Historical information

This piece of music was composed by Joseph Summers (1839-1917). The date of the composition is between 1863 and 1866. The brother of Charles Summers, the sculptor, Joseph Summers was born in England and came to Australia in 1865. He was an organist and composer, an Inspector of Music in schools and in charge of music examinations conducted through Trinity College, London. In 1897 he moved to Perth. The signature of ‘Miss Jessie Webster’ presents a problem as no information has been found on this person.

Significance

This is a most significant item because of the date, 1866, and the name, ‘Jessie Webster’. But it is not known if the music has any local provenance. The item also has social significance as an example of the type of music played in mid-Victorian drawing rooms.

Physical description

This is a piece of music of four printed pages of musical notation. The cover of this music is missing. The paper is white with black printing and all the pages are much mottled and stained. The edges of the pages are ragged and torn. There is some pencil scribble on the first page. A name and a date are written in black ink on the first page.

Inscriptions & markings

‘Miys (Miss) Jessie Webster, November 13th 1866’