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McCann, Macann, or Maccann?


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... am I correct in thinking we have three "wives" here now . :o

 

Eliza, whom he married in 1878 in Plymouth, and who apparently lived on till 1914.

Minnie Maccann ... who apparently died in 1908

And then Sarah Jane Maccann who he married in April 1908 ?

Hmm. "The Mac
©
ann Wives"... a potential basis for a new TV series?

And who/what killed Professor Maccann? (Or did he disappear into Mexico, like Ambrose Bierce?)

 

What do you think that would do for the popularity of concertinas, and for the price of Maccann duets in particular?

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Hi Folks,

 

You are covering a lot of the ground that was covered back in 2003-5 by Bob Gaskins and others, so thanks for all the confirmations. JH Maccann's mother was Sarah Hill, and JHM was born prior to her marriage to John Maccann. Sarah was also a concertina player, and I remember finding that the various official records for her age were not too truthful in the research I did. If anybody is searching for Sarah in the 1851 census, I managed to find her staying away from home with her Uncle and Aunt at 3 Court 12 House Sheep St (HO/107/2054 Folio:176 Page:7) - the address may be wrong (should it be 3 Court House?) but I think that was how it was written in the original.

 

Keep up the good work!

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and published a tutor in 1885...that seems a lot to expect for someone in their early twenties back then.

Dan - We also have a similar situation with the The Crane Duet Tutor. It was written by H Wilton Bulstrode, more normally known as Henry Bulstrode (1879-1959) and published about 1898, making Henry around 20 years old at that time.

Edited by wes williams
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Hi Folks,

 

You are covering a lot of the ground that was covered back in 2003-5 by Bob Gaskins and others, so thanks for all the confirmations. .........................................

 

Keep up the good work!

 

Interesting to note Wes. I must admit that I was unable to immediately track down the information already held anywhere on the web with ease (the info on Concertina.com, for instance, needs a lot of drilling through to find any relevant stuff ... the article from The Era, for instance, was fascinating, but took a bit of finding. ) In order to avoid duplicated effort, can you tell me where the 2003-5 information can be found ? (I tried searching on here and googled as well before I got going on Ancestry.co.uk, and other geneaology related search sites, but found little of relevance ...I'm none too sure whether that's down to the quirkiness of the search engine, or to the operator ... ie me! )

 

It was an interesting afternoon trawling through the records - but on the other hand, had I known the info was already out there I would probably have spent it a little more productively in areas that needed looking at (if at all). :huh: Still, as you say, at least it's corroboration of a sort!

Edited by Irene S
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Somehow it seems - appropriate - that a duet concertina system should be named for a bigamist!

 

Anyway, not being one to pass up the opportunity to re-invent the wheel, I've been digging further

 

John Maccann the elder was apparently born about 1820 in Sutton, Lincolnshire (about 15 miles east of Spalding). There is a record of a John Maccann baptised there in 1819, and his parents were Michael Maccann and Alice Hillham. There was an elder brother too, named Hillham Maccann, who appears in the 1841 census living in Spalding, where he is a china merchant. John Maccann is on the same page, apparently lodging in a nearby inn. His trade at the time (he was still only a teenager) was potter - if it wasn't for the recurrence of the name 'Hillam' or 'Hillham' amongst John's children, I might doubt the identification.

 

Andrew

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It was an interesting afternoon trawling through the records - but on the other hand, had I known the info was already out there I would probably have spent it a little more productively in areas that needed looking at (if at all). :huh: Still, as you say, at least it's corroboration of a sort!

Ah, but I didn't say you were covering the exact same ground - and I wasn't aware of the third "wife", so that's new to me, and moves Maccann's last generally known date back 5 years :). Resources on the net have changed a lot in 5 years, so you might have turned up even more, and a couple of fresh searchers' brains might notice something that we had missed back then. As Dan Worrall said right at the beginning of this thread, its Maccann's death that has remained a mystery so far, something that you can usually find fairly easily. Dan also said that Bob Gaskins had almost the full story, apart from the death, and that was the thing holding him back from publishing - so Bob has the data, but its unpublished.

 

And besides, the first entry on this thread containing genealogy info only appeared mid-day yesterday, and my reply above about mid-day today was made when I first saw it - and by that time you and Andrew had already steamed off on this exercise. Had I known that you intended to do this, I might have been able to give you a few pointers. Please don't shoot the messenger :ph34r:

 

Edit: .. and in the time I've been writing this reply, I see that Andrew has found the magic word 'Hillam' which you need to find Maccann's father. Keep it up Andrew!

Edited by wes williams
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And besides, the first entry on this thread containing genealogy info only appeared mid-day yesterday, and my reply above about mid-day today was made when I first saw it - and by that time you and Andrew had already steamed off on this exercise. Had I known that you intended to do this, I might have been able to give you a few pointers. Please don't shoot the messenger :ph34r:

 

Edit: .. and in the time I've been writing this reply, I see that Andrew has found the magic word 'Hillam' which you need to find Maccann's father. Keep it up Andrew!

Oh dear, sorry Wes ... sounds as though what I wrote came across badly! I wasn't in the mood for shooting, I hasten to add. My apologies. :) I was just anxious not to waste time trundling down already trodden paths, however interesting those paths are. (I was certainly having fun yesterday).

 

I see things have moved on a pace ... good work Andrew. (That'll teach me to go out to work this afternoon!)

 

Re the bigamous wives, it wasn't an uncommon practice,as of course, the only way of obtaining a divorce in those days was if you had a considerable amount of money. Incidentally, has anyone yet come across any evidence of Minnie and Maccann actually tieing the knot, whether bigamously or not, or might it just have been a "common law marriage" (not that they exist) for the sake of respectability, I wonder.

 

Sadly I'm not likely to have the time to do any more ferreting in the next few days, so shall just have to see what Andrew turns up .

Edited by Irene S
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  • 2 weeks later...

A search of the 1911 census by my tame geneaologist reveals no evidence of Maccann (for any and all spellings) being in the UK on the given date. No sign of a Minnie Maccann either. However, Eliza is shown as still resident in Plymouth, designation being "married", and the question about number of children which was in the census for that year shows "none". I suppose he must have been out of the country at the time - on tour?

Edited by Irene S
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  • 1 month later...
  • 3 years later...
Now if someone could just find out what happened to old how-does-he-spell-his-name. I understand that Bob has all the material collected for a nice biographical book on the Professor of the Concertina....Bob is reportedly waiting to finalize it on news of how and where this fellow died. Any clues, anyone?

 

I spent a great deal of time, about a decade ago, researching the "Professor" for Bob Gaskins - who was also employing a professional researcher at the time, though I was often ahead of him.

 

I still have a thick folder of the work I did on Maccann (not an easy subject!), but his death has so far eluded everybody...

 

And, since fresh resources become available all the time, I still occasionally check for fresh leads - so that only tonight I discovered that in 1888-9, at the age of 28, "John Hill Maccann, Professional Concertina Player" was a patient of the Bethlem Hospital, London - that Hospital being Europe's first and oldest institution to specialise in mental illnesses. It was formerly known, informally and most notoriously, as "Bedlam" - from which we derive that word.

Edited by Stephen Chambers
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And I now have his Casebook Notes in front of me:

 

He was admitted to Bethlem Hospital on 10th November 1888, at which time he was 28 years old and living at 24, Castle Terrace, Nottingham.

 

This was his first attack which had lasted one month, he had never been confined in any lunatic asylum, the Supposed Cause of Insanity was "Domestic worry & hard work." He was neither suicidal nor considered dangerous to others.

 

He was a moderate drinker, with a good education, and Church of England. No relatives were similarly inflicted.

 

Medical Certificates, Facts indicating Insanity (from two doctors and two nurses), state:

 

(1) He is violent (2) He believes that he is being murdered (3) He said his sister had inherited the curse of Cain (4) He appealed for help against a supposed murderer

 

1. He said that he was going to be cut up, he therefore hid himself in bed 2. He said he thought he was going to be poisoned

 

i. He is under delusions that numerous people are conspired to take away his secrets ii. He is occasionally violent, for no apparent cause iii. He answers at random to questions asked him

 

i He continually asks for warm water & soap to wash his hands before playing the concertina in presence of the Queen ii That his sister was under the curse of Cain

 

He was discharged "Well" on 28th March 1889

Edited by Stephen Chambers
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The Admission Register entry also lists his Previous Place of Abode as 24, Castle Terrace, Nottingham, which a photograph reveals to have been in an area of picturesque but antiquated housing in the immediate vicinity of Castle Rock/Nottingham Castle: http://nottstalgia.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=12911&p=267434

 

His Sureties (he was a private patient) are given as Annie Maccann (Householder), 55, Liverpool Street and Wm. Bywater Fisher (Concertina Manuf), 4, Little James St, Grays Inn Road [so Lachenal & Co.] and By Whose Authority Sent as William Hill Maccann, 42, Claremount St., Plymouth, brother, whilst his mother, Mrs. Makepeace (at the same address as William Hill Maccann) is given as next of kin.

 

His Bodily Condition is given as Fair State of Health and his Form of Mental Disorder as Partial Dementia [?] with Loss of Memory

Edited by Stephen Chambers
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Fascinating. Another item to throw into the mix - an advert from 'The Era', May 26, 1900 -

 

"Wanted, Known, to Whom it May Concern, Mrs Minnie J. H. Maccann is still alive, and Offers a Reward of £5 to any Person who will inform her of any Certain Ladies making Certain False Statements against her. Minnie J. H. Maccann, Batty's Circus, Stockton."

 

In the London Electoral Register of 1900, 'John H Maccann' is given as renting a single, unfurnished top floor room at 94 Kennington Road, Lambeth, from a Mr Frederick Robson of the same address. This is the address at which Minnie Maccann appears in the 1901 Census, though John H is absent.

 

No wonder the Professor complained of "Domestic Worry". Incidentally, the Minnie Maccann who appears in the Death Index for Liverpool 1908 doesn't seem, now I've seen the actual certificate, to be the same woman - she's described as 'spinster', for one thing. She died in the Workhouse Infirmary of cancer. What happened to 'Mrs Minnie J H Maccann' I have no idea. Maybe she went on under another name.

 

To revert briefly to the original topic of this thread, most accounts of the Professor give his name as 'Maccann', though some do use 'McCann', probably as a more familiar spelling to the reporter. His own publications use 'Maccann'. The Prof's father, on the other hand, seems mainly to have used the spelling 'Macann' during his time as a mucician in Birmingham (roughly 1858-60). This is in his own advertisements for his concertina business - perhaps small ads were charged by the letter? Other sources give 'Mccann', 'Macan' and 'M'cann' amongst others.

 

Still no word on when the Prof died though.

 

Andrew

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Going back to Stephen's report of JH's mental health problem, the 1891 census gives 55 Liverpool St. London as the home of Mrs Annie Mackinnon, widow, a lodging house keeper. There is a theatrical couple living at the same address, so this was possibly the Prof's digs in London. Otherwise I can't identify an Annie Maccann from the Prof's family. Unless it was actually Minnie Maccann, with whom the Prof is living in 1891 in Liverpool.

 

The Prof had two full sisters and three half-sisters, I'd guess the one he was talking about as having 'the curse of Cain' would be Lavinia Mary Hill Maccann (1868-1914). In 1887, the year before he went to Bethlem, an advert for the Folly Theatre, Manchester includes both Professor Maccann, 'clever concertina soloist', and Miss Lavinia Maccann, 'vocalist'. Perhaps they'd had a falling-out.

 

It all helps build up a picture of a person, not just a name.

 

Andrew

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Going back to Stephen's report of JH's mental health problem, the 1891 census gives 55 Liverpool St. London as the home of Mrs Annie Mackinnon, widow, a lodging house keeper. There is a theatrical couple living at the same address, so this was possibly the Prof's digs in London. Otherwise I can't identify an Annie Maccann from the Prof's family. Unless it was actually Minnie Maccann, with whom the Prof is living in 1891 in Liverpool.

 

I'd suspect that "Annie Maccann" should indeed read Annie Mackinnon, and quite likely he did stay with her in London. However, in September 1888 Professor Maccann found himself being sued, in a Glasgow court, by a Leeds theatrical tailor he had not paid and, apart from anything else, the proceedings revealed that "He had business premises in London, and was tenant of a house in Nottingham, where he stayed for a week" - and I'd assume those "business premises" would have been at 3a,Tottenham Court Road where he taught "daily by appointment" according to his 1888 publication The Concertinist's Guide.

 

The Prof had two full sisters and three half-sisters, I'd guess the one he was talking about as having 'the curse of Cain' would be Lavinia Mary Hill Maccann (1868-1914). In 1887, the year before he went to Bethlem, an advert for the Folly Theatre, Manchester includes both Professor Maccann, 'clever concertina soloist', and Miss Lavinia Maccann, 'vocalist'. Perhaps they'd had a falling-out.

 

The report in The Era for 10th September 1887 of the two of them appearing on the bill at the Folly Variety Theatre, Manchester, seems to be the sum total of Lavinia Maccann's known singing career - perhaps all did not go well?

 

It all helps build up a picture of a person, not just a name.

 

Indeed it does.

Edited by Stephen Chambers
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Yes, Lavinia married within a couple of years (1889) to a Sergeant John Johnson of the North Staffordshire Regiment, which would have cut short any professional singing career. Men, of course, could be professional musicians however many wives they had!

 

Andrew

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Don't ask me why I am following up on the final days of a duet player! But here are some random thoughts on the last years of Maccann.

His final tutor was published between 1901 and 1902, and in it he is interviewed, and says:

I revisited the States in March 1901, for a six months tour, then back again to London, and I have already told you that I shall soon be leaving England again for my next tour, which takes me this time to Australia with Mr. Harry Rickard's Company.

http://www.concertina.com/maccann-duet/howtoplay/Maccann-How-to-Play-the-Concertina-1902-HQ.pdf

Rickards was an Australian talent scout and producer of music hall entertainment.

https://ozvta.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/rickards-harry-3032015.pdf

 

Maccann indeed goes to Australia (and New Zealand) with Rickards; here is an advert for a show on 27 November 1902:

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=WC19021127.2.31.3

 

In May 1903 he was still there, and gave a performance at a local freemasonry group meeting -- not exactly Carnegie Hall, but a paying gig.

At the conclusion of the ceremonies, the brethren adjourfned to the Cafe Cecil, where a banquet was served, and the usual toasts were gone through, interspersed with se lections by Bro. McCann, the Concertina King, and songs and recitations by other brethren.

 

An August 14 1903 New Zealand paper noted that he returned to London.

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=WDT19030814.2.25

 

He was in Dublin in 1903 as I noted in a post above, and he was in the Sheffield Grand Theatre 1903 as per Wes Williams post above.

 

A November 11 1903 article in the Otago Witness (New Zealand) says:

Concertina King McCann, recently through New Zealand with Rickard's Company, is running a musical academy in Liverpool.

 

A ca 1905 Lachnal brochure reads as if he were still alive:

Professor Maccann can recommend these instruments for simplicity in learning.

 

A Lachenal brochure of ca 1920 mentions "the late Professor McCann." Both of these brochures are on www.concertina.com.

 

We can thus assume that McCann died in or after 1905 and before 1920. I would guess that that death occurred in 1905 or 1906, otherwise he would have turned up in a music hall gig or some such - unless he was incapacitated for a long time.

 

Now let's turn to the "musical academy" in Liverpool (mentioned in 1903, above).

Neil Wayne noted in his concertina museum website that he had a Lachenal duet Concertina stamped Maccann's English Concertina Academy, Liverpool; Lachenal & Co's Instruments. It is listed there as

 

C.309 Lachenal & Co Maccann Duet, 61 Key, gilt metal ends, No 1819. Internal dealer's stamp on inner pan face from "Maccann's English Concertina Academy, Liverpool; Lachenal & Co's Instruments". Whether THE Maccann, or merely a use of his name, is not known.

 

Here is the stamp:

http://www.concertin...ies/C309g3b.jpg

 

It says

Maccann's English Concertina Academy

16 Dunkeld Street West Derby Road

Liverpool

Lachenal & Company Instruments

 

With the 1903 note from New Zealand, we can assume that Maccann opened that place in 1903 after returning from Australia/New Zealand, and that perhaps it was also his last domicile. Can any of you UK based sleuths do anything with this address and information?

 

Edited by Dan Worrall
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