George Lashwood (born Edward George Wright; 25 April 1863 – 20 January 1942) was a popular
English
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* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
singer and comedian of the
Edwardian era
The Edwardian era or Edwardian period of British history spanned the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910 and is sometimes extended to the start of the First World War. The death of Queen Victoria in January 1901 marked the end of the Victor ...
, who performed in
music halls throughout the country, especially in London's
East End and at seaside locations such as
Blackpool. He was known as "the
Beau Brummell of the music halls".
Biography
He was born in
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1. ...
, the son of a local builder. He made his first provincial appearance in 1883, using the
stage name of George Lashwood, and made his London début at the
Middlesex Music Hall in
Drury Lane in 1893.
He was described as "handsome and distinguished... always dressed in the height of fashion", and built his reputation by singing popular and patriotic songs such as "The Last Bullet",
[Raymond Mander and Joe Mitchenson, ''British Music Hall: A story in pictures'', Studio Vista, 1965, p.110] and "Motherland", written by
Felix McGlennon at the time of the
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the South ...
.
[Dave Russell, ''Popular Music in England, 1840-1914'', Manchester University Press, 1997, , p.151]
Lashwood regularly appeared in
pantomime
Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speaking ...
s, and made
phonograph recordings of many of his songs, starting as early as 1898.
[ "George Lashwood", ''Dodderhill Parish Survey Project'']
Retrieved 11 December 2020 Some of Lashwood's songs became among the earliest hits of the
recorded music
Sound recording and reproduction is the electrical, mechanical, electronic, or digital inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording te ...
era and included such numbers as "Riding on Top of the Car", "Send for a Policeman", "
Goodbye, Dolly Gray", "
After the Ball", and "Oh! Blow The Scenery on the Railway". He toured Australia and the United States, and performed at the Plaza Music Hall in New York in 1909, when it was reported that "Mr Lashwood wears several different costumes, to fit the subjects of his songs, and introduces and interrupts his lyrics with a little patter directed at the audience".
He sang many patriotic songs, popular with troops and the population at home, during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. These included "The Death and Glory Boys" and "Where Are the Lads from the Village Tonight?" He was noted for his ability to get the audience to sing along with the refrains of his songs.
[ He also sang many lighter and sentimental songs, such as "In the Twi-Twi-Twilight".][
After the end of the war, Lashwood retired, and lived comfortably at Elm Court in ]Wychbold
Wychbold is a village in the Wychavon district of Worcestershire. The village is situated on the A38 between Droitwich Spa and Bromsgrove, and by Junction 5 of the M5 motorway.
The first records of Wychbold suggest that it was of great importanc ...
, Worcestershire
Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a county in the West Midlands of England. The area that is now Worcestershire was absorbed into the unified Kingdom of England in 927, at which time it was constituted as a county (see H ...
.[ He married twice. His first wife was Charlotte Williams. His second wife, Edith Fink, was an actress, singer and comedienne. He invested heavily in property, and at his death left the notably large sum of £132,000,][ which '' Billboard'' magazine later described as "a record estate for a British stage personality". "Record 665G Left By British Vauder", ''Billboard'', 25 November 1944, p.25]
Retrieved 11 December 2020
He died on 20 January 1942 at Droitwich Spa
Droitwich Spa (often abbreviated to Droitwich ) is an historic spa town in the Wychavon district in northern Worcestershire, England, on the River Salwarpe. It is located approximately south-west of Birmingham and north-east of Worcester.
The ...
in Worcestershire, and is buried in the churchyard of St Mary de Wyche, Wychbold.[
]
References
External links
*
*
Discography at Allmusic.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lashwood, George
1863 births
1942 deaths
English male singers
Music hall performers