Tolkien's great-grandfather was a bass singer

New Rooms, Hannover Square

John Benjamin Tolkien I (1752-1819) was born in Gdańsk (Poland) and died in London. His second son George Tolkien (1784-1840; according to the documents he was George, not George William as other authors write), J. R. R. Tolkien’s great-grandfather, lived in London and he was a house-agent and an auctioneer, a tool producer, a music teacher and music seller, and also a theater bass singer in Covent Garden. Towards the end of his life he was also an organist in St Pancras church (see "The London Tolkiens: even more information!"). You will find more information about his life on my blog (here).

Thanks to the collectors from Australia, Michael and Jamie Kassler (Northbridge NSW, Australia) we now know that George Tolkien sang also in the bass chorus of the Concerts of Antient Music in London in at least two seasons. Michael and his wife Jamie own a collection of receipts given to performers at these concerts. George Tolkien was paid £9 on 13 June 1829 for his performances that year in these concerts (£100 in 1829 is equivalent in purchasing power to about £10,985.63 in 2019). The signature on this receipt matches that on his marriage certificate:

George Tolkien's receipt from 1829 (from the collection of Jamie and Michael Kassler)

George Tolkien and Eliza Lydia Murrell's marriage certificate from 1805

Jamie and Michael Kassler own a few (not all) of the published lists of Antient Concerts. I attach a scan of two pages from the 1826 volume. You will see that Tolkien is listed amongst the bass singers in the chorus. Presumably he had the same duty in 1829:

from the collection of Jamie and Michael Kassler

From the collection of Jamie and Michael Kassler