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Joseph Higham's Band Instrument Factory
 (The
illustrations
on
this
page
come
from
the document "Peeps into the
Famous Higham Band Instrument Factory" provided by Gary Newborough.)
Joseph Higham established his musical
instrument factory in 1842. Entries in the Slaters Directory of
Manchester and Salford describe the company as, "wholesale brass
musical instrument makers to the trade and for export, electroplaters
and gilders." Within ten years of the company's foundation
it was supplying
musical instruments to the British Army and later they added the
British Navy to their list of customers. For much of the time
Higham's factory was located at 127 Great Ducie Street just across the
road from the Assize Courts and Strangeways Prison.
 However, according to the various
Manchester and Salford Directories, this wasn't always the case.
In 1850 Joseph Higham, musical instrument maker, had premises at 73
Chapel Street in Salford.
It
was
at
this
phase
of the company's history that it played an
interesting role in the formation of one of the country's iconic brass
bands. In 1855 a band formed in the Yorkshire village of
Queenshead was experiencing difficult times. The Halifax Courier
newspaper reported in September of that year that: "John
Foster
& Son, having lately
become acquainted with the depressed state of the band determined to
make an
effort themselves to raise it up again. Accordingly they have purchased
from
the eminent maker, Mr. Joseph Higham,
of Manchester a new set of instruments which have this week been
delivered to
the band, which in future is to be denominated Black Dyke Mills Band."
By 1863 the Higham's address
was 2
Victoria Terrace, Victoria Street and, interestingly, there is also a
listing for a Thomas Higham who is selling musical instruments at 76
Bridge Street just off Deansgate. Perhaps this is a retail outlet
for the company. By 1879, the address for Joseph Higham is 127
& 131 Great Ducie Street but they still had the premises on
Victoria Street. In 1883 ownership of the company passed
to Higham's son-in-law Peter
Robinson. By 1895 there is no longer any mention
of the Victoria Street address. Higham's held a number of
important patents and were major producers of quality
instruments. It is said that they employed over 90
craftsmen and in the first 51 years of business they produced 46,000
instruments.
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