Notebook of William Anderson, musician.
Content Description
Notebook containing records of William Anderson's income and expenses while travelling and performing as a musician at the theatre of Arbroath, 1791-1792. Places listed are Aberdeen, Arbroath, Banff Montrose, Elgin, Forres, Fort George and Inverness. With some genealogical information and financial accounts of later owners dated up to 1842.
Pp. 69-71, including the interleaved blotting paper, contain lists of operas, possibly performed by Anderson and his colleagues.
Dates
- Creation: 1791 - 1842
Creator
- Anderson, William, 1765-1792 (musician) (Person)
- Anderson, Andrew, 1779-before 1871 (mason in Aberfeldy) (Former owner, Person)
Biographical / Historical
Anderson's own inscriptions at the front and back of the volume mention that he came from Stron Comrie, parish of Kenmore, Perthshire. He signs as "Musician" on p. 1, and as "Musician to the theatre Arbroath February 9th 1792" on p. 74.
Notes on pp. 3 and 22-23, repeated on p. 33, state that he died in Inverness on 11 November 1792, aged 27, and was buried there. His mother died on 15 June 1793, and his father, Alexander Anderson, on 19 April 1798, aged 64. P. 2 mentions that a family member, John Anderson, enlisted as a soldier in the 1st battalion of the Breadalbane Fencibles on 11 April 1793.
The volume gives no information on the instrument that Anderson played, or his musical training.
Extent
1 Volumes ; 18 x 12 x 1.5 cm
Language of Materials
English
Custodial History
The volume seems to have passed to Andrew Anderson, whose signature appears on pp. 7 and 73. Two rent receipts issued to him for Duntaylor, Wester Aberfeldy, paid to the Marquess of Breadalbane and dated 1847 and 1849, are loosely inserted in the volume. These, as well as his accounts in the volume, suggest that he may have been Andrew Anderson, mason in Aberfeldy, born in 1779 and died between 1861 and 1871, who is listed in the Census of 1841 and 1861.
Physical Description
Notebook, 18 x 12 x 1.5 cm, bound in quarter leather over card boards. 74 pp. Pages interleaved throughout with purple blotting paper, most of which is also written on. Scribal pagination up to p. 37, continued by Library pagination in pencil.
Genre / Form
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the National Library of Scotland Archives and Manuscripts Division Repository
Archives and Manuscript Division
National Library of Scotland
George IV Bridge
Edinburgh EH1 1EJ
0131 623 3700
manuscripts@nls.uk