Barnabas Brighton (1856-c.1919)

Barnabas Brighton was born in 1856 in Saxlingham Nethergate, a village due south of Norwich on the main Norwich to Ipswich road, where he lived all his life.

He was a bricklayer by trade and used to play the dulcimer for dancing in the village hall in Saxlingham Nethergate on a Saturday night, with a piano player, or sometimes and an accordion player.

The dulcimer was passed down to Barnabas’ son Leslie and then to Leslie’s nephew Jack Kirby, who kept it in his attic in Hempnall, a village a few miles further east. It had not been played since Barnabas died in 1919.

a	b

c	d	e	f	g
h	i

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Dimensions of this dulcimer

Photo descriptions & sources

Main photo: Barnabas Brighton (from the family)

a. Barnabas Brighton's dulcimer front (J Howson)

b. Barnabas Brighton's dulcimer back  (JH)

c. Barnabas Brighton's dulcimer front  (JH)

d. Barnabas Brighton's dulcimer stand  (JH)

e. Barnabas Brighton's dulcimer profile (JH)

f.  Barnabas Brighton's dulcimer bridges (JH)

g. Barnabas Brighton's dulcimer bridges (JH)

h. Barnabas Brighton's dulcimer sound hole (JH)

i. Barnabas Brighton's  beaters & tuning key (JH)