Okay, I discovered your Substack via this exact post a couple weeks ago, subscribed, and only just now circled back to comment: this is incredible, and I'm so glad I found it! As it happens, I'm researching someone else in that circle, the Victorian ballad composer Claribel AKA Charlotte Alington Barnard. Claribel was acquainted with Dickens, but more to the point is that a lot of her songs were sung across the entire country *and* the entire 1860s by George Dolby's sister Charlotte, who you mention here! And George was actually involved with his sister's business operations well before the 1870s, too, before he became Dickens' agent. I can dig up specific citations if you're interested, but basically he started out at the music publisher Chappell and Co., and his address was listed as a ticket-office for some of Madame Sainton-Dolby's grand concerts as early as 1865 or 1866. On one advertisement I remember seeing (that I've got saved somewhere), that address is specified as "Messrs. Dolby and Townsend." No idea who that Townsend guy is, but maybe you've seen something about him?
I'd also be curious to know what else you dug up on George's kids, especially the younger Charlotte.
Dolby's downfall, 1900 [audio available!]
Thanks for the splendid audio version of this issue of Histories.
Most enjoyable! 🌟
Okay, I discovered your Substack via this exact post a couple weeks ago, subscribed, and only just now circled back to comment: this is incredible, and I'm so glad I found it! As it happens, I'm researching someone else in that circle, the Victorian ballad composer Claribel AKA Charlotte Alington Barnard. Claribel was acquainted with Dickens, but more to the point is that a lot of her songs were sung across the entire country *and* the entire 1860s by George Dolby's sister Charlotte, who you mention here! And George was actually involved with his sister's business operations well before the 1870s, too, before he became Dickens' agent. I can dig up specific citations if you're interested, but basically he started out at the music publisher Chappell and Co., and his address was listed as a ticket-office for some of Madame Sainton-Dolby's grand concerts as early as 1865 or 1866. On one advertisement I remember seeing (that I've got saved somewhere), that address is specified as "Messrs. Dolby and Townsend." No idea who that Townsend guy is, but maybe you've seen something about him?
I'd also be curious to know what else you dug up on George's kids, especially the younger Charlotte.
Fascinating!
Really enjoyed the audio version, especially for my husband whose capacity to read is limited but who very much enjoys "Histories".