Tom Clare (26 September 1876 – 30 January 1946) was a British

music hall Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as variety. Perceptions of a distinction in Bri ...

singer from the early twentieth century, who was born in

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. He was best known for singing humorous songs, which he self-accompanied on the

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. His parents were Thomas Wright and Harriet Laura née Angell. His father was a jeweller, silversmith and vocalist, who changed his name to George Clare in the early 1900s. He made his first stage appearance when he was eight years old, with the Mohawk Minstrels. He was particularly well known, in the

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era, for his ironic, humorous songs, "The Fine Old English Gentleman" (a song which gently mocked the arrival of modernity, "Who Bashed Bill Kaiser?" and "What Did You Do in the Great War, Daddy?" This last song (based on a 1915 Savile Lumley

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, "Daddy, what did YOU do in the Great War?") criticized those who claimed to be war heroes, but had been busy on the black market, or avoiding work, throughout the war."The Fine Old English Gentleman" CD Windyridge republished 2006 In another of his songs, he poked fun at certain civilian

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which had been (in the opinion of ''

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'') too generously bestowed. Songs of social criticism were rare at this time in the music hall, so Clare's tended to stand out. He can be found on both the 1901 and 1911 census as an entertainer; he was also involved with the Bohemia Theatre at

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. He was also involved in a large number of charity concerts in aid of wounded soldiers.''The Times'', 25 July 1917 Although, like most singers of his time, it was in live shows that he gained his reputation, he began recording his songs on cylinder as early as 1906, with his hit "The Girl in the Big Black Hat".

References

Bibliography

* Rust, Brian: ''British Music Hall on Record'', Harrow: Gramophone Publications Ltd., 1979. - Lists dozens of recordings by Tom Clare. * Garrett, John M.: ''Sixty Years of British Music Hall Songs'', London: Chappell & Co., 1976. * Kilgarriff, Michael: ''Sing Us One of the Old Songs: A Guide to Popular Song, 1860-1920'', Oxford:

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, 1999. 1876 births 1946 deaths Comedians from London English male singer-songwriters English singer-songwriters Music hall performers Singers from London {{singer-songwriter-stub