The Makers

Edward Popplewell I’Anson (J’Anson)

24 March 1830

Edward Popplewell I’Anson worked in Hulme, Manchester from the mid-19th century.

According to older reference works he was a pupil of William Booth Junior. He was born in Leeds 24 March 1830 the son of Joshua I’Anson and Matilda Ann Popplewell and baptised at the Whitehall Independent Non-Conformist chapel in May of that year. He appeared on the 1881 Census in Hulme when his address was 52 Walnut Street, his wife’s name given as Mary. It appears from the baptism records of St Michael’s church in Hulme that he had a son, Edward John Joshua Janson, with his (presumably second?) wife Clara Lilian. The son was born on 9 September and baptised on 6 November 1892. The record gives the parents address as 224 Warde Street and the father’s occupation as ‘musician’. It also tells us Edward senior and Clara were married at St Paul’s, Hulme.

This newly acquired rare cello is inscribed in ink on the lower rib ‘June 18th 1851 Manchester’ and branded ‘I’Anson’ below the button. Henley, in his Universal Dictionary, states that many of Janson’s (sic) instruments have been relabelled as Italian. Looking at this instrument it is not hard to see why. The arching and the soundhole placement are reminiscent of the Genoese School. It is not dissimilar to a Bernardus Calcanius cello I saw many years ago. Only the scroll gives the clue as to the origin of its youthful maker.

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Edward Popplewell I’Anson (J’Anson)