Chapter 7 - Retirement and Old Age: 1844–67

Summary

EVEN in old age George Smart took care to manage his image, which was still of interest to the general public, and this is confirmed by the following paragraph published in The Times in 1844:

Sir George Smart. – We are authorized to contradict a report which is in circulation, that Sir George Smart intends ‘to retire from the profession,’ having resigned the office of organist to the Grand Lodge. Such is not the fact. Sir George, it is true, will not conduct any more Philharmonic concerts after the one on Monday next, and declines public concerts (except under peculiar circumstances). This Sir George does the better to enable him to devote his time to teaching, conducting private parties during the London season, and concerts, &c. in the country, as hitherto.

This attempt to quell rumour (probably placed by Smart himself), in fact signals the beginning of a carefully staged retirement starting with his gradual withdrawal from the public platform, and the beginning of a new phase of his life that was less busy, but no less eventful. Under the headline ‘Erroneous Report of Sir George Smart's Retirement from the Profession’, the Sussex Advertiser gave a more detailed rebuff, which confirms, however, that there was a ‘portion of truth’ in the rumour:

Amongst the musical on dits of the day, is one which has been the round of the paper during the past week, announcing the retirement from the musical profession, of the well known conductor, Sir George Smart. Like too many of such on dits, this report contains a portion of the truth – but we are happy be able to add, no little portion of error … That Sir George may desire to retire from the full activity that has marked his long and honourable public career, and to resign some of his more public engagements in order to ensure greater leisure for his teaching and conducting private concerts, as also to enjoy some share of well-earned repose, we believe to be the case, but we should much regret could we not at once contradict the fact of his actual retirement from the Profession. Few men – perhaps no man – ever attained such fame as Sir Geo.