Charles Ignatius Sancho (Composer)
Charles Ignatius Sancho
Charles Ignatius Sancho (c1729-1780) was born on a slave ship in the Atlantic
After he was orphaned at the age 2 he was taken from New Granada to England where he was "gifted" to 3 sisters. He stayed with the sisters for 18 years, but then ran away, not wanting to be a servant.
Sancho was taken in by John Montagu who taught the young man to read. He worked as a butler in the household before leaving to set up in business as a shopkeeper. while beginning a career as a writer. He became involved in the abolitionist movement and wrote to Laurence Sterne, trying to encourage him to join the movement. He write 2 plays, a variety of essays, and at least one book, A Theory of Music. Sancho also wrote at least 62 compositions, printed in 4 collections between around 1767 and 1779.