John Harwood (dates unknown)
John Howson bought a dulcimer in East Anglia which was built by a J. Harwood in Great Yarmouth.
This instrument is currently for sale, along with a couple of others. If you’re interested, please email via this website.
Genealogical research has revealed that at least three generations of the Harwood family worked as carpenters in Great Yarmouth throughout the 19th century.
John Harwood (JH1), b.1802 had a son (JH2) and a grandson (JH3) both baptised John George, and a great grandson baptised John George William (JH4), the latter breaking with the family trade and becoming an engineer.
The first three of these generations of John Harwoods lived and worked in The Rows, a network of exceptionally narrow streets, built within the medieval town walls. Although these streets contained some wealthy merchant’s houses, by the 19th century they were largely inhabited by independent craftsmen and artisans, running their own small workshops and living and working on the same premises. From the census returns it looks as if the Harwood family moved around a bit within the Rows, which had been given numbers instead of names in 1804.
With three generations of carpenters, it’s hard to pin down when the dulcimer would have been made, but it probably dates from between 1840 and 1890.
More details about the Rows in Great Yarmouth can be found here: http://www.great-yarmouth.co.uk/things-to-do/the-rows.aspx
More photos and information about John Harwood’s dulcimer
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