"Duck Son & Pinker
The Famous Music Company formerly occupied this site 1848-2011"
"In 1848 Duck Son & Pinker was founded by William Duck
(1820-1892), a native of Bath.
His first piano shop was at No 2 Pulteney Bridge and this
business quickly expanded until it occupied the whole of one
side of Pulteney Bridge, comprising seven shops.
Educated at Bath’s Bluecoat School in Sawclose, and Bancroft’s
School, London, William Duck developed a talent for music. He
gained considerable repute as a concertina performer making
tours all over England. Later in life he became the lessee of
the Theatre Royal, Bath, and in 1875 purchased the provincial
rights of the famous H J Bryon comedy, ‘Our Boys’. The first
performance of this play out of London was at Bath on 29th March
1875, as were the 1000th and 2000th performances and, at that
time, its long run was something unprecedented in the annals of
the stage. In commemoration of this success, William named his
residence in Oldfield Park ‘Our Boys’. Ironically, it was to
become the Bath City Secondary School for Girls and this later
evolved into Hayesfield Girls’ School.
In 1878 William’s son, George, entered the partnership, and
Thomas Pinker joined six years later when the business title
became Duck, Son & Pinker.
George Duck was a bachelor and lived with his father in Oldfield
Park until the latter’s death in 1892. He moved to live with his
sisters in Clifton, Bristol, and became the sole proprietor of
the business.
Thomas Pinker was initially employed by George as a piano tuner
before being taken into the partnership and was a man of
considerable business ability. He was a musician and organist at
St John’s Church, Weston, Bath, and a member of Bath Rowing
Club. Tragically, he drowned whilst yachting off Ilfracombe in
1887 at the early age of 43 years.
The extent of the Company’s business is gathered from the fact
that at its height, 65,000 piano tunings were carried out
annually, an average of 1,250 per week, whilst the Sheet Music
Department was for many years one of the largest in the Trade.
Duck Son & Pinker took over Milsom & Son here in
Northgate Street, but the name remained because F H Milsom and A
C Milsom became future chairmen of Duck Son & Pinker.
The company closed its doors for the last time on 1st April 2011
following the death of managing director and principal
shareholder, Mr Leslie Fudge."
(c) 2020
Bath-Heritage.co.uk | Contact us|