Horn-u-Copia's Display of Makers

Boosey and Co

The Boosey company was started in 1792 by Thomas Boosey, as a publisher. Between 1816 - 1854, the company was known as Thos. Boosey & Co., and started manufacturing instruments in 1851.

From 1854 - 1864, the company was known as Boosey & Sons. Thereafter, the company was known as Boosey & Co.

In 1868, Boosey bought Distin & Co. Dundas says that Boosey & Sons involvement in Brass manufacturing began with the purchase of the Distin Company.

The company merged with Hawkes in 1930.

JR LaFleur & Sons

established a publishing and dealership in London in 1862, though they claim in one of their catalogs that they were established 1780. They were bought by Boosey in 1917 but continued in business.

Hawkes and Son

William Henry Hawkes, state trumpeter for Queen Victoria, started an import business in 1860 at Cumberland St. Pimlico. In 1862,he moved to Soho Sqare. In 1869, he added a repair shop. In 1875, he moved to Leicester Square.

Riviere and Hawkes

In 1876, he formed a partnership with French Bandmaster Jules Riviere as Riviere and Hawkes and began to make brass instruments. He formed WH Hawkes and Son in 1889. In 1895, he moved to Denman St. Piccadilly Circus. In 1924, he opened a new factory at Edgeware, and in 1930 merged with Boosey and Co.

Boosey and Hawkes

Boosey and Hawkes also was and still is a major publisher of music. While many other manufacturers once published music, this is probably less true today. Though it is difficult to verify as so many companies have been bought up by larger holding companies.

Boosey and Hawkes continued to make high pitch instruments until 1964. The Boosey and Hawkes Sovereign is their professional grade, Regent is the student model and Imperial is intermediate.

The Boosey and Hawkes factory was loated in Edgware, Middlesex until 2001, when it moved to Croxley, Watford, Herts and traded as the Besson group.

A management buy-out in 2003 changed the company name to The Music Group. In 2006 Buffet Crampon (owners of Courtois) bought the company and now continues to manufacture under the Besson name but no longer in the UK.

The Boosey and Hawkes Music Publishers Company still exists, as a separate company.

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