Hello - a couple of people I encountered on Facebook suggested I try here for help   ..

What I'm looking for is very much local history/ephemera help - the actual instrument I describe below had been examined and measured and written about - but I need to try to prove that the Thomas Sinderby I have uncovered is/or isn't the maker ..


I play the bassoon (period instruments mainly) In 2008 I bought a bassoon on ebay, by an unknown maker - Sinderby. Judging from the style it dates from around 1790/1810.

I have done a lot of research to try to track down the maker - most of the Sinderbys at that time lived in Gloucestershire. By fluke I found that there is a plaque to a Thomas Sinderby of the wall of Westbury-on-Severn church - his dates are perfect (1752-1812), and the plaque shows a violin and an open manuscript book. So he seems like an excellent candidate. But hours ploughing through Gloucester archives have resulted in little extra evidence.

I have compiled his family tree, have seen his will, know he was a cooper and lived in Pope's Hill - but can find nothing referring to instrument making, or bassoons ...

Apart from asking you - and possibly contacting the Sinderbys I see are on Facebook - my only other avenue is to wrete and article for Gloucestershire Family History magazine.

Ideally I would love to find some ephemera relating to local concerts and soirees - but maybe no such thing exists anywhere.

Thanks