Flute

This one key boxwood flute was made by V. Metzler, London, as the mark on the instrument reveals. Valentine Metzler came from Germany to London in 1788 and gave way to Metzler & Son in 1816 which then became Metzler & Co when Valentine died in 1833. This flute consists in four boxwood joints and one square brass key. John James, the owner of this flute, was taught to play it by Robert Anderson, the "Cumberland Bard" who became well known in the late 18th Century, for his songs and ballads, most of them composed to be sung to familar airs in a broad dialect. In his ballads Robert Anderson depicted the people of Carlisle in a friendly and humorous way, describing various aspects of their daily life with great fidelity.