Rural Noise
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RO 01
© Ritual Object 2021
The Musical Small-Coal-Man (1644-1714)
Thomas Britton, a charcoal seller in London, became an intimate of the highest musical, literary and antiquarian society and nobility, and the creator of the public musical concert in England.
He was renowned as a musicologist and virtuoso in ancient music and instruments, chemistry and numismatics, curiosities and rarities.
Britton died in 1714 under very unusual circumstance. A Middlesex Magistrate, Justice Robe, a regular at the concerts, hired a known ventriloquist to project his voice and tell Britton that his end was near and that he should recite the Lord’s Prayer. Poor, superstitious Britton was convinced this was the word of the Lord, took to his bed and died on the 27th of September.
Following his death, his widow sold his collection of 1,400 books, twenty-seven fine musical instruments, and some valuable music, most of which were bought by Sir Hans Sloane and now form part of the British Library.
Stephen Thornton, 2007
released February 21, 2021