William Chappell (1809 - 1888)

William Chappell (20 November 1809 – 20 August 1888) was an English writer on music, a partner in the London musical firms of Chappell & Co. and later, Cramer & Co. He was the eldest son of Samuel Chappell (d. 1834), who co-founded the business. William Chappell is particularly noteworthy for his starting the Percy Society and the Musical Antiquarian Society in 1840, and his publication of the standard work Popular Music of the Olden Time (1855-1859), an expansion of a collection of national English airs made by him in 1838-1840. The modern revival of interest in English folk songs owes much to this work.