This page contains short biographies of various flageolet players about whom a lack of bibliographical information precludes fuller treatment.
Harriett Bainbridge (?–early 1841): Wife of William Bainbridge who ran her husband’s business from his death in 1831 until 1835 when she passed it on to Henry Hastrick. However, it appears that she continued to live in the house until her death in 1841.
Bonnisseau (?–late 1882): French flageolet player and composer who was born in Paris and was active in both England and France from at least the 1860s. He is listed in some scores as being “Band Master of the 84th Regiment”. He died outside England (possibly France) and a short obituary was published in the Musical Standard (November 4th 1882, Part II, pg. 291):
“The death of M.Bonnisseau is announced.
He was a Parisian by birth, wrote a good deal of effective solo music,
and was an accomplished and famous flageolet and cornet player, and
lately bandmaster of the Scots Greys.”
Narcisse Bousquet (1800-1869): French flageolet player and composer who appears to have been active in both England and France in the first half of the Century. The dates given are the conventional ones, though there is a lack of evidence to support them.
Henry (Thomas) Hastrick (?–late 1854): Flageolet maker who took over William Bainbridge’s business at 35 Holborn Hill from his widow, Harriett Bainbridge, in 1835 and seems to have run it to his death in 1854. As Hastrick was witness to William Bainbridge’s 1830 Will, it is likely that he was working at the firm from at least that time. A number of single English, double and triple flageolets by him are still in existence.
C. Eugéne Roy (early 19th Century): French flageolet player and composer. He appears to have travelled quite widely: the 1822 Bibliographie Musicale states that he was the “flageoliste-solo des fêtes de Tivoli et du Prado”, presumably referring to the Tivoli gardens in Copenhagen and the Salón del Prado (now the famous Museuo del Prado) in Madrid. The Harmoicon in February 1825 (XXVI) has a report of a concert he gave in Stasburg:
‘Among the Concerts of this season was one given in the theatre by M. Eugene Roy, the following was his announcement; “Flageolet solo des Fétes de la Cour de France, compositeur de musique et artiste d’un des principaux theatres de la Capitale ; La Caprice des dames Parisiennes; aussi divertissement, ou pot-pourri burlesque, tiré de l’opéra, Freischütz de Rossini!! arrangé à grand Orchestre par M. Roy, tel qu’il a eu l’honneur de l’exécuter devant plusieurs Souverains, et récemment à la cour de S. M. Le Roi de Wurtemberg, dout il a reçu les temoignages les plus flatteurs.” But singular as this advertisement may appear, we must do M. Roy the justice to say that his performances on the flageolet are very extraordinary, particularly the effect of a prolonged echo which excited great admiration; in the dying falls of which, the tones were so faint that they were produced by the artist with his instrument quite beyond his lips.’
John Wood (early 19th Century): Flageolet marker and sometime partner of William Bainbridge (many sources give dates as being between 1808 and 1821.
