[The Musicians: Corelli and Fred
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
THIS PAGE: [Tree] [Corelli: the man] [Corelli: the name] [Parents] [Spouse ] [Children ]
WARNING: I am just guessing the identities in these photos and would be grateful for any confirmation from descendants as to whether they are accurate.
Below is a photo of Corelli Windeatt and his Band which is reproduced here by kind permission of the Western Mercury from their 2004 feature celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Grand Pier. This photograph comes from the Pier Picture Special page and if you scroll down you can see the caption: 'Corelli Windeatt and his band during the 1920s'. I'm assuming Corelli is the guy in the centre. And, because he looks so like him even down to the pair of glasses, I imagine the guy to his left is his brother Frederick Alfred, the violinist. Corelli is standing awkwardly and looks as if he has a bad back? If this *was* taken in the 1920s then Corelli would have been in his fifties.Charles A.=Sarah HAWKINS (married 1830)
? ?
? | | ?4 children ?5 children
We think these two brothers married two sisters (Bella and Henrietta KING). We don't know any more about them but we do know, from the census, that they were born in the United States - although they were British Subjects. What was their family doing over there? And why did they come back?
WARNING: This information is very speculative. It has been put together from census and BMD index data. We only have Corelli's birth certificate.
Parents and Siblings
- Charles Allen WINDEATT and Sarah HAWKINGS and their children [ More . . . ]
Corelli Ernest Bere WINDEATT (1868-1947)
Corelli's strange name?All three Christian names are unusual in the WINDEATT families. I had assumed that Charles, his father, had called him after his favourite composer . . . .but . . . in the 1891 census index from Ancestry.com there is a Corelli BERE listed in Somerset, aged 69 (i.e. born about 1821). I suspected that this similarity of names must be more than a coincidence and it does rather look as Charles Allen named this child after him. Corelli BERE would have been about 47 when Corelli WINDEATT was born. Thanks to a kind informant, who posted the information to the Message Board, we know know that Corelli BERE was "an organist still living in 1876 in an appeal in favor of Charles Spackman BARKER (BATH 1804- MAIDSTONE 1879) inventor and organ builder, in the Musical Times 1876,(p.607)" (see Message 184, . Our informant tells us that Corelli BERE was probably "quite well known in those years since the other names are quite famous in musical circles". It now seems very likely that Corelli BERE and Charles Allen WINDEATT knew each other - probably in Weston Super Mare, Somerset, and Charles was a friend and/or admirer of Corelli BERE. |
Corelli's birth and baptismHe was born on 27th June, 1868 at Fore Street, West Teignmouth to Charles Allen WINDEATT, Jeweller and Sarah WINDEATT nee HAWKINGS. But he was not baptised for another eleven years! His parents had him and his three younger brothers and sisters all done as a job lot. Here's a link to a transcription of Corelli's baptismal record:
I wonder why they suddenly had them baptised? Occupation
3 CHILDREN? |
1868 Birth in the Sub-district of Teignmouth in the County of Devon
| When & Where | Name | Sex | Name and Surname of Father | Name, surname and maiden surname of mother | Occupation of father | Signature, description and residence of informant | When registered |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27th June 1868 Fore Street West Teignmouth | Corelli Ernest Bere | Boy | Charles Allen WINDEATT | Sarah WINDEATT formerly HAWKINS | Jeweller | C.A. WINDEATT Father Fore Street, West Teignmouth | 6th August 1868 |
d 1947
Musical Career
Age 16 and already performing on tour as a violin soloist . . .
BIRMINGHAM MUSICAL ASSOCIATION.
A miscellaneous concert was given in the Town Hall on Saturday, at which the following artists appeared: Miss Madeline HARDY, Miss Frances HIPWELL, Mr. T. W. HANSON, Mr. Alfred MOORE, Master Corelli WINDEATT (violin soloist) and Mr. Albert H. FOX (solo pianoforte and conductor). There was a very large audience, and, judging from the hearty applause and frequent recalls, the performance was highly appreciated. Miss HARDY sang in capital style Gounod's, "Changez, Ma Belle" - the violin obbligato to which was played by Master WINDEATT - and Hamilton EVAN's "Only a Story." Miss HIPWELL gave an effective rendering of COWEN's "Never Again" and Pinsuti's 'Dream of Peace'.
Birmingham Daily Post (Birmingham, England), Monday, October 27, 1884; Issue 8213.
Age 17 and winning prizes. . .
The competition for the Sainton-Dolby Prize at the Royal Academy of Music, took place on Saturday. The examiners were Messrs. John FOSTER, M. MAYBRICK, and Lewis THOMAS (chairman. There were 18 candidates, and the prize was awarded to Helen SAUNDERS. The competition for the Bonamy Dobree Prize also took place. The examiners were Messrs. William BOOLE, G. D??LIS, and B. ALBERT (CHAIRMAN). There were four candidates, and the prize was awarded to John CARRODUJAN. The Hine gift was also competed for, the examiners being Messrs, F, MOIR, Milton WELLINGS, and Michael WATSON (chairman). There were four candidates, and the gift was awarded to Corelli WINDEATT.
The Leeds Mercury (Leeds, England), Friday, December 24, 1886; Issue 15199
Age 18 and causing a "furore" in the provinces . . .
DISTRICT INTELLIGENCE - SUDBURY
EVENING CONCERT. - A grand evening concert in aid of the funds of the Stour Boar Club was given in the Corn Exchange on Tuesday evening, when therewas a fasionable, nut not-very crowded audience. The vocalists were Mrs. SPARROW, Miss SPARROW, Rev. W.E..DIXON, and Mr ROBERTS; piano soloist, Mrs, HENRY; violin ditto, Mr. Corelli WINDEATT, R.A.M.; clarionet [sic], ditto, Mr. J. GARRETT. Mrs. HENRY achieved a great success in her pianoforte solo, which was played in a brilliant style; as accompanist also her execution was fine and her touch sympathetic. Mr. Corelli WINDEATT, a medalist [sic] of the Royal Academy, who is quite young man, caused quite a furore by his wonderful execution o the violin and his splendid style. His playing was almost faultless, and he several times received the well-deserved plaudits of an appreciate company. We are glad to find that we are likely to have him again in the town, as he has entered into an engagement with Mr. G. L. ANDREWES to assist in "St. Paul," which will be given next Easter. .. . . .
The Ipswich Journal (Ipswich, England), Thursday, February 17, 1887; Issue 8635
Spouse - Bella KING (?-?)
Bella KING was almost certainly the sister of Fred's wife, Henrietta King.
m 1892
Children
NOTE: message board.
1. Stanley Ernest C (1893-?)
Musician
Born in the June quarter of 1893. Mother Bella KING.
His army discharge document dated 9.2.1919 is available from which we can see that before joining the Army in 1916, he was a musician working at the Alhambra Theatre and that he was married and had one child. More details are available but are not posted here in line with the hundred year guideline. Please leave a message on the message board for further information.
2. Rita
3. George A
Frederick Alfred (or Albert?) WINDEATT (b.)
Violinist
b 1870 (Newton Abbot)
Baptised: 1879 Sep 10 Frederick Alfred Aly to Charles Allan and Sarah
Windeatt, Musician at Christ Church, Weston Super Mare
(source
http://www.mary.mason.btinternet.co.uk/wsmcc.htm). Is 'Aly' a mistranscription or a shortened form of Alexander? Alexander appears as the second name of both one of his children and one of his grandchildren.
d 1955
m 1886 (Newton Abbot)
Spouse - Henrietta KING (?-?)
We think Henrietta was the sister of Bella KING - Corelli's wife. They were both born in the United States but were British subjects. Did their family originate in Britain and then go to the United States but return? Descendants report them as coming from variously Dallas, Texas, whose family were originally Eastern European immigrants to the USA, but also from the less exotic Newport, South Wales.
Children
Fred Alf (probably known as Alf?) had at least five children and all of them, except for Louis Vernon, married and had children. Because of the hundred year limit is is not possible to add more details here.
1. Arthur Alan (?1896-?)
Arthur married and had children. His own father, Alf, played the violin at his son's wedding in 1922. Descendants remember him being artistic and loving to sketch and paint, often from memory. He served in the Great War (1914-18) and it may be possible to research his army career further.
His medal card details are recorded as follows:
Description Medal card of Windeatt, Arthur A. Corps: Royal Field Artillery; Regiment No:87541; Rank: Driver; Date 1914-1920; Catalogue reference WO 372/22; Dept: Records created or inherited by the War Office, Armed Forces, Judge Advocate General, and related bodies Series War Office: Service Medal and Award Rolls Index, First World War Piece Wilson F - Zzdey S Image contains 1 medal card of many for this collection and may be purchased fro £3.50. Image Reference: 19354 / 3188. Source: Documents Online
2. Louis Vernon (?1898-1918)
Born in the March quarter of 1898. Louis Vernon served in the Great WAR and died some months before its end in 1918.
A descendant of Charles Alexander Windeatt, Louis' brother, writes:
Louis Vernon Windeatt was serving in the Royal Fusiliers and he had been in the army since 1915, serving in the Dardanelles and the Western Front. He was killed when the barracks he was in was shelled heavily on the afternoon of the 3rd of May 1918 at Vendin lez Bethune. The Battalion records for his unit state that on the morning of the 3rd of May 1918 the billets were heavily shelled and that 4 other ranks were killed and 24 wounded, so I assume that Louis was one of the 4. He lies buried at the Sandpits British Cemetery in Fouquereuil, Pas de Calais.
From an article in the Surrey Comet on May 25th 1918.
L. Cor Windeatt Killed
L. Cor Lewis Vernon Windeatt, Royal Fusiliers, was killed in action on the Western Front on May 3, at the age of 20. He was the second son of Mr. And Mrs. F. A. Windeatt, 17, Glenville Road, and nephew of Mr. Corelli Windeatt. Joining the army in January, 1915, deceased proceeded to the Dardanelles in the following July, but subsequently was sent to the Western Front where he had been serving for about two years. He was home on leave at Easter. An old boy of St. Paul's School, he was studying music with the object of making it a profession and had exhibited marked ability. An elder son of Mr. And Mrs. Windeatt is serving as a driver in the R.F.A.
Louis Vernon Windeatt's medal card details are recorded under the mistranscribed name of WINDCATT as follows:
Description Medal card of Windcatt, Louis V. Corps: Royal Fusiliers; Regiment No:16460; Rank: Private; Date 1914-1920 Catalogue reference: WO 372/22; Dept: Records created or inherited by the War Office, Armed Forces, Judge Advocate General, and related bodies Series War Office: Service Medal and Award Rolls Index, First World War Piece Wilson F - Zzdey S Image contains 1 medal card of many for this collection and may be purchased fro £3.50. Image Reference: 19344 / 3186. Source: Documents Online
- Link to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission record of his death and memorial. Curiously the war graves site gives his rank as 'Lance Corporal' while the Medal Card gives it as 'Private'.
3. Hilda Beatrice (?1903-?)
Hilda was born in Wandsworth so the family must have moved from Kingston to London about this time.
4. Frederick Corelli (?1906-?)
5. Charles Alexander (?1913-?)
> My Grandfather Charles was an artist and sign writer after the second
> world war and was one of many children of Frederick and Henrietta
> Windeatt of Kingston upon Thames. I do not know yet how many children
> they had in total.
Census Transcriptions
1871 (taken 2nd April 1871)
Living at 23 Fore Street, West Teignmouth with their parents and older brothers and sisters. Their father, Charles, was no longer a jeweller but working as a musician. I assume he called Corelli after a favourite composer and it's curious how his son fulfilled his father's ambitions by becoming a composer himself (if a somewhat less illustrious one). Many of the other children became musicians as well but Charles John and Frank went into another family profession - building - and became, respectively, a carpenter and a plasterer.
| Name | Status | Marr | Age | Occupation | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Allan WINDEATT | Head | Mar | 33 | Professor of Music | Exeter, Devon |
| Sarah WINDEATT | Wife | Mar | 33 | Crediton, Devon | |
| Charles J. WINDEATT | Son | 10 | Scholar | Teignmouth, Devon | |
| Elizabeth Alice WINDEATT | Daur | font face="Verdana">8 | Scholar | Teignmouth, Devon | |
| Frank Benjamin WINDEATT | Son | 6 | Scholar | Teignmouth, Devon | |
| Edward Robert WINDEATT | Son | 4 | Scholar | Teignmouth, Devon | |
| Corelli Ernest WINDEATT | Son | 2 | Teignmouth, Devon | ||
| Frederick Alfred WINDEATT | Son | 4 mnths | Teignmouth, Devon |
1881 (taken 3rd April 1881)
Now living at 17 Burlington St., Weston Super Mare, Somerset. They must have moved there some time between the birth of Lily in 1874 and Ettie in 1876. His eldest son, Charles, has left home but the other children (apart from Corelli) are still at home. Frank was probably apprenticed in his grandfather's profession of plastererer.
| Name | Relationship | Marriage | Age | Sex | Profession | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles A. WINDEATT | Head | M | 41 | M | Professor Of Music | Teignmouth,Devon |
| Sarah WINDEATT | Wife | M | 41 | F | Hookway, Devon | |
| Elizabeth WINDEATT | Daur | U | 19 | F | Dressmaker | Teignmouth, Devon |
| Frank WINDEATT | Son | 17 | M | Plasterer | Teignmouth, Devon | |
| Edward WINDEATT | Son | 14 | M | Scholar | Teignmouth, Devon | |
| Fred Alph WINDEATT | Son | 8 | M | Scholar | Teignmouth, Devon | |
| Lilly WINDEATT | Daur | 6 | F | Scholar | Teignmouth, Devon | |
| Ettie WINDEATT | Daur | 4 | F d | Scholar | Weston S Mare, Somerset | |
| Adeline WINDEATT | Daur | 1 | F | Weston S Mare, Somerset |
PRO Ref RG11 Piece 2421 Folio 63 Page 63
Where's Corelli?
Here he is in London living with the Wilsons at 1 Rochester Villas, St. Pancras, London - presumably a small boarding school? Was he a gifted child? Did the family scrape up enough money to send him away to school? Perhaps Charles Wilson was a music teacher?
| Name | Relationship | Marriage | Age | Sex | Profession | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles WILSON | Head | M | 62 | F | School Master | Westminster, Middlesex |
| Caroline W. WILSON | Wife | U | 58 | F | Liskeard, Cornwall | |
| Charles R. WILSON | Son | U | 18 | M | Scholar | Old Charlton, Kent |
| Frances A. WILSON | Daur | U | 15 | M | Scholar | Old Charlton, Kent |
| John ARMSTRONG | Pupil | U | 19 | M | Lieut Militia Royal Westmorland | Cockermouth, Cumberland |
| Ernest GOUHAULT* | Pupil | U | 18 | F | Scholar | Expernay, France |
| Corelli WINDEATT** | Pupil | 11 | F d | Scholar | Teignmouth, Devon | |
| Sara POOLE | Serv | W | 30 | F | General Serv Domestic | Cheshunt, Hertford |
PRO Ref RG11/0212 Folio 78 Page 18
* Ernest GOUHAULT (or GOUBAULT?) from Expernay: Perhaps he was the Ernest Goubault mentioned in an article in praise of great champagnes and named as "one of Champagne’s greatest winemakers for giving us the 1921 Moët & Chandon, a wine so special that it was transvasaged into a fancy 18th-century replica bottle to become the very first vintage of Dom Pérignon." (See Wine Makers - Simply the Best from http://www.wine-pages.com/guests/tom/greatest.pdf). Epernay is in the heart of the champagne country and Ernest would have been about 60 in 1921.
**mistranscribed as Carelli WINDEATH
1891 (taken 5th April 1891)
I haven't been able to find them in 1891 yet.
| Surname | First name(s) | Rel | Status | Sex | Age | Occupation | Where Born |
| WINDEATT | |||||||
| WINDEATT |
1901
Here's Corelli living at no 4, Palmer Crescent, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey and with a 19-year-old servant. He says he is working at home. Is he teaching? Or working with the London Dance Orchestra?
| Name | Rel | Status | Age | Occupation | Employment | Working at home | Where Born |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corelli Windeatt | Head | M | 31 | Musician | Employer | Yes | Somersetshire, Weston* |
| Isabell Windeatt | wife | M | 31 | America US British Subject | |||
| Stanley Windeatt | son | 7 | Somersetshire, Weston | ||||
| Rita Windeatt | daur | 3 | Surrey, Kingston | ||||
| George A Windeatt | son | 2 mos | Surrey, Kingston | ||||
| Lydia WIGGINS | serv | S | 19 | General Serv - Domestic worker | Oxfordshire, Piddington |
RG13/663 Folio 57, Page 29, Schedule 187
I wonder why Corelli gave his birthplace as Weston-Super-Mare rather than Teignmouth? Perhaps his wife filled it in for him and made a mistake?
Here's Fred living at no 54 Wyndham Road, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey. He, at least, got his birthplace right. But now whose daughter was Gwendoline? Corelli had been living at no 54 previously but moved - probably in 1900 or 1901 - to Palmer Crescent .where seemingly he remained until he died in 1947. So how come he was playing on the pier at Weston in the 1920s?
| Name | Rel | Status | Age | Occupation | Employment | Working at home | Where Born |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fredalph Windeatt | Head | M | 31 | Musician | Worker | Yes | Devon, Teignmouth |
| Henda Windeatt | Wife | M | 30 | Musician | America US British Subject | ||
| Arthur Windeatt | Son | 4 | London | ||||
| Louis Windeatt | daur | 3 | Weston-Super-Mare, Som. | ||||
| GwendolineWindeatt | Niece | 9 | Surrey, Kingston |
RG13/664 Folio 164 Page 17, Schedule 114