Bonsall and the Royal Harp

François Joseph Dizi (1780 - 1840)

Bonsall, a Derbyshire village famous for UFO sightings, hen races, field barns, music festivals and fun was once home to the niece of one of the World's most celebrated harpists.

Born in Namur, Francois Joseph Dizi was taught the violin by his father, who was a music teacher.

In 1796, at the age of sixteen, Francois set off for England. His expensive harp and luggage were safely stowed away on the ship when Dizi saw a man struggling in the water about to drown. Dizi,despite being unable to swim, managed to help the man to safety, but the ship sailed away with his precious harp, luggage and letters of recommendation, never to be seen again.

A harp made by Dizi, now at the Victoria and Albert Museum

The penniless Francois somehow got to London and located the house of Sebastian Erard, the celebrated piano and harp maker,who lent him a harp and got him settled in London's music scene. By the turn of the century he was the leading harpist in London. 

Richard Campbell Bazett by Robert Home, RA

It was in London that Dizi started to teach Margaret Ann Bazett, wife of East India Company merchant and Old Harrovian Richard Campbell Bazett. Margaret was the daughter of Colonel Samuel Hampton of Calcutta. The Bazetts moved in the high ranks of society and lived in Portman Square. Richard's cousin was Sarah, Countess of Essex, a well-known amateur artist. Things became rather friendly between Mrs Bazett and her famous and handsome harp teacher. 

Mrs Bazett, in  1806, quited the house in Portman Square and moved to Park Lane. Her husband had accused her of some 'improper conduct' with Mr Dizi, who had been observed on a number of occasions leaving Mrs Bazett's apartments in a state of undress. Divorce was filed and Margaret was accused of adultery. In 1809 Margaret was free to marry Francois Dizi. The court case rocked polite London society.

Dizi was also a great innovator with the harp, so he moved to Paris to put his mind to improving the powers of the instrument. Two of his pupils in Paris were the daughters of King Louis-Philippe, one of whom, Louise Marie Therese, married King Leopold of the Belgians. In 1831 Francois was appointed Court Harpist to Leopold of Saxe Coburg, first King of the Belgians.

Dizi's most important work, 48 harp studies, is still used today.

Virginie Louise Dizi Sellors of Herbert Lodge (1798-1861)

The beautiful niece of Dizi, Virginie Marie, met John Sellors in London and they were married at St Luke's Church, Chelsea, in 1822. Mr Sellors lived at Cheyne Walk and was a chemist. 

Sellors was from a Bonsall family. By 1841 he and Virginie were living back in Derbyshire at Herbert Lodge, where he had a wren house on the lawn and used to administer to the poor of the parish as a doctor free of charge. He was churchwarden of Bonsall and highly regarded in the locality and amongst the neighbouring gentry. There is a tablet to John Sellors in St James's Church, Bonsall. John Sellors was also a friend of the famous local industrialist John Smedley, whose signature adorns a closet wall in an attic at Herbert Lodge.

John Sellors of Herbert Lodge (1799-1873)

Herbert Lodge

Mrs Sellors inherited from her Uncle Francois Dizi a miniature gold and diamond set harp, like the one below, which she kept at Herbert Lodge. This was sadly sold out of the family by her Granddaughter. This was the last link that Bonsall had with the giver of the harp, Princess Charlotte of Belgium, Empress of Mexico.