29 January 2012

Who was A.S. Weiss?

I continue to work on the biography of Charles Nicholas Weiss and continue to search for historical newspaper references to him. Because of my search terms I often find other Weiss' as well.

The other day I came across the following reference in the Liverpool Mercury, 14 Feb 1834, to Charles' brother Willoughby Gaspard Weiss, who lived and worked in Liverpool as a music-seller and publisher:

NEW QUADRILLES AND WALTZES
W.G. WEISS begs leave to inform his Friends and the Public that he has just published the FOURTH SET of the CHESHIRE QUADRILLES, dedicated to Mrs Hulton of Hulton Park, by W. ST. ALBIN; also a Set of beautiful WALTZES by A.S. WEISS, of Mulhausen, adapted for Dancing, and dedicated to Mrs Jos. Langton, by W. ST. ALBIN. These Quadrilles and Waltzes are danced every night at the Wellington Rooms, and have been received with the most dedicated approbation, which induces W.G. WEISS to recommend them with the greatest confidence to the Public.
An Elegant Assortment of PIANO-FORTES, of every description, MUSIC, etc.
Music Saloon, 2, Church Street.

The mystery is: Who was A.S. Weiss? (Mulhausen is the German form of the French word Mulhouse). He or she is not one of Charles and Willoughby's siblings. Their father, Gaspard, was apparently the first musical member of the family. I asked Tobias Bonz, who has been working with Gaspard's autobiography and he's never heard of A.S. Weiss. Googling brings no answers. So, was A.S. Weiss a member of the extended family who also developed their musical skills, in response the success of Gaspard and Charles? Will we ever know? Probably not.

Oh, and William St. Albin was a local dancing teacher. And Mrs Hulton was married to William Hulton, a wealthy landowner who was a major local player in the social unrest caused by the struggle of the working class towards the end of the industrial revolution in Britain. I could at least find references to them!

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