Bussell, Henry

Dates Active in Dublin: 

1852–1865

Business Type: 
Music seller
Musical instrument maker: brass instruments
Musical instrument maker: piano
Musical instrument maker: woodwind instruments
Address(es): 

7 Westmoreland Street and 39 Fleet Street, 1853
11 Westmoreland Street, 1865

Details: 

In partnership with the Robinson brothers as 'Robinson, Bussell & Robinson' from 1836 to 1843 and 'Robinson & Bussell' from 1843 to 1852.

Succeeded the businesses of Robinson & Bussell at same address.

Writing about musical instruments exhibited at the Dublin Exhibition of 1853, The Exhibition Expositor stated that 'Mr Henry Bussell of Westmoreland street, exhibits [...] military instruments. Formerly, all the bands in her Majesty's service were supplied by London or Continental houses; now, we are happy to say, through the exertions of Mr Bussell, Ireland is able to provide the army with musical instruments, if not superior, certainly equal to any in Europe. This is very satisfactory to record, as it shows progress in a class of manufacture hitherto unknown in this country. First, there is a Cornopean [...] 'The Patent Serpentine Revolving-Valve Cornopean' ... There are also Flutes, Oboes, and Clarionets, manufactured by Bussell'. In advertisements in the same publication, Bussell described himself as 'Pianoforte and Music Seller (by Appointment) to his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant and the University'.

At the 1865 Dublin Exhibition, Bussell is listed as exhibiting 'pianofortes, harmonium, &c; musical publications'. [Note the absence of any wind instruments.]

[Dates and addresses differ according to sources: The Exhibition Expositor of 1853 gives 7 Westmoreland Street and 39 Fleet Street. The Dublin International Exhibition of 1865 gives 11 Westmoreland Street. McHale gives Bussell's dates from c. 1840 to c. 1875 which includes his years in partnership with the Robinsons.]

Select Product/Work List: 

Published (as listed in McHale)

  • Earl of Belfast, A Lament, c. 1860
  • Countess of Lanesborough, Swithland Valse and Galop, 1860 [piano]
  • Fitzgerald, Otho, The Irish Steeple Chase Galop, c. 1860 [piano]
  • Fitzgerald, Otho, The Spirit of the Ball, c. 1860 [piano]

    • Sold (as advertised in The Exhibition Expositor, 1853)

  • 'Cheap And Unique Edition of The Irish Melodies, by Thomas Moore Esq. With the original symphonies and accompaniments for the pianoforte by Sir John Stevenson, Mus. Doc. Price 2 vols., handsomely bound in fancy silk with gilt edges, 30s. in wrapper,with title and index, 24s; or in single numbers at 1s each. Edited by Francis Robinson, Mus. Doc.'
  • 'Just Published, The Whole of the Vocal Music as Sung at the Opening of the Great Industrial Exhibition, arranged in Score, with accompaniment for Pianoforte, price 2s.6d. stitched in wrapper.'
  • 'The Irish Steeple-Chase Galop, by Lord Otho Fitzgerald (Composer of the Celebrated Spirit of the Ball Galop), price 2s. 6d.'
  • 'Coax Polka, F. Harvey, 2s'.
    • See Also: 

    Robinson & Bussell
    Robinson, Bussell & Robinson

    Source(s): 

    The Exhibition Expositor and Advertiser (Dublin: John Cameron for the proprietors Gunn & Cameron, 1853), I, p. 7; VI, p. 7; XXIV, p. 6

    The Illustrated Record and Descriptive Catalogue of the Dublin International Exhibition of 1865, ed. by Parkinson and Simmonds (London: E & FN Spon, 1866), p. 241

    Waterhouse, William, The New Langwill Index: a Dictionary of Musical Wind-Instrument Makers and Inventors (London: Tony Bingham, 1993), p. 52

    McHale, Maria, 'Music', in The Irish Book in English 1800–1891, ed. by James H. Murphy, The Oxford History of the Irish Book, IV (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011), pp. 595–601 (p. 601)

    Boydell, Brian, ‘Robinson, Bussell & Robinson’, Dublin Music Trade Card Index <http://dublinmusictrade.ie/card-index>

    Last Update: 26-09-2013