The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-02-25
TIE LATE GEORGE e. BLAKE.
some Remislsconces Of ai- Curesr.

SOme Hemtstsconces Of uis Career.
IT G late George f. Blake, whose death on
Thusday evening we noticed at length yester-
DE- was born In England on the 18th of August,
"a, and arrived in this city, to make IL his
permanent home, in the year 1885, He was,
therefore, in his ninety-seveutb wear M tue time
of his death, and for one of such extreme old
age was remarkably vigorous and active. His
form was straight and erect, aud his eyesight
was so good that he was never compelled t9
resort to the use of spectacles. The only serious
iurOad indeed, made upon his faculties by the
weight of years was slight deafness. His dress
was always of an aBtiquated style and ne in
variab]y wore upon his head quaint-lookiug
skull cap of zephyr work, without which he
would scarcely have been known.
For the old store in which he had done busi-
ness so long he entertained strong affection.
When his business gradually fell away, he was
urged by his daughter to remove mis- establish
ment TO another locality, and though this en-
treaty was often made, he steadfaslly refused
to accede to 1t, saying that all who wanted any
of his music knew where TO find IL, and that,
happily. he was so circumstanced that he could
get along very comfortably without selling a
single sheet. But the old days when his store
was the fashionable resort of the muslc-lovng
public had great charm for him. and he wouli
gossip by the hour with any one who chose to
solicit "reminiscences of his early life.
He had been an earnest devotee OF music IN
his earlier days. and loved it for its own sake.
AT one time lie was a fine performer on the
flute, and to foster n taste for his favOrite art he
established private singing society styled
'the ApolloniaDs." The staid Philadelphan-
of the early part of the century, when the old
Quaker clement was much stronger than it Is in
these degenerate days, set their faces against
this innovation. and spared no efforts To break
up the 'hinging club" as they invidolsly
styled it. The law was even invoked 10 put al
end to the evil practices of the amateur singers.
but Mr.. Blake came off victorious In the courts
1.-The Apollonians," of course gaining strength
aud reputation by the prosecutions to which
they were subjected.
But it was not only by reason of the establish
ment of singing society that he encountered
animCsity and persecution. Previous To the
opening of his music store the publishing busi-
ness had been in the hands of the only two
music teachers of which the city boosted These
two easy. going gentlemen had been in the habit
of publishing between them four new pieces OF
music per annum. When Mr. Blake set himself
up in business as their rival he imported presses
Tor printing music from England, and, doing his
own engraving, astOnished the people aud ex-
cited the wrath of his colabOrers by the fire.
quency with which he brought out new aud
attractive music. One of mis- rivals was SO
greatly incensed by the innovation that he even
assaulted Mr.. Blake on the fashionable High
street.
Mr. Blake had been apprentced to n carpen-
ter in early life, and for some time after his
arrival in this city earned livelihood by work
ing at his trade. He mad also learned in Eng
Land the business of manufacturing musical in
struments and, as we stated yesterday, the first
piano-forte ever made in this country con-
stucted by his hands, without any assistance.
His workshop was for some time ia the rear of
his music store which was first established on
Third street, below Market, in the latter part of
the year 1896, and not a. late as 1902, as before
stated. With the manufacture OF pianos, and
the publication and sale of music, he combined
for time circulating library. Thomas Jeffer-
son visited his store and workshop in the year
1900, and concerning his visit he wrote
thus to his daughter Martha:'I have met a
very Ingenious, modest and poor young man
who has invented one of the prettiest improve
ments in the pianO-forte | have ever seen. Ii
has tempted me to engage one for Monticello "
1t does not appear that the people of Philadel-
phia we're much disposed to follow the example
set by Jefferson, but there was nevertheless a
ready demand for his instruments, an agent of
the English house of Broadwood buying up all
the piano-fortes Mr.. Blake could find time to
construct, paying hm therefor whatever price
he choose to demand.
Mr.. Blake was the father Of large family,
bis children numbering twelve, We believe, OF
whom four only survived him. One of his sons.
Captain J. Edmund Blake. of the corps of tOpo-
graphical engineers, was killed at the battle ot
Resaca de la Palma. in the Mexican war.