Hugh Gordon (violin maker) facts for kids

Hugh Gordon (born 1794 – died April 3, 1854) was a talented violin maker from Stoneyford, County Antrim, which is in Northern Ireland. He was known for crafting many violins. Experts believe he might have made as many as 50 of these beautiful instruments.

Hugh Gordon's violins were special. Each one had a label inside showing the date it was made. On the back, just below the neck, his violins were branded with the name 'Gordon'. Besides being a skilled violin maker, Hugh was also a great blacksmith and a farmer.

Hugh Gordon's Early Life

Hugh Gordon was born in 1794. His birthplace was a small area called Ballymacward, near Stoneyford in County Antrim.

Before he started making violins, Hugh learned other important skills. He trained to be a blacksmith, working with metal. He was also a farmer, growing crops and raising animals. People who knew him said he was a "mechanical genius." This means he was very good at building and fixing things. They said he "could make anything."

Hugh Gordon's Lasting Impact

Even today, people remember Hugh Gordon and his amazing violins. His work is still talked about and studied.

A teacher and author named Michael Costello has given many talks about Hugh Gordon. He has even shown off some of Gordon's violins at these events. For example, he spoke to the Killultagh Historical Society in 2008. He also shared Gordon's story with the Lisburn Historical Society in 2009.

In 2010, Michael Costello wrote a book about Hugh Gordon's life. The book is called Gordon of Stoneyford, Violin Maker. It was written in Ulster-Scots. This is a special way of speaking Scots that was common in Stoneyford when Gordon was alive. Costello wrote the book for Gordon's family members. Many of them still live in the Stoneyford area.

Hugh Gordon's story has also been shared on the radio and TV. In 2010, BBC Radio Ulster had a show about him. Michael Costello talked about his fascination with Gordon and his book. Then, in 2011, BBC Northern Ireland made a short TV show about Gordon. This documentary featured Michael Costello and a fiddle player named Geordie McAdam. They looked at some of Gordon's violins that still exist today.

Michael Costello also wrote a song about Hugh Gordon's life. It's called The Ballad of Hugh Gordon. In 2022, he shared a recording of himself singing the song on YouTube. This shows how Hugh Gordon's legacy continues to inspire people.