Arthur Tilley 1847 to 1921 next maker Arthur Tilley's family were dairy farmers and horse dealers in Surbiton, Surrey. He was introduced to the banjo in early boyhood by a friend bringing one to his home on a wet evening. The two boys amused themselves with the crude 7-string instrument in a harness room and as the banjo could not be taken away because of the pouring rain, Tilley had it in his possession until the next time his companion visted them. In the meantime he taught himself the three chords in C and, in addition, had picked up enough to make his friend jealous and take the instrument away in high dudgeon. Having been bitten by the "banjo bug" and having no chance to buy an instrument, the young Tilley set to and made one. His interest in the banjo gradually increased and after hearing Huntley & Lee (of the Haverly Minstrels) play at a private recital in 1881, he discarded his 7-string home-made "tub" banjo and made himself a more modern five-string model which was the start of his venture into commercial banjo making. The census of that year has him as a "painter, musician & vocalist" He established a workshop for making banjos and in 1884 was granted a patent for a banjo with a flange to take the tension brackets instead of the conventional shoes, preceding Temlett by four years in this connection. At first Tilley banjos had only 16 frets (more than sufficient at the time) but when he became a recitalist at various concerts and exhibitions, in which he played solos of his own composition "in keys considered impossible on the banjo," he found the need for the full complement of frets and fitted them to all his instruments. He was awarded a First Prize Medal for his banjos at the Inventions Exhibition, Kensington, in 1885, and a year later he organised a group of six players who toured the whole of England and did much to advertise his banjos. Tilley was one of the first in England to use a plectrum on the banjo. With Jack Thomas, Dick Edmunds and Arthur Creswick and calling themselves "The Riverside Quartet." they used to go on the river in a boat on summer evenings and play waltzes composed by Tilley in single-note four-part harmony which was most effective. Later they appeared at concerts professionally and packed whatever hall they appeared in. This success led to Jack Thomas starting "The Stavordales" (q.v.). In 1889 Arthur Tilley started to make zither-banjos and in that year filed a patent for a zither-banjo in which the lower half of the hoop was made of wood and the upper half ("being called a bezel or cap") was of metal. By 1894 his entire output was zither-banjos and it was said he exported to every corner of the world. In 1892 he had an accident with a lathe when a drill struck his eye and permanently impaired his sight, but Tilley zither-banjos continued to be made in their hundreds until the outbreak of World War I, while he was still living in Surbiton ( the 1911 census shows him incorrectly bourn in 1850) Shortage of materials at the time appears to have forced him to give up the manufacture, for in 1918 he was working in an aeroplane factory. His instruments were always well made and have always been highly prized. Images courtesy of Keith Knight

Arthur O Windsor 1858 to 1938 As a young man, Arthur Octavius Windsor acquired a thorough knowledge of wood and metal working and by 1887 had a small factory in Birmingham for the making of coffin 'furniture'. He played the banjo as a hobby and when the instrument started to become universally played he made some instruments after his own design. He had his own bench in a corner of his factory where he fashioned the instruments that carried his name as maker. His banjos proved popular and in three years he had set up an instrument factory in Newhall Street and was employing a staff of twenty-five, all making banjos. Very soon his range of instruments included most of the fretted instruments. He made the first mandolin-banjo with a back built up of separate segments and in 1893 took out a patent to use the same method for the backs of zither-banjos, although he continued to use one-piece backs on his cheaper models. At school, Arthur had been called 'Castle' and he adopted the silhouette of Windsor Castle as a trade mark and called his premises in Newhall Street 'Castle Works'. (In addition to the 94 Newhall Street factory, he had sawmills and a wood-working plant in Mott Street). In the early days, Windsor tested every instrument before it left the factory. In March 1892 he teamed up with Arthur J.Taylor, a prominent Birmingham teacher ( who taught Olly Oakley ) and player of the banjo and the firm of Windsor & Taylor came into being. ( Oakley was working in Taylor's shop at this time so this employment came to an abrupt end and Oakley went to work for Joseph Riley where he sold Windsor & Taylor banjos ) Taylor had begun to teach the banjo in 1881 and had first met Windsor in 1885 whilst trying to find a good banjo of English make to sell to-his pupils. They-did business together for some time before entering into a deed of partnership. It was at this time the firm started to make open-back banjos. In January, Windsor & Taylor organised the Birmingham B.M. & G. Orchestra which gave its first public concert in March of that year. These concerts became regular affairs (at which the leading soloists of the day appeared) and the orchestra also visited such places as Coventry, Leamington, Liverpool, London etc. Windsor and Taylor entered the publishing field and this, coupled with the public appearances of A.O.Windsor and A.J.Taylor (both of whom were first-class banjo soloists), did much to publicise the instruments they made and a studio was set aside for him in the factory to enable him tocarry onwith his teaching activities. The fact that Oakley changed to zither banjo and was playing a 'Windsor' did much to boost sales. Unlike other manufactures of the day, every part of the instruments made by Windsor & Taylor were fashioned in the Newhall Street factory, including all the metal parts used. The latter were always 'non-standard' so that a replacement could only be purchased from them. 1896 the firm published a 50-page booklet How a Zither-Banjo is Made. Given away free of charge it helped sell the instruments which were already a household name. In 1901, Taylor left the firm and then the title became Arthur O. Windsor. He had a stand at the British Industries Fair, White City, London, which was most impressive and did much to make the Windsor products known to overseas buyers. In 1928 Windsor brought out his famous 'hollow arm' zither-banjo with its revolutionary resonator-type back. Windsor made instruments for other firms and would copy any design or model. They also supplied many of their cheaper stock instruments branded with the retailer's name as maker. The firms range of banjos, zither-banjos, banjolins and mandolin-banjos was wide because, they offered a large discount on catalogue prices, their lower-priced instruments became known in the trade as 'pawnshop banjos'. These instruments could always be found in pawnshops throughout the country where they would be offered for sale for as much as 50%, below the catalogue price. The firm ceased to exist in December 1940, two years after Windsor had died, when the factory was destroyed in an air raid. Up to that time Windsor was probably the largest maker of fretted instruments ever known in this country. The output of the Newhall Street factory in Birmingham must have been into many thousands of instruments each year. next maker

In 1960 the Ode Company, Mariposa Avenue, Boulder, Colorado was founded by Charles Ogsbury, a young engineering student of Colorado. It announced its entry into the banjo making field with a range of 5-string and long necked banjos ranging in price from $72-$86. These instruments quickly gained favour with folk and bluegrass enthusiasts and before long a far greater range of instruments, including plectrum-banjos, was being produced. When the firm moved to Boulder, Colorado in 1964 they also used the name “Muse” and identical instruments were sold under both brand names, Ode being given style letters and Muse style numbers. i.e. “Ode style B” and “muse style 5” were the same banjo at the same price of $295. The main difference being that Ode was purchased direct from the manufacturer and Muse supplied only through dealers. In October 1966 it was announced that the Baldwin Piano and Organ Company of Cincinnati, Ohio had bought the Ode Company and all instruments produced in the Boulder factory would be marketed under the Baldwin name through its guitar division and Charles Ogsbury was retained as a consultant. Images courtesy of Gruhn Guitars Ode & Ome next maker

... of 15 Terry Street, Nelson, Lancashire, was an enthusiastic teacher of the banjo whose banjo playing experiences went back to the days of the smooth and unfretted instrument. In addition to his own professional appearances in and around his home town, he directed the Nelson Banjo Band for many years and as a result he had ample opportunities for selling his banjos bearing his name as maker. The images of this Lund Cello banjo show that he clearly had access to play and copy the instruments eminating from makers such as Essex and Dallas in London on the back of the BMG Orchestras. His training in the gas industry almost certainly influenced him as clearly he was a fine engineer producing quality hardware. Typically at the start of the 20th C a lot of components for standard sized banjos could be bought off the shelf at hardware shops but it is demonstrated here that his small production gave rise to a certain naivety in woodworking, displayed in this example, in the dovetail joints used for the perch pole. Or perhaps the steel bracing was a later modification. Images courtesy of David Grego William Lund to 1945 next maker

The zither-banjos stamped on the heel "Made by J. Newel, 402 High Street, Manor Park" S London were in fact made by Windsors . They were the standard "shoulder" model made by Windsor, sold at the same price, but without the Windsor name on them minus the '“Castle" nameplate in the centre of the back of the hoop. Newell was a successful player and teacher. J Newel Do you have a pre 1940's banjo by this maker? can you supply us some images? next maker

Do you have a pre 1940's banjo by this maker? can you supply us some images? next maker ... had begun to teach the banjo in 1881 and had first met AO Windsor in 1885 whilst trying to find a good banjo of English make to sell to-his pupils. They did business together for some time before entering into a deed of partnership. It was at this time the firm of Windsor & Taylor started to make open-back banjos. In January they organised the Birmingham B.M. & G. Orchestra which gave its first public concert in March of that year. These concerts became regular affairs (at which the leading soloists of the day appeared) and the orchestra also visited such places as Coventry, Leamington, Liverpool, London etc. . In 1901, Taylor left the firm. Banjos with the logo of " Taylor Liverpool " have been seen but it appear that these are two different makers as the 1911 census shows the former still living in Birmingham. Arthur John Taylor 1861 to ..

J H Williamson 1856 to ... next maker .. little is known of this maker working out of 52 Park Street, Lincoln, Lincolnshire in 1891. This fretless instrument however is very interesting with regard to both the neck clamp; and the make up of the neck which is of four laminations including the main wood, English Yew, which is not known for it's consistent grain. A C Dawson was teaching banjo out of 2 Castle Street, Lincoln in 1897. See Hardy for another maker of Lincoln.

.. was an enthusiastic banjo player in Boston, Mass. who was making the occasional banjo for his friends from about 1875. In 1880 he and William E Cole formed a partnership, and trading under the name of Fairbanks & Cole established a workshop in Beach Street, Boston “to manufacture banjos, mandolins and guitars”. With Frank Cole (younger brother of William) in charge of production the firm flourished. On December 30th 1890 they patented a banjo with a tone ring which they called their “Special Electric Model”. In 1903 this model was redesigned to begin its worldwide fame as the “ Whyte Laydie” banjo. In 1892 AC Fairbanks, having lost interest in banjo making, gave up control of the firm to exploit his invention of the wooden rim for bicycles, forming the AC Fairbanks Wood Rim Co. The Cole brothers also left to form their own banjo making company. The financial control of Fairbanks & Cole was acquired my Messrs Dodge & Cummings who changed the title to AC Fairbanks & Co Inc. and put David L Day (subsequently to be associated with the Bacon Banjo Co .) in charge of product ion at the firms new premises at 786 Washington Street. In 1895 the firm patented a tubular tone ting for the banjo which they called the “tu-ba-phone” and on1st September 1909 this was incorporated in an instrument they called the “tu-ba-phone banjo” although by this time they were under the control of the Vega Company. Early in the 1900 the Fairbanks Company had made a second grade banjo called the “Star” which had a five pointed star on the peg head. In 1904 the Washington Street premises were burned to the ground and the trading name and salvaged plant were taken over by the Vega Company and incorporated in their Sudbury Street Factory. For a time both the Fairbanks and Vega company names were used in advertising , at the same, Sudbury address. Prior to 1904 The Vega Company had not made banjos. Acquiring the Fairbanks plant, they continued the production of “Fairbanks “instruments and in addition launched the Vega banjo – both ranges of instruments being made in the same workshops and in fact being identical except for the name. For eighteen years both “Fairbanks” and “Vega” banjos were made in the Sudbury Street works nad David L Day was then the salesman for the two-in-one firm. He travelled the whole of the USA selling their products. He left the company on 18th September 1922 to become the Vice President of the Bacon Banjo Company Inc. of Groton, Conn, At this time the Fairbanks name was finally dropped by Vega. Note: The double spun pot on this 1895 5 string gut strung. Pictures of Electric courtesy of Steve Prior. Hank Schwartz site on the history of Fairbanks A C Fairbanks & Co 1890- 1895 next maker

.. of Albany, New York fashioned banjos in many odd designs from about 1870. It is said that he was always experimenting to find the perfect banjo and most of his necks were made without a perch-pole being bolted directly to the hoop. He succeeded to the business of Albert Wilson who continued to produce the banjo with the wooden hoop veneered with German silver which had been marketed by Wilson. Farnham does not appear to have produced any banjos after 1890. William H Farnham Do you have a banjo by this maker? can you supply us some images? next maker

... the eldest of 8 children born in Lancashire (Ulverston?) he always advertised himself as "the pioneer maker of mandolins and guitars in Great Britain" and from about 1886 appears to have also made zither- banjos in his factory at 4a Kentish Town Road, London. A feature of these instruments was the balalaika-type of machine head faced with a highly engraved nickel silver plate; all the buttons being on the one side. About the year 1890 he produced a banjo with a hoop of aluminum and claimed to be the first to use this metal for a banjo hoop. In 1893, in conjunction with J. E. Nott-Barnes, he was running the St.Cecilia B.M. & G. Club in which he later claimed to have played the first piccolo banjo, an instrument he had himself made. (In 1896 he was the official conductor of the club at its concerts.) In May 1903 , Messrs James Sinton Ltd. of 151/153 Wardorf Street, London, were advertising "J. G. Winder mandolins etc. are made in our London workshops" yet in the picture of his "factory" is a notice"Albert Hopkins sole agent for J G Winder's English Made Mandolines and Banjos" In February 1910 he wrote from 532 Caledonian Road, London, N. "as a musical instrument maker" to the President of the Board of Trade (on the occasion of the opening of "Labour Exchanges") suggesting a scheme for teaching the making of musical instruments. He said he would like to see established a "School of Musical Instrument Making" with reading room. library and museum "to teach in a first-class and up-to-date manner." John Geldert Winder 1859 to 1931 next maker

next maker Abbott trained as a cabinet maker and was a maker of banjos from about 1895 and sold under his own name and made for other firms and teachers (e.g. Barnes & Mullins , John Alvey Turner , Norton Greenop , Charles Skinner, Len Shevill , G. Scarth) . When Barnes &, Mullins came to London in 1901,and soon after, started their own workshops at Harrow, Middlesex, John G. Abbott supervised the making of the Barnes & Mullins banjos and zither-banjos. In 1905 he left Barnes & Mullins to form his own company with the title of J. G (George). Abbott & Co. and a factory at 97/99 Hampstead Road, London, N.W.l. The instruments they made were grouped under the general names of "Mirabile" (banjos), "Monarch" (plectrum-banjo and tenor-banjos) and Amboyna" (Zither-banjos). About 1928 his workshops were transferred to 44 Chalton Street,Euston Road (where his son-learned the art of instrument making) and four years later he became, part of the Besson Co., when his works were transferred to Besson’s premises at Stanhope Place, Marble Arch, London, when the making of banjos virtually ceased, his activities being devoted to making plectrum guitars (sold under the brand of "Aristone"). In 1936 he suffered from serious internal trouble from which he never fully recovered. He died on February 11, 1938 after a brief illness. John (“Jack") Abbott, son of the above learned the craft of instrument making in his father's workshops. When his father joined Besson & Co. in 1932, he established his own one room work-shops at various addresses in London for the making of, mostly, guitars. He did make a few banjos and even steel guitars with a pickup, which were branded "Abbott-Victor”. He gave up business in 1957. John G Abbott 1878 to 1938