George Stansbury

George Frederick Stansbury (7 June 1800 – 3 June 1845) was a British composer, musical director and arranger and an operatic singer. Although contemporary reviewers described his voice as of “poor quality”, he was nevertheless an excellent musician and a ready composer. His oldest brother was the violinist and pianist John Adolphus Stansbury (1792–1837) who for many years was the orchestra leader at the Theatre Royal, Bristol and of the Bristol concerts. His other brother was Joseph Augustus Stansbury (1793–1831), who played the double bass. His surviving and younger sisters (a third died in infancy) were the singers and actresses Emma Stansbury (1803–1862) and Louisa Jane Stansbury (born 1808), the latter marrying Joseph Hall in 1834. By the age of 12 George Stansbury was proficient in the piano, the violin and flute and could play most of the rest of the instruments in an orchestra. He was 20 years old. In Bristol he was the chorus conductor for Messiah in 1823 under George Thomas Smart, also appearing as conductor and tenor soloist at other local venues. In May 1827 he appeared alongside his sisters at a benefit performance at the Assembly Rooms in Bristol during which he sang a