A dulcimer
was bought at Gaze’s sale in Diss in 2007 by John Howson. Its case was in a
poor condition and riddled with woodworm, but the actual dulcimer was sound
and unusually had a full set of bridges. In the initial stages of restoration
the words “J. Caston, Forncett, Norfolk” were found written in pencil on back
of the dulcimer's stand. When the moth-eaten paper was stripped off the back,
the same signature and location was found again, written in pencil.
The maker has
now been identified as James Caston, carpenter, born 1783 – meaning this could
be a fairly early instrument, most likely to have been made between 1820 and
1860.
1851 census showing James Caston, aged 68,
in Forncett St Peter
James Caston lived
all his life in the village of Forncett St Peter, a couple of miles west of
the main Norwich-Ipswich road, in south Norfolk. In 1810 he married Sarah King
and in 1811 his first son Charles was born, who later followed in the family
trade. Charles moved away to Tacolneston for a while, but came back to the
family business in Forncett when his father retired in the 1850s. Charles’ son
James also became a carpenter, and worked in the family business for a short
period around 1860, but soon established his own concern in Spooner Row, with
his wife running a general store alongside his carpenter's and wheelwright’s
shop. James senior died on 2nd June 1863 in Forncett.
The dulcimer has now been dismantled ready for complete restoration. Each part
is being photographed
and scale drawings are being made. They will be available here as soon as the
work is completed.
