Jasper Norwood c1823 - 1898

Little has been written about Jasper Norwood and yet he was a person who made a great impact upon his adopted home of Preston in Lancashire where he was to spend almost all of his adult life in promoting “good” music throughout the town. What is known of him has been gleaned mostly from newspapers and from census returns.

He was born in Bisbrooke, Rutland about 1823.  To quote his obituary he was, “Born, as it were, in the Army, he showed evidences of his skill as a musician, and at the age of 19 was filling with credit to himself and satisfaction to the officers the responsible position of band master of the 53rd Regiment”, (The King’s Shropshire Light Infantry). On leaving the Army he settled in Preston where his father, also named Jasper, had taken up the post of sergeant of police. In April 1846 his father was living at 26 Oxford Street and had to face the embarrassing situation of having his police uniform stolen by a burglar.

Against an ongoing background of considerable civil unrest in the town attempts were made to provide amusements that would provide a distraction and prominent amongst these were the concerts at The Institution For the Diffusion of Knowledge. It was there in October 1852, in the theatre of the Institute, that the correspondent of the Preston Chronicle noted, “Mr. Norwood’s performance was one of excellence, those who did not hear “Home of Love” on Tuesday evening denied themselves a delicious pleasure”. Mr. Norwood, on this occasion, played only the clarionette (sic) but at the November concert also played the cornet-a-piston and in spite of their past praise the newspaper critic felt it necessary to comment that “His (Mr. Norwood’s) playing was excellent on the whole, but we think there is too much sameness in the cadenzas he introduces; if he varied their character occasionally he would, in my opinion, materially heighten the effect of his performances.” Mr. Norwood began to extend his geographical ambitions when he conducted the orchestra at a Blackburn Choral Society concert in December 1852

In spite of the criticism which was partly retracted by the reporter after the December concert at The Institution when “Mr. Norwood, on the clarionette, displayed a far greater command over the instrument than we had previously thought he possessed” it was enthusiastically announced that “Mr Norwood is now training a Quadrille Band and hopes in a short time to have it in such a state of proficiency as will delight the frequenters of the ballroom.”

Mr. Norwood must had worked hard rehearsing his musicians. Even though the organizers of the Tenth Annual Ball in aid of The Institution funds advertised a full quadrille band they clearly hesitated at using Mr. Norwood's name; however all went well for the Band of the 50th Regiment effectively played during the evening, alternating with the efficient band of Mr. Norwood.

It is worth noting the object of The Institution Ball which had first been held in 1843. This ball was established with a view to afford to the inhabitants of the town the opportunity of an annual assembly unconnected with political associations or sectarian charities. On this occasion there were some 140 persons present made their appearance from about nine o'clock and it was three in the morning when the last visitors reluctantly left the rooms. The company comprised of the respectable tradesmen of the town and their families with a sprinkling of the higher classes plus the officers of the 50th Regiment, now in the garrison.

Even before Norwood's success at the Institution Ball the Chronicle published on the 15th January carried an advertisement for "Norwood's Quadrille Band, open for engagements, 14 Deepdale Road, Preston."

In February 1853, at a concert at the Institution Mr. Riley presented to the elite of the town and others a select band of amateur musicians under the leadership of Serjeant (sic) Reeves of the Band of the 50th Regiment. While some criticism was made of the performance as a whole, Mr. Norwood was singled out as the cornopean obbligato when the accompaniment of  Mr. Riley's vocal offering of "The Sea Has It's Pearls" was described as "one of Mr. Norwood's happiest moments". The cornopean was an early name given to the cornet-a-piston. Later in the concert Mr. Norwood's performance on the tenor-cornopean was "creditable but not equal to the one just noticed."

By June the same year Mr. Norwood was re-forging his links with the Army when, following the presentation of colours to the Third Regiment of Lancashire Militia, he directed the music at the ball in the Exchange Rooms. The dance performed by "the votaries of the Terpsichore were, now a quadrille, now a waltz and now a gallopade."

Click here to return to home page