a professor of music, from whom, when only four years old, he received his earliest instruction in the violin. At the age of five he played in public, and in 1817 he appeared as a violinist at Drury Lane Theatre in an entertainment called ' The Liliputians,' as well as in a succession of concerts at the Exhibition Rooms in Spring Gardens. In 1821 he studied with Spagnoletti, and two years later, on the opening of the Royal Academy of Music, he entered that institution, where he became the pupil of Dr. Crotch and F. Cramer. In 1824 Blagrove was awarded a silver medal for his violin-playing, and in 1830 he received the appointment of solo-violinist in the royal private band, a post he held until 1837. Queen Adelaide took great interest in his career, and at her wish he went (in 1832) to Cassel, where he spent two years studying with Spohr. Subsequently he travelled on the continent for some time, playing with great success at Vienna and elsewhere. On his return to England he appeared as a soloist at the Philharmonic concerts, and in 1836 assumed the leadership of a string quartett party, the other members of which were H. Gattie, J. B. Dando, and C. Lucas, who gave a series of admirable concerts at the Hanover Square Rooms. At the coronation of Queen Victoria he led the State band, with which he was connected until his death. At about the same time he gave lessons on the violin to the Duke of Cambridge. On 17 Aug. 1841 Blagrove married Etheldred, daughter of Mr. Henry Combe, by whom he had three children. In the course of his long and brilliant professional career he was successively principal violin in Jullien's band, at both opera houses, at most of the provincial festivals, the Handel celebrations at the Crystal Palace, and the leading musical societies in London, besides teaching the violin at the Royal Academy of Music. In 1858 he was for a short time in Germany, and a few years later he played at the Lower Rhine Festival at Düsseldorf. On 8 Jan. 1869 Mrs. Blagrove died, and before long Blagrove began to show signs of declining health. He still, however, continued occasionally to perform, and in 1872 was presented with a public testimonial in recognition of his merits. In the December following he was seized with paralysis while playing at a private concert, and on the 15th of the same month died at his house, 224 Marylebone Road. He was buried at Kensal Green. Blagrove's published works comprise some valuable exercises and studies for the violin and a few solos. As a performer he ranked among the best of Spohr's pupils, his tone and execution being alike admirable. Personally he was very popular with all with whom he came in contact, and he was a most persevering and successful teacher.
[Information from Mrs. Murray ; Grove's Dict. of Music, i. 246 ; Musical Directory for 1874, 8.]
BLAGUE or BLAGE, THOMAS (d. 1611), dean of Rochester, was of Queens' College, Cambridge. He was undoubtedly the author in early life of 'A Schoole of wise Conceytes. Wherein as euery conceyte hath wit, so the most haue much mirth, set forth in common places by order of the alphabet. Translated out of diuers Greeke and Latin wryters by Thomas Blage, student of the Queenes Colledge in Cambridge. Printed at London by Henrie Binneman. Anno 1572. Cvm Privilegio ' (12mo). He was admitted, 9 Sept. 1570, to the rectory of Braxted Magna in Essex. Local inquiries prove that he was non-resident. On 2 Sept. 1571, being A.B., he was presented to the church of St. Vedast, Foster Lane, London. Again, on 20 July 1580, he is found 'presented by the queen' to Ewelme, Oxfordshire, which he resigned in 1596. On 2 April 1582, at Oxford, being described as 'student in divinity' and one of the chaplains in ordinary to the queen he 'supplicated for D.D., but whether admitted appears not' (Wood, Fasti, i. 222). On 1 Feb. 1591, being then D.D., he was installed dean of Rochester in the place of John Coldwell, M.D. Wood erroneously states that at the time he was master of Clare Hall, confounding him with another dean of Rochester (Dr. Scott). In 1602 he, as dean, presented John Wallis (or Wallys), father of the more famous Dr. John Wallis, to the living of Ashford, Kent. In 1603 he printed and published a sermon on I Psalm i. 1-2, which had been preached at the Charter House. In 1604 he was appointed rector of Bangor, but never resided. He died 11 Oct. 1611. Wood, in recording the above solitary sermon, adds, 'and perhaps others;' but all appear to have perished. He had a son named John, who, in his father's lifetime, was a commoner of Oriel College, Oxford (Fasti, i. 222). Later a Colonel John Blague was the person by whom Isaac Walton restored to Charles II his 'George' that had been lost. Another Thomas Blague—perhaps another son—wrote the following tractate: 'A great Fight at Market Harborough in Leicestershire betwixt the Presbyterians and Independents, some declaring for his Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, others for the late elected Generals Maine and Poynts. With the number that were slain and wounded, and the manner how the Presbyterians were put to flight. By Thomas Blague,' 1647
