| Marie Lloyd | ||
 Photograph in possession of family |
||
| Background information | ||
| Birth name(s): | Matilda Alice Victoria Wood | |
| Date of birth: | 12 February 1870 | |
|---|---|---|
| Birth location: |  Hoxton, London[1] |
|
| Date of death: | 7 October 1922 (aged 52) | |
| Death location: | Hendon, Middlesex[2] |
|
| Genre(s): | Music hall | |
| Spouse(s): | Percy Charles Courtenay (1887–1905)[3] Alexander Hurley (1905-1913)[4] |
|
Matilda Alice Victoria Wood (12 February 1870 – 7 October 1922) was an English music-hall singer, best known as Marie Lloyd. Events 1429 - English Forces under Sir John Fastolf defend a supply convoy carrying rations to the army besieging Orleans from attack by the Year 1870 ( MDCCCLXX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Hoxton is an area in the London Borough of Hackney, immediately north of the financial district of the City of London. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Events 3761 BC - The epoch (origin of the modern Hebrew calendar ( Proleptic Julian calendar) Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Hendon is a London suburban development situated 7 miles (113 km north west of Charing Cross. Middlesex is one of the 39 historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. A genre (ˈʒɑːnrə also /ˈdʒɑːnrə/ from French "kind" or "sort" from Latin: genus (stem gener-) is a loose set Music hall is a form of British theatrical Entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960 Alexander (Alec Hurley ( 24 March 1871 - 6 December 1913) was best known for being Marie Lloyd 's second husband though he was Bernard Dillon (1888 - 1941 was born at Caherina in Tralee. In 1901 he joined his brother Joe in England and continued his training as a jockey Events 1429 - English Forces under Sir John Fastolf defend a supply convoy carrying rations to the army besieging Orleans from attack by the Year 1870 ( MDCCCLXX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 3761 BC - The epoch (origin of the modern Hebrew calendar ( Proleptic Julian calendar) Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Music hall is a form of British theatrical Entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960
Contents |
Career
Born in Hoxton, London, her early interest in the music-hall was fostered by her father John, who worked part-time in the nearby Royal Eagle Tavern. Hoxton is an area in the London Borough of Hackney, immediately north of the financial district of the City of London. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Music hall is a form of British theatrical Entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960 Marie formed her sisters into a singing group called the Fairy Bells Minstrels, singing temperance songs in local missions and church halls, costumed by their mother Matilda Mary Caroline Wood[5]. In her teens, the younger Matilda Wood adopted the name Marie Lloyd, and quickly became one of the most famous of English music hall singers and comediennes. Music hall is a form of British theatrical Entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960 Her first major success was The Boy I Love is up in the Gallery. " The Boy I Love Is Up in the Gallery " is a Music hall song written for Nellie Power by George Ware in 1885 and made famous by Marie Lloyd. She was the eldest of nine siblings, seven of whom had theatrical careers, the most successful being Daisy, Rose, Grace, and Alice[6]. All but Daisy performed under the name Lloyd in honour of their eldest sister. Daisy Violet Rose Wood ( September 15, 1877 in Hoxton, London &ndash October 19, 1961) was an English
Scandalous reputation
Lloyd's songs, although perfectly harmless by modern standards, began to gain a reputation for being "racy" and filled with double entendre, ("She'd never had her ticket punched before" for example) largely thanks to the manner in which she sang them, adding winks and gestures, and creating a conspiratorial relationship with her audience. Not to be confused with Puns which employ multiple phrases A double entendre is a Figure of speech similar to the Pun, in She became the target of Vigilance or "Watch" committees and others opposing music-hall licenses. She liked to claim that any immorality was in the minds of the complainants, and in front of these groups would sing her songs "straight" to show their supposed innocence. In one famous incident, she was summoned before one of these committees and asked to sing her songs. She sang Oh! Mr Porter; and A Little of What you Fancy in such a sweet innocent way that the committee had no reason to find anything amiss. She then rendered the drawing-room ballad Come into the Garden Maud in such an obscene way that the committee was shocked into silence. She did herself no favours.
On another occasion, as legend has it, when the moralists objected to her song "I sits among the cabbages and peas", with its daring - for the context - reference to urinating, she transformed the lyrics, and sang instead "I sits among the cabbages and leeks" to the roars of laughter of her adoring audience.
The following year she made her first visit to the United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Her "blue" reputation preceded her and she quickly gave an interview to the New York Telegraph newspaper that carried her quote
| “ | They don't pay their sixpences and shillings at a music hall to hear the Salvation Army. The Salvation Army is a Christian charity and church that is internally organised like a military service. If I was to try to sing highly moral songs, they would fire ginger beer bottles and beer mugs at me. I can't help it if people want to turn and twist my meanings. | „ |
|
—Marie Lloyd, New York Telegraph |
||
1907 Music Hall War
Although popular enough to command her own fees, Lloyd backed and supported the 1907 strike for better terms by music-hall performers. Music hall is a form of British theatrical Entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960 She commented on her support
| “ | We (the stars) can dictate our own terms. We are fighting not for ourselves , but for the poorer members of the profession, earning thirty shillings to £3 a week. For this they have to do double turns, and now matinées have been added as well. These poor things have been compelled to submit to unfair terms of employment, and I mean to back up the federation in whatever steps are taken. | „ |
|
—Marie Lloyd, on the Music Hall War[7] |
||
Marie performed on picket lines throughout the strike, and in a fund raising performance at the Scala Theatre. This is not the same theatre as The Prince of Wales Theatre, in Leicester Square which was built in 1884 became the The Prince of Wales in 1886 and is still During one picket she recognised someone trying to enter, Lloyd shouted, "Let her through girls, she'll close the music-hall faster than we can. " The singer was Belle Elmore, later murdered by her husband, Dr. Crippen. Hawley Harvey Crippen (11 September 1862 – 23 November 1910 usually known as Dr Hawley Harvey Crippen (11 September 1862 – 23 November 1910 usually known as Dr
World War I
During World War I, like most Music Hall artists, she enthusiastically supported recruitment for the army. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The recruitment went on in the music halls themselves, often in the tone "Two shillings for the first man to sign up tonight". In particular she sang the song I didn't like you much before you joined the army, John, but I do like you, cockie, now you've got your khaki on. She also sang in many free concerts for the masses of wounded returning from the trenches.
Personal life
Marie Lloyd was married three times. Her spouses were:
- Percy Courtenay (12 November 1887–1905) (divorced) 1 child (separated 1895) [3]
- Alexander Hurley (1905 – 6 December 1913) (his death) (separated 1910) [4]
- Bernard Dillon (21 February 1914 – 7 October 1922) (her death)
Her private life was also controversial. Events 764 - Tibetan troops occupy Chang'an, the capital of the Chinese Tang Dynasty, for fifteen days Year 1887 ( MDCCCLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Alexander (Alec Hurley ( 24 March 1871 - 6 December 1913) was best known for being Marie Lloyd 's second husband though he was Events 1060 - Béla I of Hungary is crowned king of Hungary 1240 - Mongol invasion of Rus: Kiev Year 1913 ( MCMXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Bernard Dillon (1888 - 1941 was born at Caherina in Tralee. In 1901 he joined his brother Joe in England and continued his training as a jockey Events 362 - Athanasius returns to Alexandria. 1245 - Thomas, the first known Bishop of Finland Year 1914 ( MCMXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Events 3761 BC - The epoch (origin of the modern Hebrew calendar ( Proleptic Julian calendar) Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Her first marriage to Percy Courtenay was a stormy one and ended in divorce in 1905. She quickly married Alec Hurley the next year, and in 1910 met Irish jockey Bernard Dillon. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world In Sport, a jockey is one who rides Horses in Horse racing or steeplechase racing primarily as a profession Bernard Dillon (1888 - 1941 was born at Caherina in Tralee. In 1901 he joined his brother Joe in England and continued his training as a jockey
She first appeared in the USA in 1897, but she was refused entry in 1913 for "moral turpitude" when "Mr. and Mrs. Dillon" arrived together, but unmarried. After an enquiry, she was allowed to stay. Alec Hurley died two months later, and Marie and Dillon were married at the British Consulate in Portland, Oregon, on 21 February 1914. Portland is a city located in the Northwestern United States, near the Confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers Events 362 - Athanasius returns to Alexandria. 1245 - Thomas, the first known Bishop of Finland Year 1914 ( MCMXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year
Decline and death
Dillon began drinking heavily and abusing Marie and she began drinking as her own escape. In 1920, they separated. Divorce or dissolution of marriage is the termination of a Marriage. From then on, Marie Lloyd went downhill and although she still worked, it became more and more difficult to get her on to the stage in time. Her voice became weaker and her act shorter. On 4 October 1922 she was appearing at the Empire Music Hall, Edmonton, London. Events 610 - Heraclius arrives by ship from Africa at Constantinople, overthrows Byzantine Emperor Phocas Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Edmonton is an area in the east of the London Borough of Enfield, England, United Kingdom with a long history as a settlement distinct from Enfield [8] During the last song in her act I'm One of the Ruins That Cromwell Knocked About a Bit, she staggered about on the stage. The audience laughed delightedly when she fell, thinking it was all part of the act. However, she was desperately ill, and died three days later on 7 October. Events 3761 BC - The epoch (origin of the modern Hebrew calendar ( Proleptic Julian calendar)
On 12 October 1922, over one hundred thousand people attended her funeral at Hampstead. Events 539 BC - The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon. Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Hampstead is an area of London, England, located north-west of Charing Cross. In the funeral procession, there were twelve cars full of flowers and on top of the hearse was the long ebony cane with the sparkling top hat that she had used in her act. The theatrical newspaper, The Era dubbed the cortege a "Royal Progress". Her daughter by Courtenay, Marie (1888-1967) took the stage name Marie Lloyd Jr. , appeared in a short musical film in the DeForest Phonofilm sound-on-film process made in 1926, and performed in music hall for many years. In 1919 Lee De Forest, inventor of the Audion tube, filed his first patent on a Sound-on-film process DeForest Phonofilm, which recorded sound directly
Marie Lloyd was buried in Hampstead Cemetery, Fortune Green Road, with her parents, Matilda and John Wood. Hampstead Cemetery is situated on Fortune Green Road London, at the upper extremity of the NW6 district On her death, in 1967, Marie Lloyd Jr, was also buried there. [9]
Selected Songs
- The Boy I Love is up in the Gallery
- Oh! Mr Porter
- A Little of What you Fancy Does you Good
- When I Take my Morning Promenade
- My Old Man (Said Follow the Van)
Portrayals
Her life was adapted into a BBC one-off TV drama, Miss Marie Lloyd - Queen of The Music Hall, in 2007. " The Boy I Love Is Up in the Gallery " is a Music hall song written for Nellie Power by George Ware in 1885 and made famous by Marie Lloyd. My Old Man is an old Music hall song written by Fred W Leigh and Charles Collins, made popular by Marie Lloyd. Miss Marie Lloyd - Queen of The Music Hall, was a one-off BBC drama Lloyd was portrayed by Jessie Wallace and Percy Courtenay was played by Richard Armitage[10]. Jessie Wallace (born Karen Jane Wallace on September 25, 1971 in Enfield, Greater London) is an English Actress.
She was portrayed in the final series of the sitcom Goodnight, Sweetheart by Emma Amos when time-traveller Gary Sparrow found himself in Whitechapel at the time of Jack the Ripper[11]. Goodnight Sweetheart is a popular BBC Sitcom that ran for six series between 1993 and 1999 Emma Amos (born 18 August 1967 in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire) is an English actress best known for playing Yvonne Gary Sparrow (played by Nicholas Lyndhurst) was the lead character in Goodnight Sweetheart, a six series BBC sitcom that ran between 1993 Whitechapel is a built-up Inner city district in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, England. Jack the Ripper is an alias given to an unidentified Serial killer active in the largely impoverished Whitechapel area and adjacent districts of London
References and notes
- ^ GRO Register of Births: MAR 1870 1c 129 SHOREDITCH. Matilda Alice V. Wood
- ^ GRO Register of Deaths: DEC 1922 3a 326 HENDON. Matilda A. V. Dillon, aged 52
- ^ a b GRO Register of Marriages: DEC 1887 1c 190 SHOREDITCH. Percy Charles Courtenay = Matilda Alice V. Wood
- ^ a b GRO Register of Marriages: DEC 1906 1a 1393 HAMPSTEAD. Alec Hurley / Alexander Hurley = Matilda Alice V. Courtenay / Matilda Alice V. Wood
- ^ In 1881 the family appear to have lived at 3 Bath Place, St Lukes. John Wood is 33, born in Bethnal Green. Bethnal Green is an area in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, in the East End of London. Matilda, 29, born in Shoreditch FHL Film 1341078 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 0361 Folio 103 Page 33
- ^ Gracie and Alice met a young girl named (Leah) Bella Orchard, while all performing in pantomime, at the Pavilion, Whitechapel Road, they took the 11 year old home for tea. Shoreditch is an area of London within the London Borough of Hackney. By the following year, she was living with the family and worked as Marie's dresser. Later, she performed with Rosie, as the Sisters Lloyd, and adopted the stage name Bella Lloyd.
- ^ Gillies Midge Marie Lloyd, the one and only (Gollancz, London, 1999)
- ^ Edmonton Empire Retrieved March 10, 2008
- ^ Arthur Lloyd - music hall history site accessed 21 Jan 2007
- ^ Miss Marie Lloyd (2007) at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Goodnight Sweetheart at the Internet Movie Database
External links
- Marie Lloyd at the Internet Movie Database
- Marie Lloyd at Find A Grave
- Article on Marie Lloyd at East End London and at People Play UK
- BBC drama on Marie Lloyd. Events 241 BC - First Punic War: Battle of the Aegates Islands - The Romans sink the Carthaginian fleet bringing 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Find A Grave is a Website allowing its users to access maintain and expand an online Database of Burial records
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Lloyd, Marie |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Wood, Matilda Alice Victoria |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | Music hall singer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 12 February 1870 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Hoxton, London, England |
| DATE OF DEATH | 7 October 1922 |
| PLACE OF DEATH | London, England |
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic