Crabb Robinson Diary

HCR diary 5.6.1834 re: Aders' pictures "Beckford is after some of the pictures and I have more hope of him than of anyone else"

William Thomas Beckford (DNB 1760-1844)

HCR diary 26.10.1817 "Poor Becher has had the misfortune to be, tho' innocently, involved in the late great Liverpool smuggling fraud".

                        3.1.1818 "called on Mrs Meyer to excuse myself from going to Mr Becker's with her this evening, but she was herself unwell" (Mrs Meyer was the future Mrs Aders)

                      26.4.1818 about Becher "There are very bad reports in circulation about him. He is charged with acts that amount to gross dishonesty"

HCR diary 4.4.1823 "I met by appointment at Aders Wordsworth, Sir Geo. Beaumont and Rogers." "Sir Geo. proposed bringing Fuseli" "Sir Geo. seemed to be in particular interested by these specimens of old German art. The Perugini (3 figures in a sort of open temple) he declared to be in parts hardly distinguishable from Raphael. The great painting by Van Eyck he spent a long time in examining"

George Howland Beaumont (DNB 1753-1827)

HCR diary 1.5.1842 Robinson saw Miss Bayley "interesting chat only I said too much about Mrs Aders etc."

No identification at present

HCR diary 20.6.1818 a musical party at Aders "Two Germans - Baur (brothers?) performed on the violin and violincello in so exquisite a style as to delight everyone -such sounds were bought from the violincello as I have never heard". The two musicians walked back with Robinson and complained that the French appreciate merit in music but the English not.

The only Baur alive then in music dictionaries was Charles-Alexis Baur who was a harpist, so these remain a mystery to me

HCR diary 23.12.1836 "I made calls on Bates a picture dealer who has some of Aders pictures to sell for us - he pleases me - he is the brother-in-law of Mrs Jameson - he asked me to take tea with him - but he does not expect to dispose of the pictures till the spring"

                     16.3.1837 "called on Mr Bates and left him a letter authorising him to consider Mr Lovenhagen as the proprietor"

                     13.4.1839 "Bates who does not deliver up our pictures"

HCR diary 27.6.1820 I just made a note - Flaxman against Barry (husband of mistress, Nollekens and lace hat). I don't recall the story but it was certainly John Flaxman (DNB 1755-1826) telling an anecdote of James Barry (DNB 1741-1806)

HCR diary 1.5.1819 Mr and Mrs Banks at Charles Aders

                    9.5.1819 at Mrs Smith's (the future Eliza Aders) Mr & Mrs Banks there "Mr B: otherwise a formal and tiresome man talked about precious stones a subject he understands being by profession a worker of precious stones - he was a very rich man but ran through his fortune and then took to this occupation in which he has talent - as a means of subsistence - his wife is a quiet good kind of woman much praised by Mrs Smith & Aders &c. I walked with them to give them the protection of my umbrella"

HCR DIARY 25.1.1832 the Aders gave a The Dansant at Willis Rooms "Many of the company were in fancy dresses - The two Miss Baldwins as ladies of the time of Geo II one being supposed to be Lady Grandison - the other in the actual dress of the great grandmother of Mrs Baldwin" "I chatted with .... Baldwin"

                     2.12.1839 "Camberwell friends,,,, I lunched with the Baldwins"

                     24.5.1844 "wrote notes on that account to ..... and Mrs Baldwin" (meaning the Aders financial troubles in Italy)

HCR diary 23.2.1825 at Aders "a Frankfurter Mr Baff"

A Charles Baff of 48 Bell St, Paddington was insured SunFire 1815, and a Charles Baff was buried at Lambeth 27.10.1825 age 43, an Ann Baff of 9 Frances St, Kennington widow was insured SunFire 1826. No clear identification