Kirk Session

Having virtually finished a major project (the second monograph), I’m exploring future directions.

Unfortunately, this looks – even to me – like going randomly round in somewhat squiggly circles, since it entails seizing intriguing little thoughts that have occurred to me at various points in my research, and (metaphorically) tugging at them to see where they might lead. Right now, none of them have yielded much more, although it’s fair to say that I need to wait for some to have an outcome.

Ladies in the Music Publishing Trade

There’s the thought that a publisher’s wife – who HAD been a piano teacher – might have authored his piano tutor for him. Maybe, but there’s no way to know. Dead end? Well, yesterday, I traced a copy in Australia. I’d love to see it, even if it tells me no more.

Then there’s the sister of another publisher. I do have marginally more to go on – and I’m currently following up some leads – but it’s not exactly a whole new project. After a couple of hours’ searching the British Newspaper Archive delving this evening, I had learnt that she accompanied a church concert in her late 40s – since she, too, was a piano teacher, this is hardly earth-shattering news!

(Come to think of it, I encountered a third lady piano teacher who was a talented songwriter and small-scale self-publisher… see, if only I could amass enough extra information, I would clearly have the makings of an article here!)

So, I also started another line of enquiry. This could be more fruitful, but it’s too soon to know.

As for the tea set? Nothing to do with the ladies, as it happens. The second lady’s brother (the publisher) was a church session clerk – an important role to this day. He therefore had the responsibility of making presentations when called upon. And, on the occasion when his sister played the piano, the church was making the presentation of a tea set and a clock to their minister, who was getting married.