RUDALL-CARTE & CO., LTD
Drums made for the South African Constabulary
George Rudall, born at Crediton in Devon, England in 1781. From early childhood he was passionately fond of playing the flute and making flutes upon which to play. He was more or less self taught, having had only a few lessions from C. Nicholson, his flute then being the eight-key model.
In 1820 he moved to London to teach the flute, where he soon had flutes made to his designs by Willis of London. In about 1821, Rudall heard of the 1st class maker, John Rose who was then a young man working in Edinburgh. Rudall visited Rose and persuaded him to take up a partnership with him in London. Rose agreed and their partnership flourished for nearly fifty years.
During the year 1840, Rudall and Rose started making flutes to Boehm's design; Boehm had visited London to find suitable manufacturers and had obviously been well satisfied with their craftmanship. In 1847, Boehm granted them the patent for manufacturer in England.
Briccialdi's B flat lever was added to their Boehm models in 1849, and in 1850 they were joined by Carte. The business was then known as Rudall, Rose and Carte. After 1865, Rose's name was dropped; he died around 1870.
Richard Carte, born in 1808, in Silchester, Hampshire. He studied under George Rudall on an eight key "Nicholson" flute. By 1824 he was giving regular concerts in London both as soloist and orchestral player. He was a popular lecturer on the development of the flute and was secretary of the newly founded 'London Society of Amateur Flautisits' in 1866.
John Murdie
Conductor of Argyle Temperance Flute Band
George Rudall died in 1871 and Richard Carte in 1891. The business continued, it's Irish agent was John Murdie. He introduced the first set of Boehm system flutes to Argyle Temperance Flute Band in 1910.
Other bands which where supplied with Rudall-Carte flutes where: 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards 1921, 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards 1920,
3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards 1921, Wellington Flute Band 1921, Carrickfergus Amateur Flute Band, Lisburn Conservative Flute Band,
Dublin Command Flute and Drum Band, O'Connell Street Flute Band, St. Kevin's Drum and Flute Band, New Irealnd Drum and Flute Band etc.