John Betts 1755 (Uffington, Lincolnshire) – 1823 (London)
Early Life
Born Uffington (Lincs) 3rd Aug 1755 to Edward and Elizabeth Betts. The musical enthusiasm of the Ninth Earl of Essex at nearby Burghley house had connotations in Stamford and the surrounding area and may have informed his formative years. Moved to London c. 1765, under the care of his uncle Arthur and later employed by the musical instrument dealer Richard Duke. Recorded via an internal signature on the belly as living on High Holborn in 1781, a device often used by makers to identify their instruments when sold by others. Probably lodged with or near a tailor, Thomas Gillingham at 107 High Holborn, whose son George was apprenticed at the start of the Betts company on 13th April 1782.
1782
A Cello owned by the grandfather of Rev Wiliam Meredith Morris is reportedly labelled ‘John Betts, 2 Royal Exchange, 9th January 1782’ and is the earliest record of John Betts at the Royal Exchange. Rented lodgings at nearby 11 Princes Street, Lothbury together with his brother Edward. The shop had access from Threadneedle Street only, under the colonnade of the North transect of the building. This was the same premises previously rented by the musical instrument dealer Maurice Whittaker. On 13th February he joined the Worshipful Company of Musicians by redemption (as opposed to completing a formal apprenticeship) and employed his brother Ned and the more experienced maker John Carter on 3rd Dec.
Early Years of the Betts Business
The business was initially backed by others, including George Thompson, son of the instrument dealer Samual Thompson, but left dependent on the help of a nearby tailor on Cornhill named Samuel Arnott after Duke died on 13th February 1783. On the 25th March of that year he was licensed to employ a foreigner for six weeks. Changed his brand from the latinised ‘Londini’ to anglicised ‘London’ around this time. Duke left his entire estate to his daughter, Anne Paris, from whom it is claimed Betts then purchased. His first insurance policy covered his stock at the significant value of £300 on 25th December 1783 and was possibly related to the supposed purchase from Anne Duke. Arnott ceased paying the rates at the Betts shop in 1785 and evidence suggests further support was provided by his father, Edward Betts, during the following years.
Business Success
Profited from the French revolution of 1789, evidenced by the purchase of the freehold of a house at 25 London Wall in 1790 where he remained until his death, along with agreeing a new twenty-one year lease for the shop at 2 Royal Exchange the same year. Apprenticed his youngest brother Arthur on 28th May 1790. He also increased his insurance cover to a total of £1000 at the start of 1791, of which £600 was his stock and utensils, a significant increase from 1787, when he was insured for a total of £600 of which the stock remained at the same value of £300. This record includes the rent of a room above a shop owned by George Brooksbank, who was a broker next door at 3 Royal Exchange, an address given in a few of his many and consistent directory entries. Employed as a customs official for the import of musical instruments around the same time, possibly in 1787 with the introduction of the Consolidation Act of Parliament, although his detailed records of instruments imported and traded in London have as their earliest date 1792. Described himself as ‘a musician’ when taking on Anthony Duke Abbot as an apprentice in 1795, specifically to learn the art of playing the violin [etc] with the knowledge of buying and selling musical instruments’.
Downturn
Arrested in 1794 for assault on the wife of Walter Gough and others, whose son Francis was later apprenticed to John Betts on 1st Dec 1800 and daughter Frances married a Joseph Betts in Northampton in 1801. There was a later claim from an elder son and violin maker Walter Gough Jr of a family connection for which this might account. Changed his brand subtly again from ‘Betts’ to ‘Betts.s’ around the time of his arrest. Unable to pay his Musicians Company fees in 1798 or 1800 and several dependent siblings married around this time.
After 1800
Apprenticed Edward Betts, son of his deceased brother Edward in 1806. It is this Edward referred to by Sandy’s and Forster in their History of the Violin (1864) correctly as his nephew known as Ned. Employed and engaged a series of talented workmen. These included the Panormos, Richard Tobin, Henry Lockey Hill, the Fendts, and the later Furbers, the Dodd bowmakers along with members of his own family. Was insured again for £1000 in 1809 at his home alone. Clients included the nobility, international traders, wealthy amateur players from the merchant classes in the City and professional musicians, often engaged with the fiddle trade themselves. An example of this last group was Giovanni Batista Viotti, who gave music lessons at the Betts shop for many years and traded instruments unofficially, but described John Betts as ‘the mutilator of Stradivariusses’ in 1815. There is a related story of double dealing between the pair regarding a Strad. Alterations were made to some older instruments with the involvement of Fendt and Tobin in particular. These included the ‘Betts’ Blush’, a coat of red varnish applied to the extremities. He was an early promoter of Antonius Stradivari, whose instruments displaced those of Jacob Stainer and Nicolo Amati at the top of the market during his lifetime. Records held privately give details of a large number of Stradivari instruments sold by John Betts during his lifetime, including some of Stradivari’s most venerated work.
Final years
Employed his nephew Charles Vernon during the early 1820s. His Will, made on 20th March (two days after Charles Vernon had been admitted to the Worshipful Company of Musicians) left his business to his brother Arthur and Charles Vernon in equal parts, advising it should remain in his name as ‘it is very well known and would be of benefit to them’. He also left an annuity of £80 pounds along with all his household possessions to his widowed sister, Hannah Vernon, to be passed to her son Charles after her death. The Will superseded earlier versions and he died three days later on 23rd March 1823. Buried St Giles Cripplegate 6th April 1823, aged 68.
Posthumous notes and Epitaphs
Notice of his death was advertised in the Morning Post on 9th April 1823 by Arthur Betts and Charles Vernon detailing their continuation of the business and retention of the same workmen. Called ‘John Betts’ as opposed to ‘John Edward Betts’ on every document bar one, in 1794, the year of his arrest and around the time of the pluralisation of his brand. Described a few years later, in 1831 as ‘a short, thick set white bearded man commonly of an objurgatory humour’, damning errand boys and the like, but that his mood ‘softened wonderfully to purchasers of strings, fiddles and music’, to the point of facetiousness. Of ‘falstaffian taste in good living, […] with conversation remarkable for its breadth and unctuosity’.
By Tom Palmer, Director, Maple Violins Ltd