George Wilmott Lawrence’s dulcimer
The dulcimer now in the Museum of Cambridge was made by George Wilmott Lawrence, believed to be made in 1886 (there is a rogue date of 1866 on the label in one of the photos).
It was donated to the Museum (then called Cambridge Folk Museum) in 1963, by one of George’s grand-daughters (Mrs Ada Smoothy) when her mother, George’s daughter, (Sarah Annie Wills) died. This date is supported by a report from the museum stating that Mr Billy Cooper, then ‘aged 80’ had restrung it. Billy, a renowned dulcimer player himself, was 80 in 1963 and died in 1964. Other claims have been made that the instrument was built by Will Lawrence, but the provenance seems to point to his older brother, George Wilmott Lawrence as being the maker.
Dimensions of George Wilmott Lawrence’s dulcimer
Click on a thumbnail, then click again to see a full-size picture.
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