Welcker

History

Peter Welcker functioned as a music seller, engraver, printer and publisher in London from 1762 until his death in 1775. He published a large amount of music by the leading contemporary composers. On single song sheets his imprint can appear only as his initials “P.W.” or “P. W-k-r.” Generally his imprint lacks his forename.

Upon his death, the business was taken over by his wife, Mary Welcker who continued the practice of only using a surname, making imprints difficult to distinguish from those published by her husband. She died in 1778. Soon after her death the business was taken over by the Welckers’ son-in-law, James Blundell. Robert Bremner is known to have purchased some of Mary Welcker’s plates and music in 1779.

The Welckers’ son, John Welcker, also a music seller, engraver, printer and publisher, apparently started with his parents' firm (early imprints indicated his address at 17 Gerrard Street), and eventually opened a separate publishing firm in London. He went bankrupt by July 1780. The inventory was offered for sale and his brother-in-law, James Blundell took over the address at 10 Haymarket. Welcker then resumed business in August 1780 until the end of 1785. A portion of Welcker's engraved plates was bought by one Charles Rennett, and sold in turn to Joseph Dale (for £682) who continued to print them.

Imprints, Addresses

• [Peter] Welcker, Gerrard Street, St. Ann’s, Soho (1762- ?)

At some point Welcker began using the numbered street address:

• [Peter] Welcker, 17 Gerrard Street, St. Ann’s, Soho (?-1775)
• [Mary] Welcker, 17 Gerrard Street, St. Ann’s, Soho (1775-1778)

• [John] Welcker, 17 Gerrard Street, St. Ann’s, Soho (1775)
• [John] Welcker, 9 Haymarket, opposite the Opera House (1775-end of 1777)
• [John] Welcker, 10 Haymarket, opposite the Opera House (end of 1777-July 1780)
• James Blundell, 110 St. Martin's Lane (1778-1780)
• James Blundell, 10 Haymarket (1780-1782)
• [John] Welcker, 80 Haymarket, opposite the Opera House (August 1780-end of 1784)
• [John] Welcker, 18 Coventry Street (end of 1784-1785)

Editions

Peter Welcker, then Mary Welcker

John Welcker

References

1. Grove (Oxford) Music Online
2. Humphries, Charles and William C. Smith. Music publishing in the British Isles, from the beginning until the middle of the nineteenth century. Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1970.

Authority control

• VIAF (Welcker, Peter, -1775)
• VIAF (Welcker, Mary)
• VIAF (Welcker, John)