Daniel Higson

HIGSON, Daniel Born 1849 Droylsden, Manchester, Worked circa. 1900-1924 Greavestown nr. Ashton, Lancashire UK. Amateur maker. 30 instruments on Stradivari model, two with carved lion’s heads. Fine orange oil varnish. Ars longs, vita brevis / Made by Daniel Higson / (born 13th August 1849) / Of Ashton, Preston. / 28th February, 1921 / No. 29. Lion Head Ars longa Vita brevis / Made by Daniel Higson / Ashton-on-Ribble / 1st March 1900 / No.17

He was born at Droylsden, near Manchester, August 13, 1849. He is the eldest son of John and Elizabeth Caroline Higson. His father was an antiquarian of considerable repute, and stained glass windows are erected to his memory at St. Mary’s Church, Droylsden, and at St. Thomas’s Church, Leesfield. Higson has made several instruments on an original model. The workmanship is rather rough, but it is not without character, and the tone of one violin which I tried was very fair. Higson has travelled a great deal, and he is a well-read man. He is an ardent sportsman, and an authority on wild fowl. He has published a book entitled ” Sea-fowl Shooting Sketches,” which is of high merit and exceedingly interesting. He builds his own canoes, makes gun-stocks, &c. In short, he is so many-sided that he can never hope to excel in the exacting art of violin-making.