Alfred Walker Heaps

HEAPS, Alfred Walker Born 1854 Leeds, Yorkshire UK, died 1906 Sydney Australia. Worked for Picard of Leeds. Emigrated to Australia 1874. Manager of a music warehouse in Sydney, New South Wales 1876. Full time violin maker from 1885. Fine oil varnish. Heaps / Sydney

He is the son of the late John Knowles Heaps, of Leeds, and was born in January 1854. He commenced to study the violin at an early age, under Mr. Whittaker, of Leeds, and later he continued his studies under the late George Haddock. He made rapid progress and gave fair promise to become one of the leading English violinists, but the love of violin construction very early outgrew the love of violin music. He was apprenticed to Handel Pickard, Leeds, in 1869, with whom he remained until the end of 1874, after which time he was for over two years in his father’s workshop. In 1875, he, along with his father, exhibited a quartette of instruments at the Leeds Exhibition, for which a prize medal and certificate were awarded. During the time he was with his father he made several instruments which were of excellent workmanship.

Shortly after this period Mr. Heaps accepted an appointment in Sydney as manager of the musical department of a wholesale house. After remaining with this firm for a time his business as a violin-maker and repairer increased to such an extent that he found it necessary to devote the whole of his time to the profession. During the latter part of his apprenticeship with Pickard, and previous to leaving Leeds to go to Sydney, he had many very valuable instruments entrusted to him for repairs, and his neat workmanship soon gained him a reputation in this particular branch of the profession. Since he went to Sydney his skill as a repairer has become favourably known throughout the whole of Australia and New Zealand, although he never advertises.

During the past fourteen or fifteen years he has made many violins, which have been sold for £20 to £25 each, violoncellos from £35 to £42. One of the latter was made to the order of the late Mr. Edgar Straus in 1891, and was used by him as his solo instrument during the whole of the time he was resident in Sydney. Mr. Heaps executed some important repairs for Ovid Musin when the latter was on an artistic tour in Sydney some few years ago.

In the manufacture of all his instruments he uses only the best material. He has in his possession a fine stock of sycamore, some of which has been preserved since about 1828, Of pine for bellies he also possesses a large stock, including a quantity which was exhibited as music wood at the great Exhibition in London, and purchased from Messrs. Beinhardt and Son, of Bohemia. (See Official Catalogue, Class x. No. 510.) He also keeps portions of all the material used by his father in the manufacture of instruments made during his life — which embraces various textures of wood — so that whatever instrument comes to him for renovation, he has no difficulty in matching the material. Mr. Heaps boasts of possessing a stock of wood large enough to suffice him for making violins as long as he lives, but he still continues to purchase as opportunity offers, to keep up his stock, so that at his demise he may be able to bequeath to his son (who is intended to follow the profession) whatever may be then unused.

He follows his father’s model, reduced to 14 inches. He keeps a record of the dimensions and thicknesses of all instruments made by his father or himself, and also of any valuable ones which pass through his hands for repairs, so that he is able to produce, when requested, new instruments after any model. His varnish is an oil one, of various colours. His instruments, both as regards tone and workmanship, rank in the first class.

Up to the time of writing, a copy of his label has not come to hand.