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{{Infobox musical artist
{{No footnotes|date=December 2010}}
[[File:Elizabeth Randles.jpg|thumb|Elizabeth Randles]]
| name = Elizabeth Randles
| image = Edward-randles-and-his-daughter-elizabeth.jpg
'''Elizabeth Randles''' (1801? – 1829) was a [[Welsh people|Welsh]] harpist and pianist. She was born in [[Wrexham]] on 24 May 1801 (other sources say she was born in 1800), the daughter of [[Edward Randles]], the blind organist of the parish church, Wrexham. She became known as ‘the Little Cambrian Prodigy’ for her ability to play the piano and harp.
| alt =
| caption = [[John Downman]] portrait of Elizabeth and her father
| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| birth_date = 1 August 1800
| birth_place = [[Wrexham]]
| death_date = {{deathdateandage|1829|05|06|1800|08|01}}
| death_place = [[Liverpool]]
| instrument = Harp<br>Piano
}}

'''Elizabeth Randles''' (1 August 1800&ndash;6 May 1829), also known as "Little Cambrian Prodigy", was a [[Welsh people|Welsh]] harpist and pianist. A child prodigy, she started playing the piano at the age of sixteen months, and performed in public for the first time before she was two years old. Elizabeth was taught by her father, who was organist at the [[Holywell]] parish church and was also blind. She performed for local aristocracy, leading to a performance for King [[George III]] and his royal family when she was 3 and half. [[Caroline_of_Brunswick|Caroline]], Princess of Wales hoped to adopt her but her father would not allow it. She did, however, spend a few days at the Princess of Wales' summer home, often playing with [[Princess Charlotte of Wales]]. Elizabeth went on to tour the country as a child, performing with [[John Parry (Bardd Alaw)|John Parry]]. In 1808, she returned home and learned the harp. She went on to take lessons from [[Friedrich Kalkbrenner]], before moving to Liverpool and becoming a teacher.

==Biography==
[[File:The church of St James, Holywell (geograph 2262988).jpg|thumb|left|St. James Parish Church, where Edward Randles was organist]]
Elizabeth Randles, also known as Bessy, was born on 1 August 1800 in [[Wrexham]], north [[Wales]].<ref name="Bio">{{cite book|author1=Dictionary of Musicians|editor1-last=Percy|editor1-first=Reuben|editor2-last=Timbs|editor2-first=John|title=The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction, Volume 4|date=1824|publisher=J. Limbird|url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=vMIRAAAAYAAJ|accessdate=2 April 2016|chapter=Select Biography. Miss Randles, the Cambrian Musical Prodigy}}</ref> Her father, [[Edward Randles]], the organist at the [[Holywell]] parish church of St. James, lost his sight at the age of three as a result of [[small pox]]. Perhaps due to his lack of sight, his had parents placed him to be trained under the blind harpist [[John Parry (harpist)|John Parry]], where he excelled. Elizabeth was the youngest of Randles' several children<ref name="Bio" /> including her brother Edward, who would become a subsequent organist at the parish church.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Poole|first1=J|title=Gleanings of the Histories of Holywell, Flint, Saint Asaph, and Rhuddlan|date=1831|page=30|url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=b5JeAAAAcAAJ|accessdate=1 April 2016}}</ref>

At the age of sixteen months, Elizabeth enjoyed pressing keys on the piano and attempting to "pick out a melody". One day, while Randles was ill, he noticed someone attempting to play ''[[Blue Bells of Scotland]]'' on the nearby piano.<ref name="Bio" /><ref name="Brayley">{{cite book|last1=Brayley|first1=Edward Wedlake|last2=Britton|first2=John|title=The Beauties of England and Wales, Or, Delineations, Topographical, Historical, and Descriptive, of Each County: North Wales|date=1812|publisher=T. Maiden|pages=601-602|chapter=Denbighshire|url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=_3FbAAAAQAAJ|accessdate=2 April 2016}}</ref> Assuming it was one of his older children, he requested they stopped and was surprised to find it was Elizabeth who was playing. Due to her age, she needed to hit each key with the side of the hand.<ref name="Bio" /> He discovered that she could play the basic melody for both the ''Blue Bells of Scotland'' and ''[[Charley over the water]]''.<ref name="Brayley" /> Her father decided to start teaching her some other simple tunes and the [[musical notes]]. Before she could talk, she had the ability to recognise notes and press the piano keys which related to them.<ref name="Bio" /> Randles went on to teach Elizabeth the melody to the Welsh folk song, ''[[Ar hyd y nos]]''. Elizabeth also attempted to play the chords so her father ended up teaching her the full piece.<ref name="Bio" />

[[File:Elizabeth Randles.jpg|thumb|Portrait of Elizabeth Randles]]
During the summer of 1802, Wrexham was visited by a troupe of travelling comedians. One of the leaders, who had heard Elizabeth play, requested that she performed with them.<ref name="Bio" /> Before the age of 2, she joined the troupe at Wrexham theatre to play ''Ar hyd y nos'' and ''[[The Downfall of Paris]]''.<ref name="Bio" /> There, she played her pieces with an apple and slice of cake on either side of the piano, receiving both when she finished for playing well.<ref name="Bio" /> Over the next nine months, Elizabeth played at the houses of Sir [[Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 5th Baronet|Watkin Williams-Wynn]], [[Viscount Dungannon|Lady Dungannon]] and [[Sir Foster Cunliffe, 3rd Baronet|Lady Cunliffe]]. Williams-Wynn proposed that Elizabeth play in a Wrexham concert during the spring of 1803, under the direction of the Welsh harpist [[John Parry (Bardd Alaw)|John Parry]].<ref group=note>The blind harpist John Parry who had trained Elizabeth's father died in 1782, before Elizabeth was born</ref><ref name="Bio" /> The concert was postponed a number of times due to the illness of Elizabeth's mother, who insisted they carry on without her. One the night of the concert, Elizabeth's mother died, after hearing that it was a success.<ref name="Bio" />

By the time Elizabeth was 3 and a half, she was invited to play for King [[George III]], [[Queen Charlotte]] and other members of the Royal Family.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Lewis|first1=Samuel|title=A Topographical Dictionary of Wales: Comprising the Several Counties, Cities, Boroughs, Corporate and Market Towns, Parishes, Chapelries, and Townships, with Historical and Statistical Descriptions, Volume 2|date=1840|publisher=S. Lewis|url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Gp9BAQAAMAAJ|accessdate=2 April 2016|chapter=WRE}}</ref>The recital was a success and the king presented Elizabeth with 100 [[guineas]] (worth approximately £96,000 in 2014).<ref group="note">Comparing [[Average worker's wage|average earnings]] between 1803 and 2014, 100 guineas is valued at £95,950.00 by [http://www.measuringworth.com/ukcompare/ MeasuringWorth.com]</ref><ref name="Brayley" /> She created such a sensation that [[Caroline_of_Brunswick|Caroline]], Princess of Wales, wished to adopt her though her father would not allow it.<ref>{{cite news|title=The 2010 Gregynog Festival|url=http://www.wales.ac.uk/en/NewsandEvents/News/Gregynog/The2010GregynogFestival.aspx|accessdate=1 April 2016|work=University of Wales|date=10 June 2010}}</ref><ref name="Bio" /> The publicity of the royal concert lead to a subsequent breakfast concert for the public, with tickets costing 1 guinea each (approximately £960 in 2014).<ref group="note">Comparing [[Average worker's wage|average earnings]] between 1803 and 2014, 1 guineas is valued at £959.50 by [http://www.measuringworth.com/ukcompare/ MeasuringWorth.com]</ref> The concert was held at [[Cumberland Gardens]], with approximately 500 people "of first rank" attending. All profits of the breakfast, as well as donations by the attendees, were given to Elizabeth in the form of various trusts.<ref name="Bio" />

{{Quote box
| quote = "Do you know that my grandfather is King of England, and my father is Prince of Wales?"<br/><br/>"Well, and my father is organist at Wrexham."
| source = Conversation between [[Princess Charlotte of Wales]] aged 8 and Elizabeth aged 4.<ref name="Bio" /><ref name="Rathbone" />
| width = 25%
| align = left
}}
Elizabeth spent a few days under the care of the Princess of Wales, at her summer home, the Pagoda in [[Blackheath, London|Blackheath]]. There she spent time playing with a young [[Princess Charlotte of Wales]],<ref name="Rathbone">{{cite book|last1=Rathbone|first1=H. M.|title=The Juvenile|date=1853|page=12|url=https://books.google.ca/books?id=QicGAAAAQAAJ|accessdate=2 April 2016|chapter=True Anecdotes of Children}}</ref> To ensure that she had sufficient funds for her education, Elizabeth, her father and Parry toured the rest of the [[United Kingdom]] between 1805 until 1808.<ref name=Harp>{{cite book|last1=Flood|first1=William Henry|title=The story of the harp|date=2013|publisher=Read Books Ltd.|isbn=9781473383470|url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Rup9CgAAQBAJ|accessdate=1 April 2016|chapter=Chapter XVIII: Welsh harpers of the eighteenth century}}</ref> In June 1808, she returned to London to perform at the [[Hanover Square Rooms]], attended by the Princess of Wales, the [[Marquess_of_Downshire|Marchioness of Downshire]].<ref name="Brayley" /> Parry remained in London, whilst Elizabeth and her father returned home. There she learned to play the harp and by the age of fourteen she was proficient in both instruments, as well as the organ.<ref name="Bio" /> She returned to London in 1818, to take harp lessons from [[François-Joseph Dizi]] and piano lessons from [[Friedrich Kalkbrenner]].<ref name="Bio" />

Elizabeth moved to Liverpool, teaching harp, piano and singing regularly at a school in [[Ellesmere, Shropshire|Ellesmere]],<ref>{{cite news|title=Fair View School, Ellesmere, Shropshire|url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001286/18180712/020/0008|accessdate=1 April 2016|work=Bell's Weekly Messenger|date=12 July 1818|page=8}}</ref> and returning each weekend to attend to her father, until his death in 1823.<ref name="Bio" /> Elizabeth's health was described as "delicate" and she died of "decline"<ref name="Rathbone" /> on 6th May 1929<ref>{{cite news|title=Deaths|url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000389/18290519/023/0003?noTouch=true|accessdate=3 April 2016|page=3|work=Chester Courant|date=19 May 1829}}</ref> in Liverpool<ref>{{cite news|title=Died|url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000150/18290528/001/0001?noTouch=true|accessdate=3 April 2016|work=Worcester Journal|date=28 May 1829|page=1}}</ref> Her musical skill at such a young age left her known as the "Little Cambrian Prodigy".<ref name="Bio" />

== Notes ==
{{reflist|group=note}}


Before she was two years old she played "Ar hyd y nos" and "The Downfall of Paris" on the harp at the Wrexham theatre. When she was only three years old she played before [[George III]], [[Queen Charlotte]] and other members of the Royal Family. She created such a sensation that the Princess of Wales wished to adopt her, but her father would not part with his child. She however later went to pass a week at the house of the Princess Charlotte, at Blackheath.
She died in [[Liverpool]] in June 1829.
== References ==
== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}
*{{cite journal|last=Rathbone|first=Miss H. M.|title=True Anecdotes of Children|journal=The Juvenile: A Penny Magazine for Children|issue=1853 |pages=12|quote=Elizabeth Randles was the infant daughter of the blind organist in Wrexham Church. She had two sisters, who were both musical; and one morning, the organist ...|url=http://books.google.ca/books?id=QicGAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA12&dq=%22Elizabeth+Randles%22&ei=NRyvS7qzIJWizASDwvSACw&cd=4#v=onepage&q=%22Elizabeth%20Randles%22&f=false}}

*{{cite book |chapter-url=http://wbo.llgc.org.uk/en/s-RAND-ELI-1801.html|chapter=Randles, Elizabeth ( 1801? – 1829 )|title=Dictionary of Welsh Biography |publisher=The National Library of Wales |accessdate=28 March 2010}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.gwylgregynogfestival.org/12_June_Musical_Breakfast.html|title= The Music Room, Gregynog Saturday, 12 June 2010, 10am – 4.30pm A Musical Breakfast|publisher=Gwyl Gregynog Festival 2010|accessdate=28 March 2010}}
*{{cite book|title= Bye-Gones, relating to Wales and the Border Countries. [Reprinted from the "Oswestry Advertizer."] |publisher=The Caxton Works|location=Oswestry|date=1871–88|volume=1–9}}
*{{cite book|last=Roberts|first=T. R. |title=Eminent Welshmen : a short biographical dictionary|location= Cardiff |date=1908}}
*{{cite book|last=Griffith|first=Robert|title=Llyfr Cerdd Dannau. Ymchwiliad i hanes hen gerddoriaeth a’r dulliau hynaf o ganu. [With a preface by Owen M. Edwards. With illustrations and music.]|publisher=Cwmni y Cyhoeddwyr Cymreig|location=Caernarfon |date=1913}}
*Dodd, A.H. (1957) : A History of Wrexham Hughes & Son, Wrexham


{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
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| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = British musician
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = British musician
| DATE OF BIRTH = 1801
| DATE OF BIRTH = 1800
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH = 1829
| DATE OF DEATH = 1829
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[[Category:Welsh harpists]]
[[Category:Welsh harpists]]
[[Category:Child classical musicians]]
[[Category:Child classical musicians]]
[[Category:1801 births]]
[[Category:1800 births]]
[[Category:1829 deaths]]
[[Category:1829 deaths]]


{{UK-music-bio-stub}}
{{UK-musician-stub}}

Revision as of 13:39, 3 April 2016

Elizabeth Randles
John Downman portrait of Elizabeth and her father
Background information
Born1 August 1800
Wrexham
DiedMay 6, 1829(1829-05-06) (aged 28)
Liverpool
Instrument(s)Harp
Piano

Elizabeth Randles (1 August 1800–6 May 1829), also known as "Little Cambrian Prodigy", was a Welsh harpist and pianist. A child prodigy, she started playing the piano at the age of sixteen months, and performed in public for the first time before she was two years old. Elizabeth was taught by her father, who was organist at the Holywell parish church and was also blind. She performed for local aristocracy, leading to a performance for King George III and his royal family when she was 3 and half. Caroline, Princess of Wales hoped to adopt her but her father would not allow it. She did, however, spend a few days at the Princess of Wales' summer home, often playing with Princess Charlotte of Wales. Elizabeth went on to tour the country as a child, performing with John Parry. In 1808, she returned home and learned the harp. She went on to take lessons from Friedrich Kalkbrenner, before moving to Liverpool and becoming a teacher.

Biography

St. James Parish Church, where Edward Randles was organist

Elizabeth Randles, also known as Bessy, was born on 1 August 1800 in Wrexham, north Wales.[1] Her father, Edward Randles, the organist at the Holywell parish church of St. James, lost his sight at the age of three as a result of small pox. Perhaps due to his lack of sight, his had parents placed him to be trained under the blind harpist John Parry, where he excelled. Elizabeth was the youngest of Randles' several children[1] including her brother Edward, who would become a subsequent organist at the parish church.[2]

At the age of sixteen months, Elizabeth enjoyed pressing keys on the piano and attempting to "pick out a melody". One day, while Randles was ill, he noticed someone attempting to play Blue Bells of Scotland on the nearby piano.[1][3] Assuming it was one of his older children, he requested they stopped and was surprised to find it was Elizabeth who was playing. Due to her age, she needed to hit each key with the side of the hand.[1] He discovered that she could play the basic melody for both the Blue Bells of Scotland and Charley over the water.[3] Her father decided to start teaching her some other simple tunes and the musical notes. Before she could talk, she had the ability to recognise notes and press the piano keys which related to them.[1] Randles went on to teach Elizabeth the melody to the Welsh folk song, Ar hyd y nos. Elizabeth also attempted to play the chords so her father ended up teaching her the full piece.[1]

Portrait of Elizabeth Randles

During the summer of 1802, Wrexham was visited by a troupe of travelling comedians. One of the leaders, who had heard Elizabeth play, requested that she performed with them.[1] Before the age of 2, she joined the troupe at Wrexham theatre to play Ar hyd y nos and The Downfall of Paris.[1] There, she played her pieces with an apple and slice of cake on either side of the piano, receiving both when she finished for playing well.[1] Over the next nine months, Elizabeth played at the houses of Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, Lady Dungannon and Lady Cunliffe. Williams-Wynn proposed that Elizabeth play in a Wrexham concert during the spring of 1803, under the direction of the Welsh harpist John Parry.[note 1][1] The concert was postponed a number of times due to the illness of Elizabeth's mother, who insisted they carry on without her. One the night of the concert, Elizabeth's mother died, after hearing that it was a success.[1]

By the time Elizabeth was 3 and a half, she was invited to play for King George III, Queen Charlotte and other members of the Royal Family.[4]The recital was a success and the king presented Elizabeth with 100 guineas (worth approximately £96,000 in 2014).[note 2][3] She created such a sensation that Caroline, Princess of Wales, wished to adopt her though her father would not allow it.[5][1] The publicity of the royal concert lead to a subsequent breakfast concert for the public, with tickets costing 1 guinea each (approximately £960 in 2014).[note 3] The concert was held at Cumberland Gardens, with approximately 500 people "of first rank" attending. All profits of the breakfast, as well as donations by the attendees, were given to Elizabeth in the form of various trusts.[1]

"Do you know that my grandfather is King of England, and my father is Prince of Wales?"

"Well, and my father is organist at Wrexham."

Conversation between Princess Charlotte of Wales aged 8 and Elizabeth aged 4.[1][6]

Elizabeth spent a few days under the care of the Princess of Wales, at her summer home, the Pagoda in Blackheath. There she spent time playing with a young Princess Charlotte of Wales,[6] To ensure that she had sufficient funds for her education, Elizabeth, her father and Parry toured the rest of the United Kingdom between 1805 until 1808.[7] In June 1808, she returned to London to perform at the Hanover Square Rooms, attended by the Princess of Wales, the Marchioness of Downshire.[3] Parry remained in London, whilst Elizabeth and her father returned home. There she learned to play the harp and by the age of fourteen she was proficient in both instruments, as well as the organ.[1] She returned to London in 1818, to take harp lessons from François-Joseph Dizi and piano lessons from Friedrich Kalkbrenner.[1]

Elizabeth moved to Liverpool, teaching harp, piano and singing regularly at a school in Ellesmere,[8] and returning each weekend to attend to her father, until his death in 1823.[1] Elizabeth's health was described as "delicate" and she died of "decline"[6] on 6th May 1929[9] in Liverpool[10] Her musical skill at such a young age left her known as the "Little Cambrian Prodigy".[1]

Notes

  1. ^ The blind harpist John Parry who had trained Elizabeth's father died in 1782, before Elizabeth was born
  2. ^ Comparing average earnings between 1803 and 2014, 100 guineas is valued at £95,950.00 by MeasuringWorth.com
  3. ^ Comparing average earnings between 1803 and 2014, 1 guineas is valued at £959.50 by MeasuringWorth.com

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Dictionary of Musicians (1824). "Select Biography. Miss Randles, the Cambrian Musical Prodigy". In Percy, Reuben; Timbs, John (eds.). The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction, Volume 4. J. Limbird. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
  2. ^ Poole, J (1831). Gleanings of the Histories of Holywell, Flint, Saint Asaph, and Rhuddlan. p. 30. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d Brayley, Edward Wedlake; Britton, John (1812). "Denbighshire". The Beauties of England and Wales, Or, Delineations, Topographical, Historical, and Descriptive, of Each County: North Wales. T. Maiden. pp. 601–602. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
  4. ^ Lewis, Samuel (1840). "WRE". A Topographical Dictionary of Wales: Comprising the Several Counties, Cities, Boroughs, Corporate and Market Towns, Parishes, Chapelries, and Townships, with Historical and Statistical Descriptions, Volume 2. S. Lewis. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
  5. ^ "The 2010 Gregynog Festival". University of Wales. 10 June 2010. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  6. ^ a b c Rathbone, H. M. (1853). "True Anecdotes of Children". The Juvenile. p. 12. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
  7. ^ Flood, William Henry (2013). "Chapter XVIII: Welsh harpers of the eighteenth century". The story of the harp. Read Books Ltd. ISBN 9781473383470. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  8. ^ "Fair View School, Ellesmere, Shropshire". Bell's Weekly Messenger. 12 July 1818. p. 8. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  9. ^ "Deaths". Chester Courant. 19 May 1829. p. 3. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  10. ^ "Died". Worcester Journal. 28 May 1829. p. 1. Retrieved 3 April 2016.


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