J. H. BIMSON, WIGAN

[nkgibbs]

I have just received a circa 1930 32b Lachenal Anglo which has a stamp on both action boards;

 

J.H. BIMSON

Dealer and Repairer of

Musical Instruments

38, MITCHELL ST

NEWTOWN

WIGAN

 

Has anyone come across this stamp before?

 

Best Wishes,

Neil

 

[wes williams]

Hi Neil,

I haven't found any directory references, but here you'll find some basic info on James Henry Bimson.

Edited September 22, 2010 by wes williams

[Guest HallelujahAl!]

Well it can't be a 1930s instrument as he died in 1928 according to the records???

[wes williams]

Well it can't be a 1930s instrument as he died in 1928 according to the records???

We don't know if things continued - it could have been run as a family sideline - so 1930s could be possible. But the data shows he was living at the address from sometime between 1901 and 1911 until his death, which gives us a rough guide to when this stamp could have been made.

[Mark Davies]

Wigan,like many industrial towns in Lancashire,was a hot bed of concertina playing.I bought many concertinas there in the early 1970's and got to know the last concertina repairer in the town Levi Lambert who I lived in an Wood Street,off Scott Lane,Newtown,Wigan.Like Bimson he put his stamp on concertinas after he had repaired them and I have seen a number of concertinas containing his stamp.Mr Lambert like many of the players in the Wigan area had started playing in local concertina bands.

 

Wigan also contained some great Maccann players.The last two I can remember were ICA members Jack Whalley & Jim Topping who donated the Red Rose Cup that was competed for at the annual ICA festival.I also recall that a man with the surname Rigby was also a well known Maccann player in Wigan.

 

Nearer to St Helens at Peasley Cross lived John(Jack)Molyneux the only concertina player(that I am aware of)who was awarded the Victoria Cross.I was told by my great friend Harry Hatton of Haydock that Molyneux has played in the Peasley Cross Concertina Band before the First World War and on his return from the War a testimonial fund was set up and he was presented with an inscribed Jeffries Anglo.Harry visited Molyneux occasionally and we were planning to go and see him again but he died I think in late 1972

Harry Hatton071.pdf