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Creator
Cheshire, John, 1837-1910
Call number
JPB 83-158
Physical description
.9 linear feet (2 boxes)
Language
English
Preferred Citation

The John Cheshire Papers, JPB 83-158, Music Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

Repository
Music Division
Access to materials
Request an in-person research appointment.Restrictions apply

John Cheshire, harpist and composer, was born in Birmingham England on March 28, 1839. He studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London and became internationally famous as a viruoso touring the Scandinavian countries and South America. He wrote orchestral works, songs, piano music and pieces for harp. He was married to famed pianist Mathilda Frances Cheshire. His collection includes the papers of his daughter Zoe Cheshire, famed harpist.

Biographical/historical information

John Cheshire, harpist and composer, was born on March 28, 1837 in Birmingham, England. He studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London from 1852-1855 and afterwards under Sir G.A. Macfarren and J.B. Chatterton. In 1855, he was appointed harpist to the Royal Italian Opera and in 1865, principal harpist at Her Majesty’s Theatre. From 1858-1861, he toured in South America, and in 1879 Norway and Sweden. In 1888, he was the harpist to the National Opera Company. His compositions included an opera, Diana,which he wrote while in Brazil, Cantat, The King and the Maiden (book by Arthur Matthison), performed at St. James Hall on April 20, 1866, and The Buccaneers.

In 1871 he married Mathilda Maria Frances Baxter, an excellent pianist who appeared with success at many of his concerts. From this union, three daughters (Iris, Pearl and Zoe) and a son (Harold) were born. Zoe Cheshire and Harold Cheshire followed their parents into the limelight, as a harpist in New York and an actor in England, respectively.

For the last twenty years of his life, John Cheshire lived and performed, mostly, in America. He died on Sept. 26, 1910 in New York, NY.

Sources:

  • New York Times Obituary. "John Cheshire, Harpist, Dead." Proquest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1857-Current file): Sept. 27, 1910, p. 13.
  • New York Times Obituary. "Mrs. Mathilda Cheshire." Proquest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1857-Current file): Sept. 16, 1927, p. 23.
  • New York Times Obituary. "Zoe Cheshire." Proquest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1857-Current file): Sept. 16, 1946, p. 5.
  • Scrapbooks (Box 1, Folders 2-10)
  • Wier, Albert, E. The Macmillan Encyclopedia of Music and Musicians. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1938.

Scope and arrangement

The papers of John Cheshire (1853 -1945 and undated) consist of scrapbooks, a music journal, a certificate and scores. Most of the clippings and letters found within the scrapbooks refer to the musical careers of both John Cheshire and Zoe Cheshire. His daughter, Zoe Cheshire, created the majority of the scrapbooks found within this collection. As such, programs indicating her performance of her father's composition can be found; as well as information regarding the distribution of her father's possesions after his death.

Aside from a few photographs found within a scrapbook, there are no items within the collection that reveal the private life of John and Mathilda Cheshire.

Arrangement

  • Series I: Personal Papers
  • Series II: Scores
    • Subseries 1: John Cheshire Arrangements
    • Subseries 2: Other Artists

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Donated by Zoe Cheshire in 1945.

Processing information

Processed by Thea Constantine; Machine-readable finding aid created by Thea Constantine.

Separated material

The majority of John Cheshire's scores were individually catalogued and are available through the Music Division.

Using the collection

Location

Music Division
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
40 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023-7498
Third Floor

Conditions Governing Use

For permission to publish, contact the Curator, Music Division. New York Public Library.

Access restrictions

Some collections held by the Dance, Music, Recorded Sound, and Theatre Divisions at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts are held off-site and must be requested in advance. Please check the collection records in the NYPL's online catalog for detailed location information. For general guidance about requesting offsite materials, please consult: https://www.nypl.org/about/locations/lpa/requesting-archival-materials Photocopying prohibited.