Excuse the self-promotion but if anyone is a fan of historical fiction they might enjoy my recently published novel The Cannington Episode (author Michael Montcombroux) which has a flute related element to it. The female protagonist plays a Rudall & Rose 6-key. While flute playing is a relative minor part of the story, the novel must be one of the few where a character’s life is saved by a wooden flute.
Available in print and digital from Amazon
Thanks Michael
Now, I almost have a precedent. And with a surname like Montcombroux, you may well enjoy it.
Matthew Flinders was an explorer in the seas around Australia in the early 19th century. On heading back to England, his ship “The Investigator” suffered damage, so he pulled into the French colony of Mauritius for repairs. Unfortunately, England and France had lapsed back into war (Again? C’mon guys, haven’t you better things to do?), and so he was detained as a potential spy for something like 6 years.
Flinders was, among other things, a flute player, and according to story, this proved to be of great benefit to him in his detainment. Instead of rotting in prison, he proved to be of amusement to those stationed on the island, and so was invited to many social functions. So it can be reasonably said that his flute, if not literally saving his life, certainly helped preserve his social life and probably mental health.
Why do I know all this? One of our leading Sydney theatre companies put on a play about Flinder’s exploits, including his period in detention. So they needed a flute as a stage prop, right? And so they tapped me, naturellement. Fortunately they were able to find a good image of Flinder’s flute, a typical English boxwood 6-key of the time, and my Bilton 6-key was a very reasonable match. I understand the actor had to learn to play a few phrases on it.
This heartfelt note to Flinder’s wife Anne gives us a hint of his emotional state:
Comparatively with my situation in this island for the first 20 months I am now very happy; and yet I often retire to the little pavilion which is my study and bed room, and with my flute in my hand and sometimes tears in my eyes I warble over the little evening song of which I sent thee a copy. Ah, my beloved, then my heart overleaps the distance of half a world and wholly embraces thee.
Great to hear about the novel. We can’t let those box players get away without a challenge! (Accordion Crimes, Annie Proulx). Or mando players (Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, Louis de Bernières.) Are there others?
I’d guess “Whistle down the wind” by Mary Hayley Bell might be stretching the point?
https://soundcloud.com/holmesflute/sets/holmesflute-playlist-2
What pitch was the R&R supposed to be in the novel? Did R&R make any 6-key flutes other than the Bb, like this one: http://www.mcgee-flutes.com/rudall_Bb.htm ?
The earliest Rudall and Rose (no serial number) in Steampacket’s register is a boxwood six key. The low c and C sharp came before the long F and c in terms of flute evolution.
Obviously band flutes were made but I don’t know if only by Rudall, Rose, and Carte?
I remember a four key boxwood instrument said to be very similar to Chris Normans flute dimensionally that was reported on here many years ago.
Well now, I’m curious!
A lover of flutes and cats: the good captain Flinders just got even better in my estimation. 
Update: Found it here! http://www.colonialdance.com.au/matthew-flinders-and-the-glorious-first-of-june-1858.html#flut
Fascinating! I never knew Flinders was a flute fanatic… my primary school teacher failed!
^^Nice flutes too! 
^^
V
JCortese, I was somewhat dashed when on further investigation the Heather Clarke of ColonialDance was not the estimable Doctor and pipe instructor in Ireland. A good blog all the same!
Dubrosa22 your image needs a “public access” setting.
Bob
I saw what you did there.
I was thinking about classics like
The Flute of the Baskervilles
The Unbearable Lightness of Being a Fluteplayer
The Flutes of Wrath
The Fluter in the Rye
Wuthering Flutes
All Quiet on the Western Session
The Name of the Rudall & Rose
Tinker Tailor Fluter Spy
Flute of Darkness
<“kkrell”]What pitch was the R&R supposed to be in the novel?>
The key of the fictitious R&R remains unspecified. If a zealot reads the novel and fires off an angry “She couldn’t play that on that,” I shall be forced to shrug and reply, “Artistic licence.”
Thanks for that wonderful account, Terry, of Mr. Flinders. Is he the same gent that had a mountain ranged named after him? (see what flute playing does for one!) My story is set on the Canadian prairies in 1884 and mostly in an upper-class English settlement by the name of Cannington Manor (which actually existed). These Brits attempted to recreate in the then unsettled West a typical English village, complete with pub, cricket grounds and all the class distinction and privileged lifestyle that came with it. Needless to say they came up sharp against Canadian pragmatism, not to mention prairie winters. I imagine there were similar ventures in Australia. I know of a couple in the United States.
Some interesting/amusing comments.
Michael
I didn’t but now I do..
What a difference leaving off the -ly makes.
What a difference leaving off the -ly makes.[/quote]
Pancelticpiper, keen-eyed, indeed!
It was extreme negligent of me not to careful preview my post before hast pressing the submit button and assuming smug that it was perfect written.
Luck, no harm done (except to English grammar)
Michael
More interest here if it was the dominant part?
So that’s who the real Matthew Flinders was. Around here, he’s now a party boat, with, “stately bars of Tasmanian myrtle hardwood.”
I like the flute story better.