Thomas Kennedy

John Dilworth

KENNEDY, Thomas Born 1784, died 1870 London UK. Son and pupil of John Kennedy, above. Also apprenticed to Thomas Powell. From 1802 working for William Forster (III), but established independently from 1804 at 16 Princes Street, employing James Brown and later some of the best English bow makers, including Thomas Tubbs, James Dodd, and Edward Dodd. William Forster (IV) also made instruments for him c.1810, as did John Crowther. In about 1813 Kennedy’s shop moved to 16 Nassau Street, and from 1816-1848 was at 364 Oxford Street. This shop then closed but Kennedy continued to work from various addresses: 4 Cummings Place, 4 King’s Road, and 164 Pentonville Road. Continued to supply instruments to the firm of Goulding, D’Almaine & Co, whose brand is sometimes found beneath the back button. Kennedy was a prolific maker, working in various grades, from quite poor unpurfled instruments with thin dark varnish to quite distinguished and well-finished examples with a fine transparent spirit varnish. His cellos are now best known, and the most useful products of his workshop, usually made on a distinctive shortened Amati model with long middle bouts. Most of his work is signed in pencil on the inner surface of the table, and occasionally in ink above the endpin on the lower ribs. Bows originally with open ivory frogs, branded: KENNEDY Thos Kennedy / Maker / Nassau Street / Middlesex Hospital Thos. Kennedy Londini. 1860 Thos. Kennedy Maker 364 Oxford Street, London [BVMA]

George Hart

Son of the above. Probably made more instruments than any English maker, with the exception of Crask.

William Meredith Morris

He was a prolific maker, and turned out at least two thousand instruments of all sizes. The workmanship is good all over, but the tone is not of equal merit, being often harsh and metallic. A violin with a birch back and yellow varnish had the following label : —

THOS. KENNEDY, LONDINI, 1860

Cecie Stainer

b. Jan. 21, 1784, London ; d. 1870. Was a son of John Kennedy ; pupil of his father, also of Thomas Powell, to whom he was apprenticed June 17, 1795. He worked at times for William Forster (1764-1824), but his own workshop was first in Princes Street, Westminster, and then at 364, Oxford Street.
He retired from business in June, 1849, having made at least 300 violoncellos as well as other instruments; all his work was well and neatly finished.

Willibald Leo Lütgendorff

Sohn von John K., erst Schüler seines Vaters, dann von Thomas Powell.
Eine Zeit lang arbeitete er bei William III. Forster und eröffnete hierauf in
der Princess Street, Westminster, seine eigene Werkstatt und verzog später
nach der Oxford Street No. 364. Als er sich 1849 zur Ruhe setzte, hatte er
300 Violoncelli und Geigen gemacht. Er war der Bedeutendste aus der Familie
Kennedy.