Hickford's Long Room

A 1922 source reports that "little is known" of the venue's founder, John Hickford. He was a "dancing-master in the latter part Queen Anne's reign", and his room was one of two in the west end of London with sufficient room for concerts.{{harvnb|Harrison|1906a|pages=602}} As artists approached him to use his room, he developed a reputation as a concert-organizing agent. His establishment was known by a variety of names at different times, including Mr. Hickford's Dancing School and Mr. Hickford's Great Dancing Room. Later as it became a concert venue, it was called Mr. Hickford's Great Room and Mr. Hickford's Room.

File:Hickford's Long Room, start of season in Dec 1760.jpg

There were 20 concerts a season, running from December to April. A season ticket (or "subscription") cost 4 guineas, about 44 days wages for a skilled tradesman.{{cite web |url= http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/currency-converter/#currency-result |title= Currency converter: 1270–2017|author= |website= nationalarchives.gov.uk|access-date= 8 June 2019 |quote=In 1720, you could buy one of the following with £1: ...Wages: 11 days (skilled tradesman) [1 guinea = 11 days labor, 4 guineas = 44 day's labor]}} Non-ticket holders paid half a guinea (6-days' wages) to attend a show if space was available. A ticket-holder could arrange to bring a friend, with a charge of 5 shillings (2-days' wages) for each of them.

The regular band was led by Michael Christian Festing, with singer Cecilia Young (known publicly as "Mrs. Arne") and cello played by Andrea Caporale (who played for Handel in 1740).

In addition to the house's seasonal shows, benefits concerts were held for musicians, with other musicians supporting them with their music. An example of this was the benefit for mandolin virtuoso Gabriele Leone, March 17, 1766. The beneficiary, Leone, performed one of his own pieces, as well as one from Emanuele Barbella.{{cite news |author= |title=Mr. Leone's Concert |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31364342/gabriele_leone_concert/ |work= The Public Advertiser|location= London |date= 17 March 1766 |access-date= 8 June 2019 }} He had help from composer Mattia Vento, who directed the concert. Also part of the concert was violinist composer François-Hippolyte Barthélémon and his soon-to-be wife, soprano Polly Young,Olive Baldwin, Thelma Wilson: "Charles Young", Grove Music Online ed. L. Macy (Accessed 12 January 2009), [http://www.grovemusic.com (subscription access)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516041031/http://www.grovemusic.com/ |date=2008-05-16 }} Joseph Tacet (who was a master of the German flute),{{cite web |url= https://archive.org/details/compleattutorfor00char/page/n3 |title=The compleat tutor for the German-flute : containing the easiest and most modern methods for learners to play, to which is added a favorite collection of song tunes, minuets, marches, duets, &c. Also the method of double tongueing and a concise scale and description of a new invented German-flute with additional keys such as play'd on by that celebrated master Mr. Joseph Tacet|author= |website= archive.org|access-date=8 June 2019 }} the Brothers Colla (playing colascione)s, Spanish violinist Oliver (whose patron was the Earl of Abingdon){{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=mUEAR9mWEWwC&q=Oliver%2C+18th+century%2C+spanish+musician%2C+violin&pg=PA412|title= Historical Dictionary of Music of the Classical Period |last= Van Boer|first= Bertil H. |date= 2012 |page= 412|publisher= Scarecrow Press|isbn= 9780810871830 |access-date=8 June 2019 }} and cellist Giovanni Battista Cirri.

The Long Room was located first on James Street in Haymarket, across from the Royal Tennis Courts); it was expanded and grew to have a second entrance on Panton Street. As Mr. Hickford became successful, he moved his establishment, in 1739, to Brewer Street near Golden Square, "a fashionable part of town." The latter location featured a room 50 feet by 30 feet, lit by a large window on the southern side, with a high coved ceiling and decorative cornices and mouldings. It had a small stage and a gallery above the door. It is unclear whether Hickford had the new room built, or whether he took over an existing space.{{cite web |title=Brewer Street and Great Pulteney Street Area |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vols31-2/pt2/pp116-137 |website=www.british-history.ac.uk}}

The room stood behind No. 41 Brewer Street until its demolition in 1934 as part of the expansion of the Regent Palace Hotel. The Encyclopaedia Britannica described the demolition as having a "deplorable disregard of its unique interest and historical associations".

File:Bodleian Libraries, Newscutting relating to Mr Hickford's Great Room, February 1719, announcing Vocal and instrumental music.jpg|1719, Feb. Advertisement announcing Vocal and instrumental music for the benefit of Mr. Dahuron. Entrances on both James Street and Panton Street.

File:Bodleian Libraries, For the benefit of Mr. Zuccarini, (lately arrived from Italy).jpg|1737. Announcement of March 1737 concert for violinist, Mr. Zuccarini.

File:Bodleian Libraries, Newscutting relating to Hickford's Great Room, 25th March 1737, announcing Several new concertos.jpg|1737, March 25. Advertisements for Hickford's Great Room on Panton Street, about two years before the move to the Brewer Street location.

File:Gabriele Leone concert add 17 March 1766.jpg|1766, March 17. Benefit concert Advertisement for Gabriele Leone at Hickford's Long Room.

File:Bodleian Libraries, Hickford's near Golden Square.jpg|1772, April 2. Newscutting relating to Hickford's, announcing A grand concert for the benefit of Mr. Vento; Grand concert; Hickford's near Golden Square

File:Bodleian Libraries, For the benefit of Mess. Bromley and Evans.jpg|1772. Concert for the benefit of Mr. Bromley; Vocal part by Miss Thomas; First violin and solo by Mr. Ximenes; Concerto on the hautboy; Several select pieces on the harp; Duet upon two harps by Messrs. Bromley and Evans.

File:Bodleian Libraries, For the benefit of Mess. Borghi and Savoy.jpg|1773. Concert for the benefit of Mess. Borghi and Savoy.

File:Bodleian Libraries, For the benefit of Signora Frasi.jpg|1773, May 14. Concert for the benefit of Signora Frasi.

File:Advertisement for a Course of Reading, London, 21 February 1784.jpg|1784, February 21. Advertisement for a Course of Reading.

File:Ad. for public debate, ladies only, on academic and voting rights for women. Placed on 17 March 1788.jpg|1788, March 17. Early advertisement for newly-named Rice's Rooms (formerly Hickford's)

{{reflist}}

• {{cite magazine |last= Harrison |first=Bertha |date=1 September 1906a |title= A Forgotten Concert Room|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=FNJ6Ua9iaUoC&q=signor+oliver%2C+violin&pg=PA602|magazine= The Musical Times |volume= 47|pages=602–605|location= London|access-date=7 June 2019}}
• {{cite magazine |last= Harrison |first=Bertha |date=1 October 1906b |title= A Forgotten Concert Room (continued)|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=FNJ6Ua9iaUoC&q=signor+oliver%2C+violin&pg=PA669|magazine= The Musical Times |volume= 47|pages=669–672|location= London|access-date=7 June 2019}}
• {{cite book |last=Harrison |first=Bertha |editor1-last= Maitland |editor1-first= J. A. Fuller|date= 1922 |title=Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians |url= https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_5vRLAAAAYAAJ |quote= hickford's long room.|location= Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|publisher=Theodore Presser Company|page= [https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_5vRLAAAAYAAJ/page/n425 393]-396}}

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Category:1713 establishments in England

Category:Entertainment venues in London

Category:1787 disestablishments in England

Category:Former concert halls in London