Contents
Introduction
The Jews Harp and the Troman Family
David and Phoebe Troman, from Rowley village to Birmingham and the booklet written by Derek Tromans in 1953.
Observation on the text of Derek Tromans booklet
Troman, Jews Harps and Gypsies
The Troman family, Bedsteads and Malvern Hall.
John R Smith Jew's Harp maker of Rowley Regis and New York State
Although Jews Harps were made in the Black Country, and in particular Rowley Village, perhaps for hundreds of years in large quantities, there is today hardly any tangible evidence of the craft apart from few price lists, census records, mentions in trade directories and a couple of old newspaper articles.
The buildings in which they were made have long since disappeared although the streets are still there, Shell Corner, Rowley Village, Hawes Lane, Club Buildings (Stanford Drive), Newtown on the edge of Netherton and the quaintly named Beggars Row in Cradley Heath.
If your lucky you can still purchase a Black Country Jews Harp via the internet if your very fortunate it could bear the name Troman or the Troman makers mark.
Somewhere there still exists a folder containing actual samples of Troman Harps made in the late 19th Century and a descendant of the troman family wrote a small booklet in the 1950s to record details of the manufacture and origin of Jews Harp making in the Black Country for posterity.
But generally although it’s a fascinating story hardly anyone today has any inkling that this area was at one time the world centre for the manufacture of this strange little instrument amidst the chains nails and anchors which made the Black Country famous. Everyone remembers the mighty Titanic Anchor produced by Hingleys of Netherton but no one remembers a little musical instrument called the Jews Harp produced by numerous families in the home forges of the Black Country.
Shank of a Sidaway Jews Harp recently unearthed in East Yorkshire.
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Article which appeared in the Blackcountry Bugle by Bob Adams
In response to your recent articles about Jews Harps and the Troman connection, I would like to submit the following. Ferdinando Tromans was the brother of my Grandfather George Tromans who at one time kept a fish and chip shpopposite the Anchor in Gorsty hill. George was the second eldest son of 14 children. Ferdinando was the eldest then came Mary Anne, Hannah, George,William,Edmund,Alice,Ernest,Frederick, Benjamin,John,Samuel,Lily and Thomas. In 1901 the family were living in Pearson St, Old Hill but Ferdinando was livinh in Lawrence Lane. I enclose a photo of George very smartly dressed in his back yard at Gorsty Hill, he allways dressed up ,according to my mother and my aunt ,and insisted on his family being well turned out and well behaved at all times. He also liked a drink and hobnobbed with his 'betters' more than once he was escorted home a little the worse for drink by the local bobby. He worked at some time as a miner underground until he hurt his hand and had to move to surface work, eventually he saw the potential in a greengrocers at gorsty Hill as a fish and chip shop and so moved into business on his own account. My grandmother however had to do most of the work as well as bring up 9 children whilst Grandad proceeded to drink the profits. the shop eventually closed presumably during the ist world war.
According to my mother uncle Ferdy as she referred to him was a very tall man well over 6 feet, I think you can see this from the photo previously printed in the Bugle.
I was intrigued by the name Ferdinando and started to trace my maternal family history, soon discovering th jews harp connection. Ferdinando could have been named after an Earl of Dudley - Ferdinando Duley Lea who succeeded to the Barony in 1740. The earliest record I can find of a Ferdinando Tromans so far is in the St Giles Parish register 27/2/1771 'Ferdinando son of James and Hannah Troman baptised' On the 27/9/1771there is the record previously described 'Ferdinando Troman buried - ffee 1/4 refused pay'. It is not clear wheter this burial record relates to the infant Ferdinando as usually with an infant death the name of the father is also recorded, but in this case it is not so it may be a previous incumbent of the name. I can however find no earlier record of the name .
In addition to the Newtown Tromans there was also a colony of jews harp makers in Rowley Village or 'upper rowley' and I believe you can connect both colonies via the St Giles registers and Captain Tromans.
I spent months transcribing all the Tromans in the register and then arranging them into date order which reveals the family groups and connects the generations, this can't be done by simply looking at the registers. I then looked at St Thomas in Dudley and the parish registers of Park Lane Presbytarian chapel; St Marys, Kingswinford and Oldswinford in an effort to complete the picture.
I like to think the original jews harp makers came from Rowley Village and later an offshoot was formed in Newtown which I understand was at one time a hamlet along the lines of mushroom green. The jews harp makers in Rowley Village lived in Hawes Lane and Club Buildings which is now Stanford Drive. One of them Benjamin Tromans is listed as living in a 'private house' Hawes Lane so he may have been of some account. Jews Harp makers listed in Rowley Village from 1841 were David Tromans, Nealy Tromans, Benjamin Tromans,Joseph Tromans,John Tromans, George Tromans and Timothy Tromans.
Jews Harps are mentioned by the Rev George Barrs Curate of St Giles in his memoir ' here also the manufacture of jews harps is carried on and sometimes employs a considerable number of persons'. In the 1912 Kelly directory the Hawes Lane Tromans can be found in Long Lane Blackheath with the entry John and George Tromans Long Lane Blackheath - Jews Harp Makers. after this the trail disapears but someone researching the same name told me that at one time most of Shell Corner (long Lane) was owned by the Tromans family. I also have an article enclosed here from the Birmingham Voice headlined ' City Export was something to Harp on about', the article goes on to say there was a firm in Curzon St Birmingham which made jews harps until 1946 its name was M Tromans and Co , it had existed since 1700 and had been passed down from farther to son for more than 5 generations. In 1935 they were making 100000 per week and couldnt keep up with demand. Is there a connection between this firm and Rowley.
Whilst looking at the 1841 cencus for Newtown I found the following entry for John Barnsley - ' John Barnsley 60. Jews Harp Maker, wife Rosehannah 60 son John 20, daughter Caroline 20, son Robert 1.. This must have been a prominent family because the start of this portion of the cencus reads ' all that part of the parish of Dudley called Newtown being the southern boundry commencing at John Barnsleys house' etc.There is an entry nearby for Isaac Troman 60, Jews Harp maker and his wife (also named Rosehannah). I believe these to be Ferdinandos Grandparents, they also feature in the St Giles and Park Lane registers. Whilst looking for Rosehannahs birth i found what i believe to be entries for both wives, they were both christened at the Chapelry of Brierley Hill and both named Homer, although my Rosehannah was illegitimate. I like to think that both Rosehannahs were cousins? and that Isaac was linked to John Barnsley in some way.
I dont know anything else about John Barnsley but I do think the Company still exists in Brierley Hill making Lifting gear.
In various trade directories for Birmingham from 1862 onwards there is listed Barnsley, Roland, Greg - Reliance Works, Ledsom St Jews Harp makers together with Troman Bros (Timothy and david) 154 Gt Brook St Birmingham. Did these people migrate from Rowley/Newtownto set up shop in Birmingham? there was certainly a David and a Timothy in Rowley Village jews Harp Makers. I couldnt find the Barnsleys after 1883 but the Troman Bros eventually turned into M Troman and Co and was still in Gt Brook St in 1942 and 1949 but had dissapeared by 1951. Also M Troman was a woman by the name of Millicent (shades of Eliza Tinsley) and I assume was the wife or daughter of David or Timothy.
The above article was written before I discovered the booklet written by Derek Troman in 1953 as described below.
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Between 1834 and 1841 a Jews Harp maker from Rowley Village along with his family moved to Duddeston a hamlet in the Parish of Aston, near Birmingham to continue his trade in what was fast becoming the workshop of England. The man was David Troman, his wife Phoebe; and their children, John; Timothy, Sarah; William; Benjamin; David jnr and Sarah. We know this because David is recorded as a Jews Harp maker in Rowley village in 1818, 1822 and 1834, his children were baptised at St Giles and the family subsequently appear on the 1841 census returns for Duddeston. In 1953 a descendant of David wrote a small booklet explaining the history and manufacture of Jews Harps and the story of the family, the following is a transcription of the final two chapters.
“In 1935 the Department of Commerce of the United States, reported that all the Jews Harps of the World were then being made by one firm in Birmingham, England, that one order from the United States to his firm was for 160000 instruments, and that the firm in question, though making 100000 per week, was unable to keep up with the world demand, owing to a lacck of skilled tongue setters. What they omitted to say was that the name of the firm was Troman and Co; Gt Brook St, Birmingham.
At the end of the eighteenth century, there came, to what we now know as the Black Country, one Trautmann, a deserter from the Prussian army. He came from Saxony, where the manufacture of Jews Harps and Harmonicas was in full swing, and settled among the nailers at Rowley. His name became Troman and under the influence of the nailers methods of working, he commenced to make Jews Harps. His sons carried on the trade, some transferring to the Brass industry. In 1839 when Britain was becoming the world’s work-shop a grandson of Trautmann, journeyed to Birmingham from Rowley, on a carriers cart, bringing his family with him – all sixteen of them. They settled in, first AB Row and later Prospect Row. As was the custom in those days, the wives also worked in the shops; side by side with the men. This wife was no exception, but she specialised in highly polished, steel toys and was considered quite an expert. Of these sixteen children, seven were boys, and these sons later opened their own forms in various parts of Birmingham, with the exception of two – one fell from a cart and was run over by the wheel; the other died after eating a surfeit of pancakes. One son Peter started making Jews harps in premises in Heneage Street; William in Avon St, Sparkhill; and David, Benjamin and Frederick, the remaining three took premises at 154, 155 and 156 Gt Brook St. In 1875 the partnership renewed the lease but later dissolved leaving my Grandfather, David Troman, to carry on until 1930, when he retired, his sons refused to carry on the business. A cousin of David, M Troman, a descendant of Peter, was in business a little further along Gt Brook St., and continued there until 1951, when due to material shortages, he closed down. Since 1930 his was the only firm manufacturing Jews Harps in the World. At the end of the 19th century my Grandfather was supplying America, in the face of German opposition because of the advent of malleable iron to this country, Schmitt the great German manufacturer had been to America where he was regarded as the maker of the best Jews Harps. The American firm of Strauss, Musical instrument factors, imported Harps marked, Smith, England made by David Troman, and thy captured the American market from Schmitt. In time the more modern methods of manufacture of the British Jews Harps makers, enabled them to capture even the German markets; and a German factor, Gebrudersshuster received Harps from David Troman at the magnificent price of three shillings per gross.
With the 1914-18 war came shortages of material; and modern repetitive machinery; but the decline had started. David refused to use machinery but M Troman installed many machines. Unfortunately the machine made Jews Harps became characterless, toneless toys, and they slowly sank into the category of trash until their death. There are few youngsters today who know what a Jews Harp is, and fewer still are the number of adults, who can play them.
The first Jews Harps produced in this Country by the Troman family were influenced by the nailers methods. They were forged not cast, as were the latest models. The forging was from ¼” square wire, about eight or ten inches long, tapered at both ends, like an old forged nail. This piece of wire was then bent round an oval block, in a vee shaped groove, then bent back round two pegs, set an inch and a half apart and about half an inch away from the oval block. The resultant keyhole -like shape, was the frame of the Harp; to this was added the tongue, hammered flat, from round, spring wire, attached by filing a groove in the curve of the frame, slightly under-cutting, and hammer welding it in.
As time progressed, new methods were evolved and a new era began, with malleable iron casting. Casting was originally done in the workshops but eventually it was found to be cheaper to have casings done by some outside firm, who specialised in it. When done on the premises, the frame- castings were placed in pots with haematite ore, and fired for three weeks to make them malleable, this entailed rising at 4am to light or make up the fires. Often they worked till very late at night. When the castings were cold they were put in revolving barrels known as shaking barrels, with leather scrap and oil. The leather scrap came from Walsall and was known as “Mosings” – pronounced “mousings”.
The tongues were cut on a press to a long, tapering shape the size being depend upon the size of the Jews Harp frame. It is interesting to note that the press upon which they were cut, in David Troman’s workshop was probably the original one from Rowley; for the thread of the shaft was brazed on wire, showng that it was made before the lathe came to the Midlands. It is more likely that the frame of the press was made in the anchor forges of Cradley or Rowley.
The tongues were hammered at their wider end, to give them a certain amount of spring, or width of spring. Making use of materials at hand, bundles of tongues were put into the heating furnace the bundles being made from a number of tongues placed in a Harp frame and tempered blue. After tempering came pickling in acid to remove the scales. The two components, frame and tongue were now ready for assembly.
For he better quality Harps, the tongues were filed to a feather edge at a bench on a peg, similar to a jewellers peg. In fact it was an elm block about 6 inches long and two inches deep, with a file cut, down the centre and screwed to a bench.
The stool on which the assembler sat, also bore a resemblance to a silversmiths stool, as did the tree-trunk with slightly domed stake, set in a hole in the top. This was surrounded by a flat steel on the tree-trunk top. This steel became indented on each side of the head, in time, as the setter dropped his hammer first on one side, then on the other. The tongue was first hammered on the wide end to give it a “U” section, and this was dropped into the undercut slot, in the casting, with the apex of the “U” uppermost. When given a sharp blow with the hammer, the edges of the tongue were forced into the undercuts, and welded in. Thus the tongue was attached to the frame. But one must remember that the two ends of the frame were still quite a distance from the tongue and had to be hammered up to the tongue. These two processes of welding and hammering up, were known as “knocking in” and “knocking up”.
The turning up of the tongue and the finishing were the last things to be done. Many types were decorated with file cuts on the faces, electro plating was also popular in gold, silver,copper, tin and brass, although for many years, a tinning pot and brass dip was kept at Gt Brook St. The most common finish was blueing and varnishing, the Harps being on a hot plate, thus acquiring their blue colour.
And now this little instrument has passed into the world of dead and dying crafts. No longer does old Bill Troman of Club Buildings, Rowley, with hands so large that he was paid in crowns, tramp into Birmingham twice a week, to deliver his out-work, of filed up castings to Gt Brook St, and with my father and uncle sons of David Troman, will go the secrets of a forgotten craft.
Derek H Troman. 1953.”
We are indebted to Louise Troman a descendant of David and Derek for permission to quote from the above. There are various inaccuracies in the account which will be explained in future updates. This is an ongoing project and the above is the first stage of publication only. We would be grateful for any comments or further information.
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“In 1935 the Department of Commerce of the United States, reported that all the Jews Harps of the World were then being made by one firm in Birmingham, England, that one order from the United States to his firm was for 160000 instruments, and that the firm in question, though making 100000 per week, was unable to keep up with the world demand, owing to a lack of skilled tongue setters. What they omitted to say was that the name of the firm was Troman and Co; Gt Brook St, Birmingham.
The Company mentioned above is M (Millicent) Troman & Co. Millicent (nee Truman) married Peter Troman, a distant cousin, son of Peter Troman and Charlotte Stapenhill and Grandson of Timothy Troman, son of David who moved from Rowley village in 1839.
All the Jews Harps were not being made by this one firm as stated above, at the time the Forward Manufacturing Company of Birmingham were also making Jews Harps in large quantities and Jews Harps were also produced in Germany and Austria and Czechoslovakia before the second world war.
At the end of the eighteenth century, there came, to what we now know as the Black Country, one Trautmann, a deserter from the Prussian army. He came from Saxony, where the manufacture of Jews Harps and Harmonicas was in full swing, and settled among the nailers at Rowley. His name became Troman and under the influence of the nailers methods of working, he commenced to make Jews Harps.
The above cannot be substantiated,the first mention of Jews Harp makers we can find in Rowley is 1740 and the name Troman appears in the St Giles parish register as early as 1641, as Troman is almost certainly an occupational name deriving from the old English word Trump or Tromp or the German Maultrommel, the deserter if he existed must have arrived far earlier than stated above, the Birmingham Voice in an article said that by the early 1700 jews harp making had become a Troman family business and intriguingly enough in 1729 a son of Samuel and Ann Troman ancestor of David named a son “Captain” and this name persisted for generations to come. Its also true that Jew’s harps were made in Austria and Germany as early as 1700 and indeed still are today.
His sons carried on the trade, some transferring to the Brass industry. In 1839 when Britain was becoming the world’s work-shop a grandson of Trautmann, journeyed to Birmingham from Rowley, on a carriers cart, bringing his family with him – all sixteen of them. They settled in, first AB Row and later Prospect Row.
This was David Troman and his wife Phoebe Jews Harp maker from Rowley Village, he was not a grandson of Trautman as we can trace his line in the St Giles register, the link to Trautman must have been far earlier, he is mentioned as being in Rowley in Trade Directories of 1822 and 1834 but by the Cencus of 1841 he is in Aston with his family in A B Row. There are however only six children mentioned in the St Giles baptisms and no further additions can be found. Other Jews Harpers did however move from Rowley to Aston, namely Rowland Greg Barnsley, Simeon Jones, and Isaac Watts, all prominent Rowley names who could be related by marriage and this could account for the discrepancy. Stories can often get garbled in the telling for instance the transfer to the Brass industry mentioned above did not occur until the family had moved to Birmingham, when one of Davids sons became a brass founder.
As was the custom in those days, the wives also worked in the shops; side by side with the men. This wife was no exception, but she specialised in highly polished, steel toys and was considered quite an expert. Of these sixteen children, seven were boys, and these sons later opened their own forms in various parts of Birmingham, with the exception of two – one fell from a cart and was run over by the wheel; the other died after eating a surfeit of pancakes. One son Peter started making Jews harps in premises in Heneage Street; William in Avon St, Sparkhill; and David, Benjamin and Frederick, the remaining three took premises at 154, 155 and 156 Gt Brook St.
David’s sons who were baptised at St Giles were; John (1813); Timothy (1815); William (1821); Benjamin (1825); David (1827); there were also two daughters Sarah (1816 died 1823) and another Sarah (1831 died same year). we can find no other baptisms and no other children are mentioned on subsequent Census records. Peter, mentioned in the above extract, was in fact a son of Timothy and Grandson of David, We can find no evidence of Fredericks relationship at present, although he is mentioned as a partner in Troman Bros in 1896. He is more likely to be the fourth son of David Jnr . David Jnr and Benjamin and Timothy were sons of David, and John David’s eldest son, who became a brass founder and bedstead maker, is not mentioned in the above extract.
In 1875 the partnership renewed the lease but later dissolved leaving my Grandfather, David Troman, to carry on until 1830, when he retired, his sons refused to carry on the business.
David was a great, great, Grandson of the original David via his son David (1827), the owner of the workshop illustrated in the booklet and who “refused to use machinery”
A cousin of David, M Troman, a descendant of Peter, was in business a little further along Gt Brook St., and continued there until 1951, when due to material shortages, he closed down. Since 1930 his was the only firm manufacturing Jews Harps in the World.
M Troman was Millicent Troman widow of Peter Troman who another great, great, grandson of the original David via his son Timothy (1815)
At the end of the 19th century my Grandfather was supplying America, in the face of German opposition because of the advent of malleable iron to this country, Schmitt the great German manufacturer had been to America where he was regarded as the maker of the best Jews Harps. The American firm of Strauss, Musical instrument factors, imported Harps marked, Smith, England made by David Troman, and they captured the American market from Schmitt. In time the more modern methods of manufacture of the British Jews Harps makers, enabled them to capture even the German markets; and a German factor, Gebrudersshuster received Harps from David Troman at the magnificent price of three shillings per gross.
With the 1914-18 war came shortages of material; and modern repetitive machinery; but the decline had started. David refused to use machinery but M Troman installed many machines. Unfortunately the machine made Jews Harps became characterless, toneless toys, and they slowly sank into the category of trash until their death. There are few youngsters today who know what a Jews Harp is, and fewer still are the number of adults, who can play them.
To quote the “Birmingham Voice” “so what put an end to this Birmingham monopoly? for one thing, since the majority of jew’s harps were for sale in America, Australia and South Africa, they began to make them for themselves, for another, bth during and after the war Troman’s was finding it difficult to get hold of castings, by 1946 the firm was finding it hard even to keep its three tongue setters (the most skilled part of the job) busy and no doubt the rise of the record player did not help either.”
The first Jews Harps produced in this Country by the Troman family were influenced by the nailers methods. They were forged not cast, as were the latest models. The forging was from ¼” square wire, about eight or ten inches long, tapered at both ends, like an old forged nail. This piece of wire was then bent round an oval block, in a vee shaped groove, then bent back round two pegs, set an inch and a half apart and about half an inch away from the oval block. The resultant keyhole -like shape, was the frame of the Harp; to this was added the tongue, hammered flat, from round, spring wire, attached by filing a groove in the curve of the frame, slightly under-cutting, and hammer welding it in.
As time progressed, new methods were evolved and a new era began, with malleable iron casting. Casting was originally done in the workshops but eventually it was found to be cheaper to have casings done by some outside firm, who specialised in it. When done on the premises, the frame- castings were placed in pots with haematite ore, and fired for three weeks to make them malleable, this entailed rising at 4am to light or make up the fires. Often they worked till very late at night. When the castings were cold they were put in revolving barrels known as shaking barrels, with leather scrap and oil. The leather scrap came from Walsall and was known as “Mosings” – pronounced “mousings”.
The tongues were cut on a press to a long, tapering shape the size being depend upon the size of the Jews Harp frame. It is interesting to note that the press upon which they were cut, in David Troman’s workshop was probably the original one from Rowley; for the thread of the shaft was brazed on wire, showng that it was made before the lathe came to the Midlands. It is more likely that the frame of the press was made in the anchor forges of Cradley or Rowley.
The tongues were hammered at their wider end, to give them a certain amount of spring, or width of spring. Making use of materials at hand, bundles of tongues were put into the heating furnace the bundles being made from a number of tongues placed in a Harp frame and tempered blue. After tempering came pickling in acid to remove the scales. The two components, frame and tongue were now ready for assembly.
For he better quality Harps, the tongues were filed to a feather edge at a bench on a peg, similar to a jewellers peg. In fact it was an elm block about 6 inches long and two inches deep, with a file cut, down the centre and screwed to a bench.
The stool on which the assembler sat, also bore a resemblance to a silversmiths stool, as did the tree-trunk with slightly domed stake, set in a hole in the top. This was surrounded by a flat steel on the tree-trunk top. This steel became indented on each side of the head, in time, as the setter dropped his hammer first on one side, then on the other. The tongue was first hammered on the wide end to give it a “U” section, and this was dropped into the undercut slot, in the casting, with the apex of the “U” uppermost. When given a sharp blow with the hammer, the edges of the tongue were forced into the undercuts, and welded in. Thus the tongue was attached to the frame. But one must remember that the two ends of the frame were still quite a distance from the tongue and had to be hammered up to the tongue. These two processes of welding and hammering up, were known as “knocking in” and “knocking up”.
The turning up of the tongue and the finishing were the last things to be done. Many types were decorated with file cuts on the faces, electro plating was also popular in gold, silver,copper, tin and brass, although for many years, a tinning pot and brass dip was kept at Gt Brook St. The most common finish was blueing and varnishing, the Harps being on a hot plate, thus acquiring their blue colour.
And now this little instrument has passed into the world of dead and dying crafts. No longer does old Bill Troman of Club Buildings, Rowley, with hands so large that he was paid in crowns, tramp into Birmingham twice a week, to deliver his out-work, of filed up castings to Gt Brook St, and with my father and uncle sons of David Troman, will go the secrets of a forgotten craft.
Derek H Troman. 1953.
We can trace “old Bill Tromans” on the 1841 census for Rowley he is at Club Buildings off Hawes Lane aged 1 living with his mother Mary and his Grandfather Benjamin a Jews Harp maker, Benjamin is aged 54 and could be a brother of Noly and David although we cannot substantiate this, On the 1891 census at 45 Hawes Kane William is aged 59 living with wife Nancy and described as “Harp filer”. Sons of Benjamin moved to Long Lane, Blackheath at Shell Corner and they and their descendents continued to make Jews harps well into the 20th century.
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The Birmingham Jews Harp manufacturers Troman Bros, of 154 Gt Brook St. and M.Troman&Co of Curzon Street and Great Brook Street, Aston, Birmingham had their origin in Rowley Village which is situated at the heart of the Black Country around 10 miles from the centre of Birmingham.
The emigration of Jews Harp Makers from the Black Country to Birmingham during the industrial revolution was probably responsible for its decline as a cottage industry in Rowley Village and Cradley Heath.
It would appear to have been a cottage industry with workers, perhaps whole families making Jews harps rather than nails or chains in their own homes or rather in the workshops at the back. The finished articles would then have been collected by or sold to a wholesaler of factor who would apply a finish to them and sell them on in large batches.
There were two pockets of Jews Harp makers in the Black Country, one in Rowley village itself and one in Newtown Nr Mushroom Green half way between Cradley Heath and Netherton.
Troman was a very predominant name amongst Jews Harp makers and the families in both hamlets can be traced back to Samuel and Anne Troman presumably of Rowley Village in the mid seventeenth century. Whether or not Samuel was a Jews Harp maker we are unable to say but it is a fact that the surname troman(s) originated in the area, is an occupational name and could refer to a maker of Jews Harps or Trumpman (trump is the old English term for a Jews harp) or Troman which rolls off the tongue more easily. It should be noted that the German word for Jews Harp is Maultrommeln and the old English is Trump so Troman could easily be attributed to this occupation.
There is listed in Whites Trade directory of 1834 a David Troman Jews Harp Maker. He and his wife Phoebe have several baptisms listed in the St Giles directory at Rowley Village. What we have here is proof of the link between the Jews Harp makers of Rowley Village (a cottage industry) and the Jews Harp makers of Birmingham (Troman Bros and M.Troman & Co) making 100.00 Jews harps weekly for worldwide export until the 1950s.
The key is David and Phoebe – We can find his birth and the baptism of his children in the St Giles register, his marriage in Birmingham Cathedral and his household in Aston Birmingham on the 1851 census.
We can also trace this line back to Samuel and Ann Troman via the St Giles register and on to Newtown, Cradley Heath through the same source. Then on to M Troman & Co via David’s son Timothy to Peter and Millicent Troman (nee Trueman!!) which ceased in 1950.. Another son David was the fore runner to D&B Troman later Troman Bros which traded until 1930.
A word about Troman and Truman Although Troman is sometimes spelt Tru(e)man in Rowley Regis census records and in the St Giles register it does not have the same root. In the early 19 th century and before Troman is found only? In Rowley Regis, Trueman is found all over the British Isles. I believe the root of Troman is Trump or Maultrommeln whereas Trueman could originate as a trueman. So although Troman is sometimes spelt Trueman and some branches of the family may eventually have adopted the spelling the two are not related in origin.
*********************************************************************** Notes;
Census 1841 Aston Birmingham (Ages are rounded on 1841 census to nearest 5 years)
Folio 11 Page 16 AB Row
David Troman 45 Jews harp maker, not born in County **
Phoebe Troman 45 Ditto
John Troman 25 Ditto
William Troman 20 Ditto
Benjamin Troman 15 Ditto
Davis (Junior) 10 Ditto
Ann Evans 20 Servant
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The First mention of David we can find in a Birmingham Trade Directory is Wrightsons 1839 “Troman David Jews Harp Maker Prospect Row”
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Also on the 1841 census for Duddeston Hall Lunatic Asylum is Mary Troman 25 Patient Not Born in County, this is possibly linked to David and Phoebe.
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Above proves link between Birmingham Jews Harp makers and Rowley Village
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** David Troman listed as Jews Harp Maker, Rowley Village “Whites “ 1834.
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Baptisms of William (10.07.1821); Benjamin (14.08.1825) and David (22.07.1827) appear in St Giles register as sons of David and Phoebe Troman variously listed as Nailor and Jews harp maker.
Other children of David and Phoebe listed in St Giles are; Timothy (28.03.1815); Sarah (24.03.1816 died 30.06.1822); Sarah (30.01.1831, died 14.08.1831))
Also entry ?03.1812 ----------------Rowley Regis Nailor Truman, suggests could be Johns Baptism (records destroyed by the fire at St Giles)
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David Troman – Phoebe Perry;
Married 26.09.1823 Birmingham Cathedral, St Phillips. David died in 1866 aged 71. He was born 23.12.1795 son of Charles and Jane Troman.
Children:
1** John?03.1812
2** Timothy 28.03.1815 “son of David and Phoebe, Village, Nailor”
Sarah 24.03.1816 “Daughter of David and Phoebe, Village, Jews Harp maker”(died 30.06.1822)
5** William 10.07.1821 “Son of David and Phoebe, Village, Nailor”
3** Benjamin 14.08.1825 “Son of David and Phoebe, Village Jews Harp maker”
4** David 22.07.1827 “Son of David and Phoebe, Village, Jews Harp Maker”
Sarah 30.01.1831 “Daughter of David and Phoebe, Village, Jews Harp maker.” (died 14.08.1831)
NB 1851 census Timothy’s age given as 28
1861 census David (jnr) age given as 33
Both Jews Harp makers Duke St/Godwin St
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Notes on 1** to 5** above -The Sons of David and Phoebe
1** John Troman married Sarah 16.08.1843 Harbourne Birmingham.
Occupation given as Brass Founder on 1851 census (39 Duke St)
Children; William 1846; Frances 1848 fathers occupation given as “forger”; Benjamin, Ann, David.
1871 census occupation given as cot bedstead maker 40 Duke Street (39 is a warehouse) John was Davids most successful offspring as a bed stead manufacturer, his son another David became the owner of Malvern Hall and left in excess of a million pounds in todays money, there is a further article on the website giving more detail on this.
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2** Timothy Troman (b1815; died 1889) Married Ann (b1804)
1851 census described as Jews Harp Maker living in Saltley Birmingham.
Children; John (1840); Peter (1842/4) **2A ; David (1845/7)
Timothy’s son Peter **2A Married Charlotte Stapenhill, their son Peter married Millicent (Truman) This branch of the family became M Troman & Co trading till 1950.
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2A** Peter Troman (b1842/4 died 1884 aged 41) Married Charlotte Staopenhill (b1840) Married 8.12.1867 Aston Juxta, Birmingham. Occupation given as Jews Harp Maker.
Children Peter(1869)**2B; Timothy David (182); John (1874); Florence Ann (1877);William (1879).
1871 census living at 202 Heneage St; 1881 86 Heneage St.
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2B** Peter Troman (b1869) Married Millicent (Truman) in 1891
Children Herbert; Sydney (1893); Leslie (1897); Peter (1901)
1901 census Aston Duddeston (District 22)
Working at home 73 Willis St, occupation given as Jews Harp finisher.
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3** Benjamin Troman (b1825 d 1886 aged 61) married Emma Maria Cooper in 1851.
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4** David Troman (b1827 d 1881) married Mary Ann Price 1848.
Children William; Mary Ann; David (1853) 4A**; John; Jane; Fred: Walter; Alice.
Occupation given on 1861 census as Jews Harp Maker.
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David and Benjamin became D&B Troman Jews Harp Manufacturers of 154 Gt Brook St. Bham, Davids son (David) and his brother Frederick later traded as Troman Bros from the same address, the firm finally closing in 1930. In 1953 a grandson of David – Derek Troman produced a booklet detailing the history of the Company, this complete with illustrations of the workshop can be seen elsewhere on the website.
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4A** 1891 census David (1853) living at 154 Gt Brook St; Wife Jane
Occupation given as Jews Harp Employer.
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5** William Troman (b1821) married Harriet (b1826)
1891 census reads 111 Lozells Rd. Folio 18 page 30 Aston Manor.
William Troman aged 69 Warehouse Clerk born Rowley Regis Staffs
Harriet Wife, aged 64 Dress Maker Snareston Leics.
Fanny Daughter aged 31 Dressmaker, Birmingham.
JohnJohTroman John Troman born March 1812 first son of David and Phoebe branched away from the manufacture of Jews Harps presumably when the family moved to Aston in Birmingham from Rowley Village.
On the 1841 cencus he is shown living with his mother and father “Brutons Walk at back row” unmarried and occupation given as Jews Harp Maker but by 1851 he is living at 39 Duke St with wife Sarah and children William 1846; Frances 1848; by 1861 are added Benjamin , Ann and David. John and Sarah were married 16.8.1843 at Harbourne in Birmingham. Johns occupation is given as “Brass Founder”
By 1871 he is at 40 Duke Street, occupation “Cot bedstead maker” number 39 is a warehouse.
During the Victorian era Birmingham was the world leader in the manufacture of Brass and Iron bedsteads(see notes and illustration brass bedsteads) and these products were exported worldwide in vast quantities. Maybe John was introduced to this trade via his marriage or saw his own opportunity we don’t know but he became by far the most successful son of David and Phoebe.
The first mention of John in a Trade directory I can find is in the 1845 Post Office Directory. In the 1849 Whites Directory he is listed as “Troman John, manufacturer of Brassfounders’ Iron work, stamper and piercer “at number 5, AB Row. His father David is a Jews Harp Maker at number 8.
John died on the 13th November 1874 his will stated “effects under £9000, Bedstead Manufacturer died 13.11.1874 Holland House Balsall Heath,admin Worcester, Sarah Troman of Holland House Widow”
By contrast his father David who died in 1866 left effects under £450. His will stated “effects under £450, The will of David Troman late of Gt Brook Street Jews Harp Maker deceased 1.6.1866 @ Gt Brook St. Benjamin 154 Gt Brook St .JHM and Daid of Spooner St JHM the Sons, the Executers.”
Johns brother Timothy another JHM “effects under £567.10.10 Formerley of Heneage St but late of 384 Bearwood Rd Smethwick died 1.12.1889 John/David both of Heneage St manufacturers, Sons and exectuters.”
On the 1881 cencus Johns widow Sarah is living at 208 Coventry Road (aston RG11 3022/27)
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Sarah Trowman Head Widow Female 60 Asby Leics Retired Bedstead Maker.
Ann Daughter unmarried Female 25
David Son unmarried Male 23 Master employing 10 men Bham Warwickshire
Timothy uncle Widower Male 67 As above Rowley Regis
Rose Culm Servant unmarried 26 General servant Redditch.
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1891 Cencus Folio 67 page 4 enumeration district 60 civil parish of Aston All Saints; 493 Coventry Rd Birmingham 10
David Troman Head Male 33 Bedstead manufacturer Employer Birmingham
Evis M Wife 27
Eva D Daughter 4
Charles G Son 1
John H Son 6months
Sarah J Bird Servant 27
Amelia Griffiths 18 Nurse.
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His mother Sarah is at 479 Coventry Rd Head Widow 68 Living on own means Ashby De La Zouch Leics with
Rose Culm Servant 36 General servant Reddich.
Sarah died at 479 Coventry Rd Small Heath 22.07.1894 admin Birmingham to William Troman Bedstead Manufacturer £149.1.6p.
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William Troman mentioned above is presumably John and Sarahs eldest son born 1846 and is the William Troman who lived at “the Elms Lode Lane Solihul” (see 1891 cencus for Solihull and leases and sale of factories by John and Clara Troman)
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David saw the fruit of his farthers labours and foresight in a big way, In 1896 he became the owner of Malvern Hall in Solihull a mansion set in 150 Acres of Parkland, he set about modernising the house which would seem to have taken 3-5 years to accomplish eventually living there with wife Evis, unfortunately David died in 1915 and the house was sold soon afterwards in his will he left in excess of £58000 more than £1 million in todays money.
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Notes on the above;
1896 Kellys’ Directory.
“Malvern Hall is a mansion in the early Italian style with wings added about 100 years ago and it is approached by iron gates with stone pillars erected in 1811 from an old design by Indigo Jones and stands in a park of more than 150 acres. It is at present vacant.”
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1896
Troman William, The Elms,
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Birmingham Private Residents 1896
Troman David,
Troman Mrs 57 Priestly Rd.
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Troman Bros JHM 154 Gt Brook St
Troman David see Troman Bros.
Troman Fanny Dress Maker
Troman Frederick see Troman Bros
Troman John Brass and Iron Bedstead Maker,
Troman William JHM
Troman William Sign and Glass Writer
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In 1900 Malvern Hall is still vacant, William is still listed at The Elms.
David and Mrs Troman are still at their respective addresses.
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1904 Kellys
Malvern Hall is at present occupied by David Troman Esq.
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1904
Troman David Malvern Hall
Troman William, The Elms
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1904 Birmingham Private Residents
Tromans Edmund
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1904
Troman David JHM
Troman Fanny Dressmaker
Troman John Brass and
Troman Peter JHM 163 Vauxhall Rd
Troman William
Troman William Signs and Glass writer
Troman Alice Fruiterer
Now no Troman Bros listed.
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1912
Malvern Hall residence of David Troman Esq
Troman David Malvern Hall
Troman William “The Elms”
Troman William Ravenhurst Lodge,
David Troman Died September 1915 Aged 58
BMD indexVol 6D Page 713.
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Birth record Birmingham BMD Index Vol 6D Page 104
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In 1916 resident of Malvern Hall is listed as Troman Mrs
Both Williams are at The Elms and Ravenhurst respectively
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I believe Malvern Hall was sold shortly afterwards see various Wills and notes on Malvern Hall.
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In 1916 the Family Firm is listed as Troman John Ltd Bedstead Manuf Bolton St Trading As “Troman” Telephone
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In 1921 it is listed as Troman John Ltd Bordsley Works,
Iron Brass and Mettalic Bedsteads.
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Other firms trading as bedstead manufacturers from High St Bordsley in 1921 were Peyton and Peyton, Holland John Ltd ; Barber and Sons
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In 1925 there is the same listing and it is last mentioned in 1933 after which only Peyton Holland and Barber is mentioned so presumably the latter swallowed all the rest at various times see photo of Bordsley Works and various leases particually by John and Clara Troman Heirs to David and William ?
"The Solihull Rector, Henry Greswold bought the Malvern estate adjacent to his rectory. His son Humphrey (d.1712) built Malvern Hall. Greswold Lewis inherited the Hall in 1773 began remodelling and extending the house from 1784 with Sir John Soane as architect.(1) The house was sold by Frank Greswolde Williams, a descendant of the Greswolds in 1896 to a Mr David Troman. Troman remodelled the house, demolishing the third storey and remodelling the wings. The Hall was sold again 1915 and again in the 1920s when it was bought by a developer Horace Brueton. It became successively Malvern Hall Girl's School, a high school, a comprehensive and is now St Martin's Independent Day School for Girls"
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Troman, Jews Harp and Gypsies.
There is a tradition in Rowley that the name Troman and the trade and manufacture of the Jews Harp in Rowley had origins in Gypsy culture imagine our surprise therefore when we found the following anecdotes in a Jews Harp publication.
“ In the 17th century in Slovakia, towns started to settle the Roma in town and villages for bartered services (sharpening the halberds of the guard, cleaning towns, working as brute labor or grave-diggers), later they received consent to practice their professions. The most significant trade of the Slovak Roma was blacksmithing. They worked with by archaic method that they brought with them from India. They sat on the ground while working, and would use old materials (scrap iron) that they could get for free as their raw materials. At the end of the 19th century, Slovakia had perhaps the greatest concentration of blacksmiths in all of Europe. They produced mostly nails, chains, wagon pieces, hoes, and various mountings. They rarely made horseshoes. Today, only some Roma devote themselves to blacksmithing, concentrating primarily on making artistic objects - mountings, candle-holders, latticework, and so on. “
This doesn’t specifically mention Jews Harp but it doesn’t take much imagination to link it to the making of the jews harp especially when you know that the instrument was a common bartering object.
Then there is this potted biography in the same publication of an Italian jews harp player
“Katello aka Catello Gargiulo, 24 years, born in Casola, Naples, musician, besides playing the tromma (the gypsies' trumpet as it's called the mouth harp in the province of Campagna) of which he is a capable continuator of the traditions; he plays the organetto, the tammorra (frame drum); the castanetes and sings.
Nino Galasso, 30 years, born in Castellammare di Stabia”ck to add text, images, and other content
John R Smith Jew’s Harp maker of Rowley Regis and New York Stae.
One Rowley Regis jew’s harp manufacturer moved far away from Rowley or Birmingham to continue his trade. John R Smith immigrated to Rensselaer, New York State, USA, in 1883 with his wife Mary and son Phillip to Sixth Street Rensselear where he set up as a manufacturer of cast iron Jews Harps in the English Blackcountry style. His sons continued the trade into the mid 20th Century and today the Jew’s Harps he and his sons produced are much sought after by players and collectors alike.
There were two Smiths engaged in the Jew’s Harp trade in Rowley Regis early in the !9th Century, George Smith appears as a Jew’s Harp maker, Rowley, Lower side, on a price list dated 1822 and John as a Jew’s Harp maker in Bowling Green in the 1881 census. We have not yet established whether the two were related, they were certainly not father and son or brothers, but were of different generations, so the business could have passed from George to John. It is also not clear where they learned the trade but a George Smith married into the Tromans family who were prominent Jew’s harp makers in Rowley in 1802 so this could be the connection we are looking for.
John R Smith (we do not know what the “R” stands for) was the son of Thomas and Mary Smith, Nailers of Mousesweet Brook on the boundary of Rowley Regis near Cradley Heath, although Thomas is described as a nailer the area housed many Jew’s Harp makers of the Troman and Barnsley families. In 1851 we find Thomas, aged 34, in Bowling Green with wife Mary (34), Elizabeth (17), Hannah (14), Mary (11), Maria (10), Benjamin (6), and the aforementioned John aged 2. all are described as being born at Mousesweet Brook. The first four children were baptised together at St Thomas’ Dudley, in 1839, we have been unable to find a record for Benjamin or John.
John aged 21 Married Mary Green(20), of Darby End, at St Thomas, Dudley 07/03/1870, the grooms father being Thomas Smith and the bridegrooms John Green. We then find John (31) a Jew’s Harp maker and Mary(31) in the1881 census at Bowling Green with children Annie (8), Fred (5), Phillip (3), and Nellie (8mths).
Perhaps there were too many Jew’s Harp makers in Rowley Regis or perhaps the trade was in decline following the move of many Harp Makers to Birmingham,(at least one prominent maker Robert Barnsley had gone into liquidation in 1871) we may never know the reason but John immigrated to the USA in 1883 at the relatively late age of 34. In the 1900 New York census we find John R Smith (51) described as a Jew’s Harp manufacturer , living at North Greenbush, Rensselaer, New York with wife Mary (50), son Phillip (22), a blacksmith, William (14), John (10), Ethel (7), and Mary (5), there is no mention of the eldest children Annie and Fred.
Discussion on Jews Harp Guild Website 22/07/2008.
“ JR Smith emigrated from the English midlands to Troy, NY, USA in the 19th cent. (post-Civil War, as I recall) to become one of the pre-eminent makers of jews harps in the US. He was a maker in England before then, I believe. His products are varied and generally really good. His nephews carried on in Troy into the 20th century.”
John must have been successful in his business because the following article appeared in the Music Trade Review of 1898.
“John R Smith, proprietor of the only Jew’s Harp factory in New York State, has recently erected a new building, the business having outgrown the old quarters. He is unable to fill orders.”
This may be a coincidence – from an anecdote by Derek Troman commenting on his great grandfather, Jew’s Harp maker Birmingham England late 19th century –
“At the end of the 19th century my Grandfather was supplying America, in the face of German opposition because of the advent of malleable iron to this country, Schmitt the great German manufacturer had been to America where he was regarded as the maker of the best Jews Harps. The American firm of Strauss, Musical instrument factors, imported Harps marked, Smith, England made by David Troman, and they captured the American market from Schmitt. “
and in the Music Trade Review of July 1910;
“John R Smith who for many years conducted a small factory for the manufacture of Jew’s Harps on Sixth street, this town, has sold out the property and located on a farm of 110 acres near Nassau (NY State). The farm is being conducted by himself and his sons who, in addition have re-established the factory for the manufacture of Jew’s Harps that was formery conducted in this place. Mr Smith is an Englishman and is credited with conducting the only establishment of the kind in the United States.”
The 1910 Census for Schodacks Township New York State, shows John R Smith aged 61 a farmer with wife Mary (60) and children Phillip(29) a Jew’s Harp maker and employer; John (17) Jew’s Harp maker (worker); Ethel (16) and Marion (14). In the next dwelling on the census are William (24), Jews Harp maker and wife Gertrude Smith (21).
The move to the farm would appear to have been short-lived because by 1915 the family is at Fifth Street, Renseselaer, New York State, John is no longer with us and the household consists of Mary Smith, widow, aged 65; Son Phillip (36) and John Jnr (24), Jew’s Harp Makers with Ethel(21) and Marion (20).
In 1920 at the same address we find the same people with the addition of the other son William (34) a Jew’s Harp maker, now a widower with his daughter Florence aged 5.
By 1925 Phillip still unmarried is living with his sister Ethel and Husnand Elmer Cross and is described as a “Watchman”.
By 1930 he is with Brother William (44), and niece Florence (15), William is described as Jew’s Harp Maker but Phillip is still a “watchman on Railroad”
In 1930 also we have the other brother John (39) at Fifth Street, now married with wife Sylvia (32), Daughter Marion (4) and father in law Madison Lester (76).
According to the New Yorker magazine of 1932
“the Smith Bros, Jew’s Harp Makers of New York State were John and Will,”
which confirms the above, they continued to make quality Jews Harps into the Mid 20th Century at which point presumably they had no one to pass the art of Jews Harp making on to and the business ceased.
Mudcat.org discussion17/11/1997.
“There have also been some good makers, in particular the Smith brothers of Renssalear(sp?), NY. Harps marked "I.R. Smith" or "J.R. Smith" are prized by players and collectors.”
Today Jew’s harps made by John R Smith and his sons are highly regarded and much sought after.
www.antropodium.nl – Dutch Jew’s Harp website July 2012.
“Will and John Smith, two brothers active between 1920 and 1965. I just tested one specimen of them, a heavy piece of metal with a dominant drone on its harmonics “J R Smith” is written on the frame. The Smith Brothers started out making cast-iron trumps in the English style. But they switched around 1940 producing them in a more or less current Mollner manner, using square cross section steel. Several specialists on Jew’s Harp has assured me that these Smith Jew’s Harps were excellent handwork and the best to play on in those days. At present they are still available in America for high prices, considered as antiques.”
There are obvious holes in this story and any confirmation or additional facts would be appreciated.