 
Ashton "Jack" Worswick
|
 Worswick
tried to open his own shop in 1930. Perhaps due in part to the economic
hardships of the great depression, this enterprise must have been
short-lived, as records have him working for Haynes-Schwelm in 1934,
then back with Powell again in 1935. In 1936 Worswick again tried
his hand at opening an independent shop, which once again appears to
have
failed quickly since he is listed working for William S. Haynes in 1937
and
for the next few years. The relocation of his residence to Jamaica
Plain
several miles southwest of the peninsula suggest he might then have
worked
for yet another major Boston flutemaker, Harry Bettoney. During WW2
Worswick
worked for the war effort as a machinist in the Boston naval yard. At
the
war's end he resumed flutemaking for Wm. S. Haynes Co, where he
practiced
his former craft from 1947-1953. |
 The Worswick
Flute/Boston/10 displays the understated elegance of the best handmade
Boston flutes of the period, perhaps rather more like an early Haynes
than a Powell in mechanism design and finish. Toneholes, points and
posts are fitted and soldered with the care one would expect from an
artisan intent on impressing a potential clientele in the city which
already laid claim to some of the best flutemakers in the world. |
 Susan
Berdahl ended her narrative on Ashton
Worswick with the statement, "No Worswick Flute Company flutes are
known
to exist." At that time this flute was safely ensconced in the
closet
of Ed Ransom. His parents (both graduates of the Art Institute of
Chicago)
located this flute in a shop in the Chicago area in the early 1950's
and
purchased it for Ed to play in the 7th grade. Ed was kind enough to
pass
this bit of flute history along to me. Solder joins appeared sound,
mechanism sluggish but solid,
less worn than many flutes of similar vintage (perhaps due to its long
retirement).
Pads, corks and shims were shot and a hodgepodge of spring types hint
at earlier work done to the flute over the years. |
 Surprisingly, the
only major sign of truly outrageous fortune is an odd longitudinal dent
in the headjoint that at first appeared to be delamination of a seamed
tube but, extruded tubing being the norm for flutes of this period,
further inspection revealed the obvious. The damage
was no doubt caused by improper and energetic use of a swab stick,
perhaps
to adjust the cork placement. The headjoint nonetheless spoke well when
used in a body in better repair, with a resistance and tonal color not
unlike
a very early Powell.Following a proper overhaul by Harold Phillips at J. L. Smith & Co., the mech is light and tight without the "fragile" feeling of some older flutes, and the crease in the headjoint has been smoothed down to near invisibility. I agree with Larry Woodall, who performed a similar resurrection on his Worswick #7: "the Worswick flute plays fantastically ... as good or better than any Powell or Brannen." It is a real player with good intonation (if you can stay away from the A=442+ ensembles) and a responsive and strongly centered voice from low C on up into the somewhat reserved third octave. If only Mr. Worswick had picked better economic times to strike out on his own -- and maybe changed his name to something a bit easier to remember -- he might have taken his place among the best of the Boston makers. |
Return to GoferJoe's Flutes Thanks to Ed Ransom and Susan
Berdahl for the lesson in flute history.
Images © J. W. Sallenger.