Till Family Rock Band

“Also known as a Harmonicon”

Last updated: August 2004

Introduction by Dr A. M. Till

I am only an indirect distant relative of this Concert Group but my interest was first stimulated some 20 years ago when an aunt passed on to me an original Till Family Rock Band concert programme, dated 1885 (see right, click to enlarge).

Excerpt from the programme:

18th February 1885 Perthshire Newspaper.(Strath-N03981)
TONIGHT CITY HALL PERTH
The greatest novelty of the age
THE ROCK BAND COY.(TILL FAMILY)
Will have the honour of appearing as above, under the distinguished patronage of the Right Honourable The Earl of Breadalbane, the Right Honourable the Earl of Kinnoull, Colonel Macdonald Macdonald of St Martins, and Andrew Coates,Esq., Pitculien House,&c.,&c,.
For particulars see window bills and circulars.
Doors open at 7.30; Commence at 8; Carriages at 9.45.
Tickets reserved and numbered,3s; First Seats, 2s; Second 1s; Third 6d.
at Messrs. Paterson,Sons,and Co; and at Hall Door.

Two of the original admission tickets (date and identity of concert unknown) can be seen on the right (click to enlarge).

Since that time I have collected information from various sources in UK and USA. The family were one of three who lived in the Lake District and constructed stone notes from rock removed from a valley alongside the mountain known as “Blencathra”. The other family instruments known to exist were the Richardson (instrument in good condition exhibited in the Fitz Museum-Keswick) and the Abraham (in private hands and present whereabouts unknown). The dating would be from 1870 to1880 for construction. The instrument consists of a wooden trestle, some 11 or 12 feet long, supported two shelves of stones tuned to give 5 octaves - 65 notes insulated and mounted on straw ropes. Wooden hammers covered in leather were used as percussors. Individual stones measured from 30ins to 6ins long and up to 3" broad or more.

Family group with complete instrument. Click to enlarge.

Remains of the original instrument are in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Sadly there are only 22 notes on a single trestle and not in good condition and therefore not on display.There are other small stone instruments made by the Till family:

1. Owned by a near relative - single octave.
2. Under care Lancaster Museum - single octave.
3. Instrument originally presented to John Ruskin who admired the sound of the instrument - this small version is in the Ruskin Museum, Coniston.

Letter from John Ruskin, the great English art critic:

Brantwood, Coniston. Lancashire 9th September 1884.

Dear Mr Till,

I am extremely grateful for the specimens of Skiddaw Rock, and congratulate you most heartily on the wonderful instrument you have composed of such materials, no less than on the admirable skill of execution with which you have learned, aided by your Father, to exhibit its peculiar qualities. You may have given me, with a new insight into the nature of crystalline rock substance, also a musical pleasure.

Believe me always faithfully,

Yours John Ruskin

It is recorded, though at this stage not verified, that the Rock Band toured England (London, Birmingham, Liverpool) and Scotland (Glasgow and Perth) and it is reported that they played 136 concerts at the Crystal Palace (see testimonial on enlarged programme above).

Various reports in UK and USA lead one to believe that the family were of a Non-Conformist background and supported their local churches with fund raising etc.

Photographic material available gives insight into the dress of the performers and the main “Harmonicon” and additional instruments mentioned in the programmes. Cello and violins, Swinging Harp and Musical Glasses are seen in the images on the right. We have detail of the nature of Zither and Gigilera also mentioned.Accuracy over dates is difficult but by 1895 the Till family decided to tour America and in the end stayed for 5 years as a performing group. They settled in Bayonne, New Jersey - Manager William Till's address is listed as 715 Ave. C (telephone 51A Bayonne!). They toured the USA and Canada (Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick) and it is recorded that in total they performed 8,000 concerts and never failed to fulfil a booking! After 5 years they decided to disband and three members of the group returned to Lancashire in UK.

1999 saw the publication of “Images of America - Bayonne” in which there are descriptions and references to the Till Family Rock Band and as a result of this publication references to Till family activity have been extracted from the Bayonne Herald.

Contemporary advertising postcard. Click to enlarge.

Two further programmes exist neither are dated or give a venue and may have been produced for use at several concerts on a tour. There are also two examples of “Window Bills” advertising their concerts. A later hand bill describes:

Mr William Till (of the Till Family Concert Co.)
Organist and Choirmaster St John’s P.E. Church, can now take pupils on the piano, organ, violin and zither No. 42 West 37th Street, Bayonne City.

He was apparently organist at this church for 27 years.

If you have any information that you would like to contribute towards my research, I can be contacted at: tillfamilyrockband@michaeltill.com

Any new information would be very gratefully received!

Acknowledgements:

Professor Kathleen Middleton Author of Images of America – Bayonne.

Bayonne Public Library, New Jersey, USA.

Metropolitan Museum of Art-New York Curator of Musical Instruments.

The Galpin Society.

Tony Bingham ( London) Specialist in Old Rare and Unusual Musical Instruments.

Ruskin Museum, Coniston, Cumbria UK

Martha Carson-Project Manager-The History Channel (UK)

Beamish Open Air Museum-Durham. UK.

Fitz Park Museum, Keswick Cumbria UK.

Wilfred L Thornthwaite, Rugby, Tennessee, USA.

Links:

SearchMusicNetwork.com
(The Till Family Rock Band can be found under 19th Century American music in the History section).