I'm interested to find out more about William Anderson who was the Managing Director of Anderson Music Company and who was one of the first residents of Broadwood Road and close neighbour of my grandfather, Charles Warren. The Rate Book of 1918-1919 has William Anderson at "Gilstead", 18 Broadwood Road, which I believe was one of the houses built by my grandfather's company. (The Jury List recording Anderson at 19 Broadwood Road must be a typo). He moves out to the King Edward Hotel for some reason in 1920, but then moves back again until 1923, when the Jury List puts him at 4 Mountain View, The Peak. Hugh Anderson (perhaps his son) is briefly listed as "Assistant for C.E. Warren & Co." in 1920.
I don't think that this William Anderson can possibly be either the William J. Anderson or the Bill Anderson who were in Stanley. I think he was probably my grandfather's vintage and perhaps a long term friend. One of the rooms in my grandfather's house at no. 20 was known as "The Organ Room" and apparently had wonderful acoustics. I know that he had a pianola, but I'm not aware that he played an instrument himself. I've seen ads for the Anderson Music Company in the newspapers, but can't make anything come up in a newspaper search, either for "William Anderson" or for "Anderson Music".
Any leads welcome.
Jill
Comments
To find mentions of Anderson
To find mentions of Anderson Music in the newspaper search:
That should give several results to investigate. The first couple are dated around Christmas time, with advertorial text about the company. That is only usually done for paying advertisers, so you'll likely find adverts for Anderson Music elsewhere in those issues.
A quick skim, and a mention on page 10, The Hong Kong Telegraph, 1932-05-24, caught my eye. It shows two brothers' names:
The brothers J. E. and Wm. Anderson, representing the Anderson Music Co., who supplied the large collection of musical records for the Fair, have on view ...
William Anderson
Thanks for these instructions, David. I'll search not so much for the company ads, but for the personal information about William Anderson. I knew I was doing something wrong when the ads didn't come up.
Jill
William Anderson of The Anderson Music Company
I've been unable to find birth or death dates for William Anderson of The Anderson Music Company. I believe that he was from an established Hong Kong family and that the below record from the Diocesan Boys' School Register posted by annelise is a record of him and two of his brothers. William Anderson disappears from the Jurors Lists after 1935. There is a 1936 record of a John Anderson as "Director" of the Anderson Music Company. The company still existed in 1941 but with an Assistant Manager given on the Jurors List, who was not a member of the family.
1902
Anderson Henry.
1902
Anderson James.
1902
Anderson Wm..
More info about Anderson Music Co.
Hi, I saw your post while researching for the Anderson Music Co. I can tell you the company acted as the agent of EMI (China) Ltd. which distributed gramophone records produced by Columbia, Brunswick, Decca, Parlophone, and Pathé (CO 323/1495/8). The company was incorporated in 1913 and dissolved in 1952. Two of the directors, J. E. Anderson and William Anderson, passed away on 12.8.1947 and 13.7.1950 respectively. (HKRS95-1-12).
Deaths of William & J.E. Anderson
Thank you for letting me know the death dates of the Anderson brothers of the Anderson Music Co. I note from the Archives section of the Government Records that William Anderson put in a claim to the government for the loss of a piano during the war. Only one!
William Anderson photo
The photo in the archive of Lane Crawford https://gwulo.com/media/23229 shows "Anderson" of the music department in the middle of the back row. The Jurors List of 1908 gives William Anderson as "Pianoforte tuner" for Lane Crawford, so that looks like a match.
Anderson and Lane Crawford
That's probably the Anderson we're talking about. Anderson Music Co. posted an advert on SCMP in October 1913 which said it was 'carrying on the business of Messrs. Lane Crawford late Piano and Music Department.' (The store of Anderson Music Co. was near King Edward Hotel's main entrance.)
William Anderson (1874-1950)
William Anderson of Andersons Music Company was born in Dumfries, Scotland on 7 June 1874, to Thomas Anderson (a coachman in domestic service) and his wife Janet (née Edgar). He is listed in the 1891 Scottish Census as a piano tuner's apprentice, then in the 1901 Census as a Pianoforte tuner. I'm not sure exactly when he went to Hong Kong but prob early 1910's. His wife's name was Margaret, but I don't know anything about her except that she died in Dumfries in November 1957 aged 82. William died in Dumfries on 13 July 1950 at age 76. They are both buried in Troqueer Cemetery, Dumfries. William's brother John Edgar Anderson is also buried there. I don't know if William had children. His Probate reads:
"ANDERSON William of The Anderson Music Company Limited Hong Kong and of Gilstead Pleasance Avenue Dumfries died 13 July 1950 at Dumfries confirmation of William Wallace provision merchant. Sealed London 9 September. "