“LAST OF THE DANDIES”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 January 1939, Page 7

“LAST OF THE DANDIES”

FORMER FAMOUS SONG WRITER. HARGREAVES A POOR MAN. Millions sang his songs; society lionised him, ajid fortune overwhelmed him with her favours. William Hargreaves, “Last of the Dandies,” with “sitting on top of the world.” But that was long ago. Today, at fiftyeight, William Hargreaves is a poor man.

This £lO,OOO-a-year song writer, who penned “Burlington Bertie,” and lived for thirty years in luxury hotels, now stays with his son in two rooms at Camden Town, London. Recently, he recalled for an interviewer, the brave, gay days when he was a celebrity. “Those were the days when my spirit soared to songs like ‘They Built Piccadilly for Me,’” he said. “Then, just because I quarrelled with the comedian who sang that song. I wrote another for his rival, and called it ‘Burlington Bertie.’ “ ‘Bertie’ made me £4,000. but 1 still think ‘Piccadilly’ was the better song.

"Strolling home at four one morning I saw a man hang an empty birdcage out of his window.

“ ’Why do you do that?’ I shouted tc him.

“ ’My little yellow bird's escaped,’ he replied, ‘but hunger may bring him back.’

"I saw in that an idea for a song. Next day I tried to write it, but could not get going for the row of a thir-teen-years-old youngster downstairs. “I protested and the kid explained he was trying to address an imaginary audience. He promised to be quiet, and we shook on it. ■' ’Hargreaves is my name,’ I told him. "’Chaplin’s mine.’ he answered. ’Charlie Chaplin!’” " 'Little Yellow Bird,' the song J wrote, netted me over £6000." Hargreaves shrugged despondently. "Oh. I know I threw my money away, but I never knew the value of money.

"Gambling was my weakness. I could never let the horses alone. For instance when Lemberg railed to win the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown I lost £5OOO.

“Still, there was always plenty where that came from. In 30 years I wrote 4000 songs.

"[ wrote songs for the greatest stars —for Dan Leno. George Robey. Marie Llovd and Vesta Tilley.

"Then came misfortune—my own illness and a change in public taste."