Eldon House Sheet Music

A sheet of handwritten music.
Music from the Eldon House collection

Country of Origin: Canada
Year: ca. 1860-1859
Materials: Paper and Ink 

A collection of over 40 hand-inscribed songs of sheet music was discovered in the Eldon House collection and digitized through 2014. The music dates from the 1830s through 1850s and has been housed in a large hard cover folio. The collection is attributed to Charlotte and Eliza Harris, both of whom were musically inclined.

Each piece of sheet music has been written by-hand.  This detail in itself is of interest: certainly “printed” sheet music was produced and available in pre-confederation Upper Canada. The identity of who transcribed the pieces in the Harris Collection is undetermined, yet at times, an indication is given on the front-piece.  Several songs have an inscription of who “gave” the song to the Harris women and in what year the gift took place. Several possibilities of the transcriptions themselves exist: they may have been inscribed by the Harris women, having borrowed originals from friends and acquaintances; or the transcriptions may have been bought locally in London from music professionals – piano tuners and instrument dealers often stocked a large variety of imported scores and sheet music to meet the appetite for Parlour Music.

We acknowledge that we are on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, Lūnaapéewak and Attawandaron. We honour and respect the history, languages and culture of the diverse Indigenous people who call this territory home.

We acknowledge all the treaties that are specific to this area: the Two Row Wampum Belt Treaty of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy/Silver Covenant Chain; the Beaver Hunting Grounds of the Haudenosaunee NANFAN Treaty of 1701; the McKee Treaty of 1790, the London Township Treaty of 1796, the Huron Tract Treaty of 1827, with the Anishinaabeg, and the Dish with One Spoon Covenant Wampum of the Anishnaabek and Haudenosaunee.

The three Indigenous Nations that are neighbours to London are the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation; Oneida Nation of the Thames; and the Munsee-Delaware Nation who all continue to live as sovereign Nations with individual and unique languages, cultures, and customs.