History of the Collection
William Bentley (1862-1935) was a keen amateur musician who came to 探花直播 in 1889 as a clerk to a firm of solicitors. He soon became an active member of the 探花直播 Amateur Society whose conductor, George Halford, was a teacher at the newly established 探花直播 School of Music. In 1907 he was made an Honorary Librarian of the 探花直播 School of Music (the school鈥檚 first) and was elected to the Council of the Institute, joining the School of Music Committee the following year.
His enthusiasm for music and for developing the activities of the school left its mark in many different ways, including encouraging the formation of a musical instruments collection. By that stage, the collection included the Dodd bows and a number of instruments he donated, although it is unclear whether they belonged to him or whether he procured them on behalf of the School.
Among these instruments are the Flageolet, the Hastrick Double Flageolet and the Cahusac Fife.
In the first catalogue of the historical instruments (1953), some of the items which Bentley donated are also noted as being from the Shareshill Church Collection.
It is believed that this collection formed a gallery band for Shareshill, Staffordshire. The instruments include the Bilton Piccolo and Clarinets by Fentum and Cramer.