From the Archives: Christmas Quiz 2024 - Identify the instrument

What is an ‘Angelute’? John Charles Ward (27 March 1835 – 24 December 1919)

Not much is known of John Ward; unlike most membership files from this period his application form does not survive.

There are various published compositions by him which are predominantly religious works, however, there are a few for instrumental combinations of which several include a concertina.  It is likely that he performed on both organ and concertina and was likely to have been a church organist and choirmaster – the census records of 1871 and 1881 identify him as a teacher of music, with that of 1891 showing him to be an organist and “professor of engineering”.  Details can be seen on Wikitree.

His image, captured in this photograph by William Elliott Debenham (1839-1924) around the year 1880 and not before 1876, is found in one of RSM’s photograph albums.  He is shown with a curious instrument which appears to be an amalgamation of a concertina and harmonium.  The printed card is annotated ‘Inventor of “The Angelute”’ but what is this instrument, and does one survive?