Anthony Shaw

Anthony Shaw was born in 1747, probably in Bath, and died aged 45 on 26 August 1792 in Margate. He was a violinist and was the band leader at the Covent Garden Theatre until his death. Anthony Shaw was the son of Bathonian musician Thomas Shaw (1715–92) and was the older brother of the composer Thomas Shaw. as a leading string player and concert director, including in music festivals in Westminster and at Covent Garden, and who had become a member of the Royal Society of Musicians in 1754.

By 1768, Anthony was already living in London; indeed he is likely to be the Anthony Shaw, a Saint-Augustine parish resident, marrying Rachael Collier, a spinster of the same parish, on 30 May 1768.

Career in London The first known fact about Anthony's career is that he played first violin at the Commemoration of Handel (Handel Memorial Concerts at Westminster Abbey and the Pantheon from 26 May to 5 June 1784)

By this time, however, he must have already been well established as a musician as he became a member of The Royal Society of Musicians about 7 years earlier in 1776 or 1777.

By 1788, he had joined and become the leader of the band at Covent Garden, whilst his brother, Thomas Shaw, held the same post at the rival Drury Lane theatre.

Anthony Shaw was in charge of selecting the music of the instrumental interludes inserted in William Shield's and John O'Keeffe's pasticcio afterpiece Aladin, or the Wonderful Lamp which premiered on 26 December 1788 at Covent Garden.

He is known to have played in the oratorio concert at the King's Theatre on 24 February 1792. Although there is no details about who this "Shaw" was, it is plausible that Anthony could have put the piece together and that it was produced after his death. It is less likely that his brother Thomas was involved as he was then officially employed by the Drury Lane theatre, Covent Garden's direct competitor.)

Margate During the Georgian era, the town of Margate (also known by its parish name "St. John's") was transformed from a small fishing village into one of the first sea-side resorts. The Kentish Gazette of 31 August 1792 thus comments the sea bathing season: thumb Theatre Royal, Margate. Built in 1787, it underwent a radical remodelling both inside and out in 1874.

Margate is now much crouded - within this laſt fortnight the ingreſs has been, on an average, upwards of two hundred people every day - more than 500 people were at Dandelyon laſt Wednesday to breakfaſt.

The "Margate hoys", though not without risks, provided cheap and ready access from London. These were the early days of sea bathing, and, among other things, visitors could rely on hotels, assembly rooms, and a theatre for their entertainment.

In the early 1790s, Anthony became the orchestra's superintendent at the Theatre Royal of Margate. ). Two months after her husband's passing, she was granted an additional monthly income of about £2 (about £179 in today's money ) by the Royal Society of Musicians.