SONG COMPOSER'S MUSICAL JUBILEE
Fred L. Weatherley, the prolific composer of ballad songs, recently celebrated his musical jubilee in London, when leading publishers and composers gathered in his honour to make a presentation. Although lie has written over 500 songs in fifty years, Weathcrley's ballads may be classified into three kinds—first tho sea snugs, such'as "The Mid.-diinmite," "They all love Jack," "The Tar's Farewell," and "Nancy Lee"; next the semi-religions, such as "Star of Bethlehem" and "The Holy City"; and third the ordinary draw-ing-room love ditty, "Uncle John," "Roses of Picardy," nnd "Thora." Probably he excelled most of all in tho first sort. That Fred Weathcrley's _ power and popularity have not abated in fifty years at this work is shown, by the recent successes of "When You Come Home" and "Roses of Picardy."
Mr. Weathcrlcy is a barrister, and a hard-working one, too, who at 71 years of age still goes the Bristol circuit, as lie has done for many long years. He can tell an excellent story against himself. One of his tales concerns "Nancy Lee," at a lime when every man was humming it, every singer singing it on the concert platform, every hoy whistling it, and every street organ playing it. "I was coming out of the Assize Court at Bristol," lie said, "when I noticed two very rough fellows loitering near and watching us leave the court. " 'Jim,' whispered one of them to his pal, loud enough for me to hear as I passed close by, 'dost see that, little chap with the wig and gown on? That's the fellow as did 'Nancy Lee.'
"'Did "Nancy Leo," be Mowed for a tale!' replied the other man. 'He's the little chap as did me six months last year when I was up for cracking that crib'!"
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Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 154, 25 March 1920, Page 2
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299SONG COMPOSER'S MUSICAL JUBILEE Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 154, 25 March 1920, Page 2
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