Women Musicians of Brighton and Hove of the 19th/ Early 20th Century

Researched by Jenny Stroud

Over the past few years while researching my family history, I came across some of my female cousins who lived in Hove and who taught music as a living. They were part of the large Women’s Music Scene in Brighton and Sussex during the 19^th and early 20^th century, which seems to have been very little written about or recorded. I have made the topic one of my personal research areas, and while doing so have discovered some very interesting and successful women (of their time) Three of these women already feature in our Notable Women section, Maud Bond, Molly Paley and Muriel Hart.

The women below were probably not so quite well known as the three above, but their lives certainly make interesting reading:

Adelaide Clara Waggett (Violinist) 1878 -1970

Adelaide Clara Waggett was born in Brighton in 1878. She was the 3^rd child of 5 to Alfred Waggett, Piano Tuner / Musical Instrument Dealer and Ellen Mansbridge, Ostrich Feather Cleaner (1881 census) Her siblings were Louisa, Amelia and Maude and Stanley was the youngest.

In the 1881 census they were living in 10 Guildford Road, West Hill, Brighton. Adelaide attended Miss Davies’ Carmarthan House School with her sisters Amelia and Maude. The three sisters then moved to Brighton and Hove High School for Girls, Montpelier Road, where their address was then given as 18 Bedford Place, Brighton.

In her early 20s, Adelaide gained The London Academy of Music’s Gold Medal. The Academy accepted students for all ages “with a decided talent, or showing an aptitude for learning” By the age of 22 she and her younger sister Maude were accompanying at local concerts together. Adelaide sometimes called herself Clara and was performing as a solo violinist. She sometimes led the orchestra that played concerts at The Chapel Royal, North Street. She was described in the Brighton Gazette as “a clever, talented violinist.”

In the 1901 census Adelaide was still living with her parents and still living at 18 Bedford Place and was describing herself as “Violin Teacher”

By 1911 they had moved to a much bigger house in 18 Clarence Square, between what is now Churchill Square and Regency Square. She was back calling herself Clara and her sister and her were described as “Musicians.” They were still with their parents.

By 1917….Clara (Adelaide) was Working at the Grand Hotel as director of Music….

The 1921 census showed that Adelaide Clara was officially described as a Violinist and Director of Music at the Grand Hotel Brighton. Assisting her in that role was Esme Casely who was Adelaide’s niece and who was a cellist. The Grand in those days was a place seen as a major centre for music and entertainment and it was advertised regularly as *“Only one Hour from London”* This emergence of women coming to prominence in musical circles during and after WW1 matched the fact that at the start of 1925, when the Brighton Philharmonic first began, the orchestra was led by a woman and 75% of the players were professional women musicians. Adelaide Clara was still described as professional violinist in the 1939 Register at the start of WW2. She lived in a flat in *The Drive* until she died in 1970. She died aged 92 and left £5,249.

Eveline May Petherick (Violin / Viola) 1880-1936

Daughter of Clementina Bonney and Horace Petherick. She was the 4^th born of 5 daughters; Rosa (b. 1872) Ada (b. 1874) Leila (b. 1876) Eveline (b.1880) and Dora (b. 1881) The family lived in Addiscombe, Croydon.

The Bonney-Petherick girls grew up to become accomplished artists, perhaps not surprising given their father’s own musical and artistic career. Horace was ‘an artist of some repute, who exhibited at the Royal Academy on several occasions’, according to an obituary published in the Annual Register. He was also a violin ‘aficionado’ who wrote regularly for The Strad, the journal for violinists of the time. The 4 sisters were accomplished musicians.

Eveline trained at the RAM and became a violinist and conductor. She also played the Viola. 4 of the sisters Ada; Leila, Eveline and Dora formed the Petherick Quartet from 1905 onwards. They got several mentions in the ‘Strad’ magazine between 1905-1908. During WW1 Eveline formed “The Island Orchestra” on the Isle of Wight.

The connection with Brighton and Hove

By 1921 Eveline was living in Brighton in Regency Square. She was regularly employed as a violinist/ viola player at the West Pier, by the West Pier Company. She moved to Rugby Road, Fiveways until her early death, aged 56. She was a member of the Sussex Women Musician’s Club, alongside Molly Paley ( See “Notable Women” section.