Elizabeth Randles
Elizabeth Randles , also known as Little Cambrian Prodigy, was a Welsh harpist and pianist. A child prodigy, she started playing the piano at the age of sixteen months, and performed in public for the first time before she was two years old. Elizabeth was taught by her blind father, who was organist at the Holywell parish church. She performed for local aristocracy, leading to a performance for King George III and his royal family when she was three and a half. Caroline, Princess of Wales, hoped to adopt her but her father did not allow it. She did, however, spend a few days at the Princess of Wales summer home, often playing with Princess Charlotte of Wales. Elizabeth went on to tour the country as a child, performing with John Parry. In 1808, she returned home and learned the harp. She went on to take lessons from Friedrich Kalkbrenner, before moving to Liverpool and becoming a teacher.
Elizabeth Randles, also known as Bessy, was born onAugust 1800 in Wrexham, north Wales. Her father, Edward Randles, the organist at the Holywell parish church of St. James, lost his sight at the age of three as a result of small pox. Perhaps due to his lack of sight, his parents placed him to be trained under the blind harpist John Parry, whom he excelled under. Elizabeth was the youngest of Randles several children including her brother Edward, who would become a subsequent organist at the parish church.
Source: Wikipedia