The following list of musicians active in the 18th century has been gathered from various sources, e.g.: diaries, newspapers, Lord Chamberlains records, freedom accounts etc.
Leonard Abington – ‘Trumpeter’ : Lord Chamberlain’s Accounts, 1750
Ellis Ackman – ‘Flautist’ : at Drury Lane from 1750 to 1754
John Anthony – “the Tawny Moor”, a mixed-race trumpet player (Mr Anthony, professor of the French Horn, had played at the Lord Mayor’s Day royal entertainment in the City in 1727; he also appeared at Hickford’s Room on 20th April 1733)
Robert Apps – ‘Musician’ : City of London Freedoms, 1735/36
Benjamin Baker – ‘Kettledrum player’ : of Rupert Street, played at the Lord Mayor’s Day royal entertainment in the City in 1714 and 1727
Simon Balicourt – ‘Flautist’
John Baston – ‘Flautist and composer’ : associated with Drury Lane theatre
John Bennet – ‘Horn player, organist and teacher of the harpsichord’ : associated with Drury Lane theatre
Charlotte Brent – ‘Celebrated soprano’ : pupil and mistress of Thomas Arne. Originated the roles of Mandane in Arne’s Artaxerxes, Sally in Arne’s Thomas and Sally, and Rosetta in Arne’s Love in a Village
Giacobbe Cervetto – ‘A player on the violoncello’ : came to England about 1739. His tone was “raw, crude, and uninteresting” – Charles Burney
James Cervetto – ‘Cellist’ : son of Giacobbe Cervetto
Isabella Chambers – ‘Singer’ : daughter of Richard Chambers and Isabella (formerly Devoitt); baptised 1704 and studied singing under Margherita de l’Epine; made her debut at Hickford’s 1722; leading singer at Lincoln Inn Fields Theatre.
John Clegg – ‘Violinist’
Anthony Cook – ‘French horn player’
William Corbett – ‘Leader of the opera house orchestra’
Johann Baptist Cramer – ‘Pianist : son of Wilhelm cramer
Wilhelm Cramer – ‘violinist’
Thomas Cuthbert – ‘Violinist and music copyist at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane’ : one of the 24 musicians at court 1719/20
Henry Davene – ‘Trumpeter in the 4th troop of Horse Guards circa 1708’
William Douglas – ‘the Blackamoor trumpeter’ : performed at Wells in 1718; one of the King’s Trumpeters 1722
Michael Christian Festing – ‘Oboist’ : member of the Royal Opera House orchestra and original co-founder of the Royal Society of Musicians
John Christian Fischer – ‘Oboist’ : married the daughter of Gainsborough
Mrs Fitzgerald – ‘Singer and Actress’ : appeared at Lincoln Inn Fields and Drury Lane Theatres in 1729
Thomas Gethin – ‘Countertenor’ : gentleman of the Chapel Royal 1716; paid £10 per quarter as a member of the Duke of Chandos’ Canons Concert
John Godfrit aka Godfrey – ‘Trumpeter’ : played at Thurtle’s Music Club; may have been a King’s Trumpeter 1713-14
Lewis Christian Austin Granom – ‘Trumpeter and flautist’
Thomas Gwatkin – Trumpeter in the Life Guards
William Hayes – ‘A good solo singer and organist’ : distinguished himself by his compositions of Church Music and several much admired catches glees and canons… Lysons’s History of the Meeting of the Three Choirs
William Jenkins – ‘Trumpeter’
John Jones – ‘2nd violin in the opera orchestra 1720’
Edward Miller – ‘Flautist and keyboard player’ : taught music by Charles Burney at King’s Lynn
James Nares – ‘Harpsichord and organ’ : pupil of Gates, Johann Christoph Pepusch and William Croft
George Pinto – ‘Composer and keyboard virtuoso’ : born George Sanders, son of Julia Sanders (nee Pinto). She was the daughter of Thomas Pinto
Thomas Pinto – ‘Violinist’ : fled to England for political reasons and was the son of a civil servant to the King of Naples. Married Charlotte Brent
William Powell – ‘Harpist’
John Conrad Richter – ‘King’s Trumpeter in 1714’
Filippo Gaetano Rochetti – ‘Singers and Dancer’ : on 11 July 1733 he sang the role of Acis in Handel’s Acis and Galatea
John Stanley – ‘Organist and violinist’ : lost his sight at two years of age, was at eleven, organist of All Hallows, Bread Street
Charles Frederick Weideman – ‘Oboist and flautist in the opera house orchestra’
John Worgan – ‘Organist and composer’ : at Vauxhall Gardens 1751-1774
