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Scan 231
Old Violins And Their Makers, 1883
2 lines. Read by computer on 1 October 2026. Printed page 217. See the scan on archive.org.
1William, though highly finished, is not always equal to that of his father. The labels are marked "William Forster, Jun.," the date, the number of the instrument, and the word "Jun." being added with a pen, and it is said that this "Jun." has frequently been obliterated by dishonest people. The same marks and particulars were also written inside of back and breast, and at the tail pin, under the varnish. About this time the competition on the Continent began to tell, and shortly afterwards English violin making came almost to an end. This William, jun., was of a speculative turn of mind, and bought up property, besides investing in other business, such as grocery, &c., without much judgment, until all the estate and money amassed by "old" Foster was eventually swallowed up to pay the debts contracted by William, jun., who died in 1824, leaving a family of nine daughters and four sons. He made Stainers and Strads., probably all sorts, and his varnish is the same as the best of his father's. The eldest son of William, jun., was also named William, and was born in the Strand in 1788. He was very clever, but somewhat difficult to govern, and was placed with a maker named Thomas Kennedy, who appears to have been able to control him better than could the members of his own family. He did not, however, remain with him for any length of time, returning home, soon again to leave it. He joined a theatrical company, with whom he sometimes acted, and for whom he, at other times, played the violoncello in the orchestra. On his own account, it is not supposed that he made more than a dozen or fifteen instruments, two or three of which were of high class and beautifully finished, the
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