, MP3
  41. Minuet, unidentified source Two trebles on single stave. JPG, MP3
  42. Untitled, unidentified source. Treble and bass in score. n.b. Error: bass line is signed as treble clef. JPG, MP3
  43. March, unidentified source. Two trebles on facing pages. JPG, MP3
  44. Mr Chrion's Minuet unidentified source. Two trebles on facing pages. JPG, MP3
  45. Untitled Minuet? unidentified source. Two trebles on facing pages, bass across below. JPG, MP3
  46. Hit Her Upon the Bun, "Hit Her upon the Bum", James Oswald, Caledonian Pocket Companion, 1747. Solo treble. JPG, MP3
  47. Dunkon Gray, "Duncan Gray", Caledonian Pocket Companion, 1751. Solo treble. JPG, MP3
  48. March, unidentified source. Two trebles on facing pages. JPG, MP3
  49. March, unidentified source. Two trebles on facing pages. JPG, MP3
  50. The Royal Foristers March, anon., 45th Regt.of Foot, founded 1741, dance published 1770. Two trebles bass in score. JPG, MP3
  51. Untitled, unidentified source. Written below the previous piece. Treble and bass on facing pages. JPG, MP3
  52. The Liverpole March, unidentified source. Treble and bass on facing pages. JPG, MP3
  53. The Wiltshire Militia's March or Ld. Bruce's, Lord Bruce, CO of Wiltshire Militia 1759-70, also known as Dorsetshire March or Col. Reed's March, source: Compleat Tutor for the Fife, Thompson and Son (1760). Two trebles in score, basso separate. JPG, MP3
  54. The Duke of Bedford's March, Lord John Russell, Duke of Bedford 1732-1771, “Bedfordshire March” in New and Compleat Instructions for the Fife, Longman and Broderip, 1776, also Compleat Tutor for the Fife, Thompson and Son (1760). Two trebles in score. JPG, MP3
  55. Lord Pembrook's March, Henry Herbert, Lord Pembroke, Lord Lt. of Wiltshire 1756-80. solo treble. JPG, MP3
  56. Collonell Thorton March, Under the title "The Butterfly Hornpipe" it is a well-known folk tune.Captain William Thornton of Thornville (1713-1769) raised one hundred men, The Yorkshire Blues, in 1745 to march north to join the Duke of Cumberland;s Army to put down the Jacobite rising. Captain Thornton took with him John Metcalf, “Blind Jack” as musician on oboe and fiddle. Metcalf performed in the area with John Midgley, a member of the Leeds Waits. Thornton later served as Colonel of the 2nd West Yorkshire Militia and MP for York. Apparently a tune of this name occurs in the flute manuscript of New York lawyer Peter van Schraack (1691-1773). Treble solo. JPG, MP3
  57. Vilo Primo March of Mr. Hershell, William Herschel was in Leeds in the early 1760s. Two trebles on facing pages, bass below acorss both pages. JPG, MP3
  58. The Macklenberg Minuet William Herschel was in Leeds when George III married Charlotte of Mecklenburg in 1761. Two trebles in score, basso on facing page. JPG, MP3
  59. Hymn, "Jesus Christ is Ris'n Today", from Lyra Davidica, 1708. Treble solo. JPG, MP3
  60. The New Coldstream March, 1740s, “2nd Coldstream March” in New and Compleat Instructions for the Fife, Longman and Broderip, 1776., as The Old Coldstream March still a regimental slow march. Two trebles in score, bass on facing page JPG, MP3
  61. The Five Hunt, unidentified source. Solo treble. JPG, MP3