Some customers might remember the time when I only had room in the workshop for one family at a time, so I provided umbrellas for waiting customers to use in wet weather! Cambridge was an influential place in the history of period performance in the 1980s.

Whilst I was making period clarinets and basset clarinets in Felton street, within a quarter mile radius we had Christopher Hogwood (conductor), Trevor Beckerleg (harpsichord maker), Mark Stephenson (harpsichord maker), Anna Brock (violin maker), Juliet Barker (violin maker) and Nick Shackleton (collector and promoter of period performance).

We were also helped by other local artisans like Tania James (silversmith), John Nightingale (silver and leatherworker) and Andrew Houston (professional photographer). Mark Stephenson not only made harpsichords, but hosted wonderful evenings of music including the most memorable evening of Mitzi Meyerson (Harpsichord) playing in his candlelit workshop.

So, as staff increased and more space was needed, we moved in the early 1990’s to Homerton Street. This odd mixture of workshop and retail shop served us well until we moved to our present premises in Russell Street, off Hills Road Cambridge. This gave our customers easy access to the shop by road, by rail or on foot.

2000 to present day

The Russell Street shop slowly filled to bursting as demand has increased, prompting a redesign to the shop in July 2004. Local authority contracts, international musicians and our all-important local, young and budding musicians all need time and attention, which is provided by our increasing number of excellent staff. In 2006 we took the opportunity to expand into 105 Russell Street.