Scan 245
The Violin: Its Famous Makers and their Imitators, 1875
4 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 187. See the scan on archive.org.
1been of a very unpretending nature, but they served to impart a taste for the art to his son William, who was the best maker of the family.
3FORSTER, William, London, born 1739, died 1808. Son of William Forster mentioned above. Worked with his father at Brampton, in Cumberland, making spinning-wheels and Violins—two singularly diverse occupations. It was, however, to the latter industry that he gave the most attention, and soon became the great maker of his neighbourhood. He also continued to add another string to his bow, viz., that of playing country dances at the village festivities. Thus, armed with three occupations, he must have been well employed. He seems to have early discovered that his abilities required a larger field in which to show themselves to advantage, and accordingly took the usual course in such circumstances—came to the Metropolis, in which he settled about the year 1759. He soon obtained employment at a musical instrument seller's on Tower Hill, and gave up then and for ever the making of spinning-wheels, while by throwing all his soul into the manufacture of Violins he soon gave his master's patrons the highest satisfaction. He ultimately commenced business on his own behalf in the neighbourhood of Duke's Court, St. Martin's Lane, where his abilities attracted considerable attention, and
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