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Joseph Williams of London was active from 1840 until 1960. It started publishing rather slowly, but then became very busy from the 1850s.
Composers in the catalog included:
1850s Balfe, Wallace
1870s John Liptrott Hatton
1890s A Mackenzie
1900s Florian Pascal (pseud. of Joseph (Bernard) Williams (1847-1923)), Edward Elgar, W.H. Squire, Hurlstone, York Bowen, Matthay, Earnshaw (cello)
1920s-30s Cowen, Adam Carse, Dunhill, J.B McEwen, J.H.Brown
1940s Gordon Jacob (1895–1984, almost his entire output), Alan Bush
1960s A. Cruft, A Richardson.
Based on sheet music from the Maxwell Tyler Collection at the University of Kent, Canterbury, Special Collections and Archives, Joseph Williams published under the Stannard & Son imprint early in its history, likely from 1850 to 1890. These publications consisted of music hall pieces like Harry Hunter's "His Name was Joshu-A" for the Moore and Burgess Minstrels.
The Berners Edition imprint was used from 1890 to 1930. Incidentally Berners Street in London has always been associated with music publishing, and is the current home of Music Sales Ltd, owners until 2018 of Novello and other well-known imprints. In 1960 the firm was bought by Augener, which in turn was absorbed by Galliard, then Stainer & Bell in 1972.
The founder of the firm was a certain Joseph Williams, Sr. His son, Joseph Williams, Jr. was a composer whose music, under the pseudonym "Florian Pascal" (among others) was published by the company.
32, Great Portland St, London W1
24, Berners St W, London
124 Cheapside Corner of Wood St EC, London
