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W Poulton Pianos and Organs Store
- Thread starter ChrisElse
- Start date
Angelafrance
New Member
Hello, i have a piano in France from this shop saying W Poulton High Street West Bromwich, Broadley London. And am wondering how did it reach here. Thank you
Radiorails
master brummie
Broadley is nowhere as famous as Broadwood. My last piano was a Broadwood. I have not seen anything on-line about Broadley other than what is posted here. I believe Broadley was in business around 1900 but that could be a different person. Presumably when Binks and Broadley split up their partnership they both went separate ways.
It seems that Broadley was a manufacturer, Poultons a retail outlet.
I guess there are many explanations why a London made piano,seemingly purchased in West Bromwich, found its way to continental Europe. Someone moved there from England? A religious organisation took it there or it could well have gone there with armed forces during WW1 or WW2? The explanations, are, I imagine numerable.
Possibly others here will add detail.
1846 -"Notice is hereby given, that the Partnership lately subsisting between us the undersigned, William Binks and Daniel Broadley, trading under the firm of Binks and Co., as Piano Forte Maker s, in Woodhouse-lane, in Leeds, in the county of York, was this day dissolved by mutual consent ; and al debts due to and from the said firm will be received and paid by the said William Binks, who will carry on the business in his own name as usual: As witness our hands this 20th day of October 1846. William Binks. Daniel Broadley." The London Gazette, 23/10/1846, p. 3749 - and - The Spectator, 24/10/1846, p. 1028 - and - The Law Times, 31/10/1846, p. 83
It seems that Broadley was a manufacturer, Poultons a retail outlet.
I guess there are many explanations why a London made piano,seemingly purchased in West Bromwich, found its way to continental Europe. Someone moved there from England? A religious organisation took it there or it could well have gone there with armed forces during WW1 or WW2? The explanations, are, I imagine numerable.
Possibly others here will add detail.
1846 -"Notice is hereby given, that the Partnership lately subsisting between us the undersigned, William Binks and Daniel Broadley, trading under the firm of Binks and Co., as Piano Forte Maker s, in Woodhouse-lane, in Leeds, in the county of York, was this day dissolved by mutual consent ; and al debts due to and from the said firm will be received and paid by the said William Binks, who will carry on the business in his own name as usual: As witness our hands this 20th day of October 1846. William Binks. Daniel Broadley." The London Gazette, 23/10/1846, p. 3749 - and - The Spectator, 24/10/1846, p. 1028 - and - The Law Times, 31/10/1846, p. 83
sospiri
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Lyn,
Poultons would have been the distributors/sellers, the the paino would have been made by Broadleys of London, one of the dozens of upright piano manufacturers in London in the early part of the 20th Cenury. Now there's only Kemble left in the UK and that is because they manufacture pianos for Yamaha, which are sold under the Yamaha-Kemble brand. Kemble were originally in Stoke Newington, London.
AngelaFrance,
I now live in Crete and never expected newcomers to move a piano from overseas, but an old couple from France did exactly that about 12 years ago. Yet comparing the state of the piano with the huge cost of moving it, it certainly wasn't justified in my opinion. But I suppose if you're are only crossing the English Channel, especially if you have access to a small commercial vehicle, the cost would be much lower.
Maurice
Poultons would have been the distributors/sellers, the the paino would have been made by Broadleys of London, one of the dozens of upright piano manufacturers in London in the early part of the 20th Cenury. Now there's only Kemble left in the UK and that is because they manufacture pianos for Yamaha, which are sold under the Yamaha-Kemble brand. Kemble were originally in Stoke Newington, London.
AngelaFrance,
I now live in Crete and never expected newcomers to move a piano from overseas, but an old couple from France did exactly that about 12 years ago. Yet comparing the state of the piano with the huge cost of moving it, it certainly wasn't justified in my opinion. But I suppose if you're are only crossing the English Channel, especially if you have access to a small commercial vehicle, the cost would be much lower.
Maurice
Pedrocut
Master Barmmie
An advert in 1925 says W Poulton was established 40 years earlier, and the main warehouse was in Great Bridge. The head showroom was 268/270 High Street, West Bromwich. Branch showroom at Pleck in Walsall.
Last mention I can see is 1945, but there was a fire at the premises in 1937.
Last mention I can see is 1945, but there was a fire at the premises in 1937.
oldbrit
OldBrit in Exile
Sad now here in the USA Pianos are all most not wanted anymore. You almost can not even give them away, the high costs of moving them and have they little or no value. My Dad Bert Crump was a concert pianist and we always had a grand or baby grand in our front room, when he passed away, he left a Bleuthner grand in the front room. my sister tried to move it and it almost fell apart! Junk is all it was. Also the floor underneath had rotten away what a mess. No central heating those days
Robert Ensor (bob)
master brummie
Our last house the people were nice enough to leave a piano for us Ha Ha.
Radiorails
master brummie
There was a craze, I believe in the late 1960's/ early70's of braking up pianos - actually smashing them up would be more accurate. Charity fetes seemed to be a principal venue for this form of vandalism, but history will show that many undesirable or illegal things are claimed good if it is 'for charity' - as if that makes it right. Keyboards seem to be a form of replacement, from basic plink-plonks to quite expensive all singing and dancing ones. Communist China, which had at one time considered pianos as an Imperialist tool and destroyed most of them changed course and - I believe it was Mrs Mao (Chiang Ching?), who was one of the later despised gang of four - who decided that 'foreign things' should serve China. Since that time there has arisen some great pianists, musicians and orchestras from China.
sospiri
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
John,
I would say it is the same over most of Europe and the only people buying acoustic pianos are students studying to be concert pianists. Although the actions still leave a bit to be desired, sampled pianos are now getting very realistic as this shows - a fraction of both weight and cost of an acoustic model. This is just one of the dozens available
Maurice
I would say it is the same over most of Europe and the only people buying acoustic pianos are students studying to be concert pianists. Although the actions still leave a bit to be desired, sampled pianos are now getting very realistic as this shows - a fraction of both weight and cost of an acoustic model. This is just one of the dozens available
Maurice
garrypearce
New Member
My wife's late nan and grandad purchased the family home of the Poultons, 64 Edward Street, West Bromwich. My mother in law and her brother and sister were brought up in the house.