Arthur DAY - Piano Maker

[philis987]

Hi, i have an Arthur Day Piano i am looking to sell if anyone knows how much they are worth nowadays.

[PaulineJ]

Old pianos are generally worth very little, as they cannot hold tuning...

Pauline

[RichardK]

In 1919, Luton Town Hall (which stands at the corner of Upper George Street and Manchester Street, facing down George Street) was destroyed after being set alight by rioters angry at the Council's treatment of returning servicemen from WWI.  I'm sure I've seen an account in a local history book of the 'peace riot' which says that somebody dragged a piano from the neighbouring piano shop in Upper George Street and accompanied the crowds to 'keep the home fires burning' whilst the Town Hall burned.  The present town hall was rebuilt on the same site in the early 1930s.

[steviebee]

An interesting tale which I would have liked to include in my family history narrative, so I investigated further.  It seems that Peace Day Riots did indeed take place on July 19th 1919 and resulted in the Town Hall being destroyed by fire.  In fact three pianos were dragged out of a neighbouring music shop, but all reports I've seen suggest that this was Farmer's Music Shop and not Arthur Day's.  Kelly's 1914 directory, the most recent I have access to, lists a Farmer S & Co, pianoforte warehouses, in 2 Wellington St (also 85 George St), so these were most likely the premises the pianos would have been dragged from.  Shame really, a nice little ditty!  Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

[cathymcc]

Lol Richard, yes they pinched the piano out of Day's shop in George Street and they played ''We'll keep the Home Fires Burning'' as they set fire to the Town Hall!    I remember me Grandad telling me

I think Day's was well known - and I think there are references to it in the online search site at the Bedfordshire Archives - possibly photos too?  The online site is not complete so it may be worth asking if they have photos of the family that are not recorded yet on line.   If you can get to Beds archives - go into the search room and look in the file of ''family photos''...

 

cath

[RichardK]

Found my book I was thinking of - it was Farmer's.

"After a day of uneasy stalemate in which order was only superficially restored, and George Street towards midnight crowded with very excited people, the Town Hall was once more invaded.  This time it was ransacked and a fire was started on the ground floor.  Petrol was taken from a nearby garage and used to speed the flames.  The fire brigade's horses were cut.  Shops were looted: a piano was dragged from Farmer's shop, and a pianist attempted to lead the crowd in a rendering of 'Keep the Home Fires Burning'."

The Story of Luton: Dyer, Stygall & Dony, Luton, 1964, p.188

[sillgen]

Old pianos are generally worth very little, as they cannot hold tuning...

Pauline

A good piano lasts for ever if it is well treated! 
Andrea

[bedfordshire boy]

Volume 57 (1978) of Bedfordshire Historical Record Society publications includes a paper "The 1919 Peace Riots in Luton" by John G Dony, and this states that "three pianos were dragged from a music shop near the corner of Wellington Street". This ties in with an earlier post which gave Farmer's music shop address as 2 Wellington St

David

[rmirga]

Hi

I have a piano Arthur Day (chapel street luton)