With the sad news of the passing of Charles Beare, the former Director of J & A Beare Ltd, we remember his life and enormous achievements in the world of fine string instruments, his lifelong passion.
Born in 1937, Charles followed in the footsteps of his stepfather William Beare, owner of J & A Beare at the time, and studied violin making in the historic Mittenwald school from age 21. Keen for Charles to learn all aspects of the trade, William sent him to New York two years later, where Charles worked at the Rembert Wurlitzer firm.
There, Charles had access to many of the finest instruments passing through the United States at the time, with intense study of each example honing the skills that would serve as the foundation to his rise as one of the world’s central experts in the field. He took his knowledge of instruments and the trade back to England, assisting in the Beare’s family business and eventually becoming head of the company.
Beyond his great reputation for expertise, many of the leading musicians of the day were attracted to come to London for all their instrument needs. Milstein, Menuhin Yo-Yo Ma, Steven Isserlis, Norbert Brainin and Joshua bell to name just a few, who paid regular visits to our headquarters, first in Soho and then Marylebone. Charles’ close relationship with Jacqueline du Pré – who found her beloved Stradivari cello at Beare’s – meant that documentaries of her career were partly filmed at the company’s London home.
