Books › Old violins, 1905 › scan 163
Scan 163
Old violins, 1905
6 lines. Read by computer on 27 September 2026. Printed page 145. See the scan on archive.org.
1Hill's hands many years afterwards, who was asked to take it in part payment for another violin. He said: "This fiddle was not made by Panormo; it was made by my father about the year 1812 for my brother Henry, and owing to the difficulty of getting good foreign wood, my father made the back and ribs from English maple. It could not possibly have a good tone, but I should like to have it, and will allow £10 for it." Mr Hill immediately proceeded to remove the belly. On the inside was written in pencil, "Made for my son Henry in the year 1812."
3Mr Hill led an extremely abstemious life. His only relaxations were reading and long walks on Sundays. Towards the close of his life he found himself surrounded by his sons, superintending a large staff of workmen, and his workshops at Hanwell, adjoining his country home, are well known. For some years before he died the direction of affairs had practically passed into the hands of his sons, whom he had so admirably trained to succeed him, and to them is entirely due the present great commercial prosperity of the firm.
5William Ebsworth Hill sank gradually from senile exhaustion of brain power, and died in 1895, aged seventy-seven.
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