| Biography | John Cheshire, harpist and composer, was born on March 28, 1837 in Birmingham, England. He studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London from 1852-1855 and afterwards under Sir G.A. Macfarren and J.B. Chatterton. In 1855, he was appointed harpist to the Royal Italian Opera and in 1865, principal harpist at Her Majestys Theatre. From 1858-1861, he toured in South America, and in 1879 Norway and Sweden. In 1888, he was the harpist to the National Opera Company. His compositions included an opera, Diana,which he wrote while in Brazil, Cantat, The King and the Maiden (book by Arthur Matthison), performed at St. James Hall on April 20, 1866, and The Buccaneers.
In 1871 he married Mathilda Maria Frances Baxter, an excellent pianist who appeared with success at many of his concerts. From this union, three daughters (Iris, Pearl and Zoe) and a son (Harold) were born. Zoe Cheshire and Harold Cheshire followed their parents into the limelight, as a harpist in New York and an actor in England, respectively |