Thomas Linley the elder

Thomas Linley, by Thomas Gainsborough, holding his "Elegies for Three Voices" (Dulwich Picture Gallery)

Thomas Linley (17 January 1733 – 19 November 1795), English musician, was born at Wells, Somerset, and studied music at Bath, where he settled as a singing-master and conductor of the concerts.

From 1774 he was engaged in the management at Drury Lane theatre, London, composing or compiling the music of many of the pieces produced there, besides songs and madrigals, which rank high among English compositions.

Children

With his wife Mary Johnson, he had 12 children, 7 of whom went on to musical or theatrical careers:

• Elizabeth Ann Linley (1754 - 1792), his eldest daughter, wife of Richard Brinsley Sheridan
• Thomas Linley the younger (1756-1778), his eldest son, composer and noted violinist
• Mary Linley (1758-87), married playwright Richard Tickell in 1780.
• Samuel Linley (1760 - 1778), second son, singer and oboe player
• Maria Linley (1763-84), singer.
• Ozias Thurston Linley (1765-1831), minor canon at Norwich and organist at Dulwich
• William Linley, (1771-1835), composer of glees and songs and writer.

Linley family tree

Sources

• Brief biography (Dulwich Picture Gallery)

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.