Appendix 2

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John Boseley’s fellow-subscribers to the publication of Weaver (1706)³ and Pemberton (1711)

M. L’Abbé: Anthony L’Abbé c1680–1739. Court dancing master to George I. Taught George II’s daughters for £200 p.a.

Mr Thomas Calverley: Taught Kellom Tomlinson who was his apprentice 1704–14 and became a well-known dancing master, theatre dancer and writer on dance.

Subscribers (1 of 2)

M. Cherrier: René Cherrier. Stage dancer – noble and grotesque roles – at Drury Lane. Taught K. Tomlinson stage dancing 1703–08. Mr Christian of Blandford M. Le Duc and M. D’Elisle [ie De Lisle]: of the Académie-Royale, Paris; brought to England to appear in Calisto at court in 1675.

Mr Eastland: Possible connection with James Eastland, dancing master in Norwich 1722–24, or Edward Eastland, dancing master in King ’s Lynn 1723–27.

Mr Essex: John Essex, London dancing master, wrote For the furher improvement of dancing, 1710.

Mr Isaac: ‘Monsieur Isaac’ d.1720. One of the English dancers in Calisto 1675. Taught John Evelyn’s daughter. 1682–1783, little known of him. 1703–14 Queen Anne’s court dancing master; he had trained her for her appearance in Calisto when she was a child. Mr Lane: Dancing master to Charles II. Composed Mr Lane’s Trumpet Minuet and Mr Lane’s Maggot. Edward Pemberton: London dancing master.

Subscribers (2 of 2)

Mr Priest sen. of Chelsea: Josias Priest d.1734. In 1667 dancer at Duke’s Playhouse with Moll Davis. Apprenticed to Luke Cheynell, whom he succeeded as house dancing master 1673.Choreographer of Calisto.⁴ Ran a school for girls with his wife at Chelsea. Produced, with his pupils, Purcell’s Dido ad Aeneas and Blow’s Venus and Adonis – which he had choreographed earlier at court, Moll Davis singing Venus. Contributed a Minuet for six couples in Pemberton. Weaver on Priest: ‘… the greatest Master of Grotesque … every gesture just.’ M. de Ruell: Phillipe du Ruel. He and his wife danced at Drury Lane with Cherrier from 1703 to 1707 when they returned to France.

Mr Weaver: John Weaver 1673–1760, of Shrewsbury where he taught at the School. Later creator of English ballet in London, working towards naturalism, precursor of Noverre’s ballets d’action. Pantomime dance. Choreographer – The Loves of Mars and Venus and The Tavern Bilkers. Wrote books on Time, Cadence and Anatomy for dancers. Charles Burney was taught by him and recalled him as: ‘A man of infinite wit and considerable learning’. Weaver was still teaching minuet, rigaudon and L’Ouvre at the age of ninety.

³ ‘Several of the Nobility and Gentry’ said to have subscribed to Weaver’s book – this is a ‘puff’; the Nobility and Gentry would expect their names to appear if they had subscribed

⁴ Calisto, 1675, called ‘the last Stuart masque’ but not true masque form; a court entertainment featuring courtiers, younger royalty but not the monarch, imported professionals and vast expense. Priest had general oversight for £100. M. Isaac was one of the English dancers at £10. De Lisle and Le Duc, at £5 each, were part of a group of dancers brought in from the Académie Royale by the Duke of Monmouth who was a notable dancer and had danced in French court ballets.

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