78 rpm Magazine

Another winter, another decade- fifty years this year since EMI commercial 78rpm production finished in Britain! And, I'm tempted to add, fifty years downhill. Just call me An Angry Young Man.

CONTENTS
~~ Ethel Pierce - music hall starlet
~~ Rosa Dallow - minor recording artist
~~ Gwen Rogers' Musical Dolls
~~ Columbia Rena ad - Morgan Kingston
~~ Dinosaur Discs Museum - memories
~~ Prices of Old 78's - recent auction prices
~~ Talking Machine Societies - West London
~~ Bel Canto - Matrices from this pre 1914 label
~~ The New Records - October 1957 supplement
~~ Where Were They Then? - October 1957
~~ Quiz - on 78's

On the left is a photo of music hall singer Ethel Pierce, who made a few rare recordings- please see the brief article on her by her son.

Next issue is early April, and includes a new 78rpm quiz- Tangled Records

Dinosaur Discs Museum
was opened in our Norfolk shop in 1999 and was available for visitors daily for two years, then the final year in 2001 was viewable only on Open Days. Since then it has been sadly closed, and has now been dismantled.
The collection was, as the name implies, a display of old and interesting records and related artefacts, with just a few machines. A quiz was completed by some, a junior quiz for children many of whom were excited by the 20 inch Pathe disc, the tiny Duriums, and the story of Edison's first attempts at recording.
We received many happy visitors during that time, a sample of comments will give you a flavour. The furthest any visitor came was from Israel. David from Germany succinctly summarised the collection as a "nutshell" museum. Other far flung visitors came from Bonn, Hamburg and Glasgow. Amy and Joanna wrote: "we think it is groovy, we really liked the painted windows" (windows had record labels painted on them). Rob from York sent a postcard after his visit writing, "a delightful broweserie/ auditory experience." He refers to the choice of records you could select while in the museum.
A visitor from Croydon wrote, "you have made my father a very happy man." Rozanne wrote asking if I was "continuing the history of recorded sound through another 50 years? I enjoyed the displays and music."
Sadly, the exorbitant hike in business rates demanded by the council meant that it was impossible to continue for those 50 years, and now we are limited to the internet, which brings in many worldwide contacts, but perhaps isn't quite as satisfying as personal visitors.

WITH THANKS for some matrix details to the late ARTHUR BADROCK, MIKE LANGRIDGE, MIKE THOMAS and PAUL BAKER.
Additions will be very welcome to make this partial listing more complete.

COLUMBIA RENA Advertisement
Date- early 1913
Subject: Morgan Kingston.

The extolling of local hero, tenor Morgan Kingston refers to his overnight success at a Halle concert on January 23rd 1913. Columbia Rena cashed in and issued some 12inch recordings, which, from my contemporary observation, cannot have sold that well. Apart from the ones listed in the advert on the right, his only really common disc is Kerry Dance, on catalogue number 99, as this was a free disc given away with machines, all is explained!
The advertisement gives various testimonials from Manchester based press, and the Talking Machine News added a glowing review of 353 On With The Motley/ Love Lily.
"Mr Morgan Kingston goes into the arena in good competition vocally, and we are glad to admit comes out with honours. His vocal descriptive work of the poor clown .. is graphically complete. The dedicatory nature of the other title gives Mr Kingston another opportunity of showing his versatility. The charms of Lily are well told by him, and the range of his voice is well exhibited in this selection." Of course, one must remember that the journal only reviewed advertisers' records, so were never very critical in their reviews!
However it is good to report that Kingston achieved international success despite his humble beginnings, singing in America, a later 1913 Columbia advert proclaiming his success there. I don't think he made any recordings after the first war, at least not in Britain. He died in 1936.
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AUCTION PRICES - July to September 2009. Selected prices on eBay auctions from European sellers.
Of course, probably for every record sold on eBay, possibly at least five, putting it generously, receive no bid at all.
Robert Johnson test pressing - Kind hearted Woman Blues /Terraplane Blues 0127 (dated 1936)... �343.33
Winston Churchill- War of the Unknown Warriors HMV C label... �4.99
Aga Khan- From one sportsman to another Columbia DB807 �284.89 Some bidders, I feel, went a bit over the top here!
Yvonne Brisson- Song Of Songs, Filmophone ... �5.75
Norman Long- My Little Austin Seven (Columbia)... �32.00 This disc is hugely sought after, quite common, and overpriced
Dan Leno - My Wife's Relations, on G&T, despite being in excellent condition made only... �12.50. Absurd when contrasted with the Norman Long record above!
Marilyn Monroe... Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend... MGM �56.00. An awful lot, but apparently this was a rare pressing.
Don Lang - Ramshackle Daddy, HMV POP 434 �0.99. Something of a bargain for one of Lang's harder to find 78's.
Jim Reeves - Bimbo / Gypsy Heart, Abbot 148... �11.50
Billy Fury Decca ... Maybe Tomorrow... �37.00
The Big Bopper- Chantilly lace Mercury AMT1002... �46.00
Duane Eddy- Rebel Rouser /Stalkin, London HL8669 ... only �2.20, as it had only a few light marks, this was a buyer's bargain!
The Beatles 78rpm - I saw her standing there ... �630.00
Lord Beginner: Australia v West Indies/One Morning... �7.16 Quite a fair buying price for this rare disc
Barry Cryer - The Purple People Eater Fontana... �28
Ewan MacColl - Van Dieman's Land HMV B10259... only �4.99
Buster Frogley Dance Band - Piccadilly test pressing... �41
Bertini - Banking on the Weather / You're my Everything, Sterno 1067...�8.05
Concerti Grossi (Handel) Decca set ... �9.99. Give me the name of that buyer quick!
Probably the best result for a seller was the presentation record HMV C54 ... �15.05 As this was presented with many HMV gramophones for a long period, the disc is awfully common today, so it goes to show that ebay is the place to sell if you hope to find a gullible buyer or two.
By contrast, noone wanted good old banjoist Ollie Oakley on G&T at a starting price of �6.99 - aaah
Also, a Decca MAGI-TRAK Horseracing Game - unusually this was complete- went unsold at a �25 asking price
Unsurprising failure was Master Ernest Lough - Hear My prayer... Electrola. It didn't sell for the asking price of US$129.00 (�80.95)
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Rosa Dallow

She made a few recordings for the Bel Canto record company, you will find one record listed in that article, plus a picture of her duet with the better known Stanley Kirkby at the head of this page.

I found details of two concerts at which she sang at the schoolroom of the Broomwood Wesleyan Church, London SW, in aid of the church's cricket club.
On March 3rd 1906 she sang Carmencita by Lane, and Poor Wand'ring One from Pirates of Penzance. Then on March 21st 1914, she sang Songs of Merrie England by H Oliver, and Spring's Awakening by W Sanderson.

Should you be able to add any more of this artiste, do please email me

Talking Machine Societies
were the forerunner of the Gramophone Societies in the era before the first war. At that time there was no clear cut preference for the phonograph over the gramophone, so this was the adopted name of many societies that sprang up in the few years before 1914.
Accounts of their activities make fascinating reading today.
The West London Society was the first such group to be formed in Britain.
On February 27th 1913 at Bellomo's Restaurant Chiswick, secretary of the group Robert W Carden acted as chairman and told members about Marathon Records, recorded by the hill and dale method. Inventor PJ Packman had patented a revolutionary new record surface. Members were told that the longest single record (to date) made was by this company, the overture Poet and Peasant. (Though in fact company adverts at this time were claiming that record 12-2008 Selection from Carmen played for 13 minutes.)
The National Gramophone Company who made Marathon discs, then played a two hour selection of their records on their cabinet instrument No. 7 which retailed for the princely sum of 16 guineas (�16.80p). The Carmen disc was included in the programme, as was Rienzi. On a lighter note, records were played by Mackenzie Murdoch, Billy Whitlock, Billy Merson and Tom Kinniburgh, whose rendering of Annie Laurie was "perhaps the most greatly appreciated." The correspondent adds rather boldly, "the reproduction being almost that of the living voice of the genial Scotsman."
Other records played included those by Sgr Tapiero (Echo de Mazurka) and advance prints of the "Miracle" music record as well as that of Nazareth, allegedly the first recording to contain the complete song.
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Variety Acts Who Made 78's Still Going -
(From the trade paper The Stage October 1957)

The front page headlines were all depressing: "Variety Facing its Difficulties"... "The Fate of the St James's"... "Threat to Theatres Remains."
But praise be, some old stars were still active.
Thus at the Blackpool Grand you could watch John Hanson and Clifford Mollison in that old standby The Desert Song. Leon Cortez was at the Newcastle Palace with Pigall Show, Jimmy O'Dea was in Dublin at the Royal with Royal Rainbow No 2, and the Thanks for the Memory Company (GH Elliott, Hetty King, Randolph Sutton etc) were all at the Derby Hippodrome. The Stage was especially pleased to correct news carried in several newspapers that Hetty King had just died. Clarkson Rose had his usual trade card, and also "vacant for pantomime" was Joe O'Gorman, contact him at The Danes, Slindon, Sussex.
Wife of Percy Henri, the great concertina player, had contacted James Hartley at the paper. She was living in retirement with Mary Honri in Hobb Lane, Hedge End near Southampton. Another music hall act is recalled when George leRoy reports on a VAF meeting addressed by John Morgan of Liverpool. He was the nephew of the act Jack and Evelyn who recorded briefly before the first war.
Live shows are dead? Not at St Andrew's Hall Glasgow, where Jack Teagarden's outfit played to 2,086 customers, out of a capacity of 2,409. And good old Jack Hulbert is advertised in The Reluctant Debutante, "now in its 130th consecutive week." This week (Oct 10th 1957) at Farrell, Olympia Dublin, next week at OH Belfast.
BC Hilliam (Flotsam) was busy at the BBC, including his own programme Disc Doodling. "Time continues to prove that BC is no mean picker of new talent."
More sadly, it is announced that the furniture, books, pictures and other contents of the house known as 4 Primrose Hill Road, Regents Park are to be sold by auction on Wednesday 23rd October. The home was that of the late Miss Julia Neilsen (Mrs Fred Terry), and the advert has the tantalsing detail that the sale includes "pieces connected with the stage productions of the deceased and her husband." Wish I'd been there!
An interesting article describes Lotte Lehmann's "creative criticism" by which "she is helping to develop a new generation of singers." The basis of her method is positive praise, "there is always something you can find to praise ... and this praise, I am convinced, becomes an incentive enabling them to surpass their previous efforts." A wise lady.

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From a The New Records catalogue supplement for October 1957

For 9d (about 4 new pence) Gramophone Record Review issued a monthly supplement to the record catalogues in a rather uninspiring yellow cover. Yet each issue provides a helpful insight into the era, even though by this date a lot of the material was on LP and 45. Here are the individual record details:

Brunswick 05703-13. My pick 05710 Bobby Helms: Fraulein/ Heartsick Feeling.
Capitol CL14765-84, including two by The Four Preps.
Columbia DB3989-4013 and LB10071-3. I'd most like to find, don't faint, a young Des O'Connor on DB4011.
Decca F10931-40. For a way out number try some jazz by Wally Fawkes and the Troglodytes.
Esquire Only releases this month were 10-506, 10-507, and 5-106.
HMV POP383-401. including Ricky Nelson, Joe Bennet and Sparkletones.
London HLP8416, and HLA8473-86.
Melodisc 1420, 1426-1431, including Nigerian Union Rhythm Group on 1426, and Kings of Caribbean Steel Band on 1429.
Mercury MT174-8, including Sarah Vaughan on MT176 singing Please Mr Brown/ Band of Angels.
MGM, this month only 966 Hank Williams and 967 Carmel Quinn.
Nixa NJ15097, and 15105-8.
Oriole CB1389 by Gloria Lewis, CB1390 by Rita Williams, and CB1391 by Mike Shaun.
Parlophone R4343-56, which includes Flanders and Swan on R4354 with Music of a Gnu/ Misalliance.
Paxton PR703-6 all by the CWS Manchester Band conducted by Alex Mortimer.
Philips PB705, PB725, PB739-48.
RCA 1016 by Perry Como, 1017 by Eddy Arnold, and 1020 by, you knew this one, yes, Elvis..
Vogue-Coral Q72278-83. This label is the only one to advertise its discs, including some from previous months.
There is also a chance to win a cash prize (highest a princely �25) by tuning in on Saturday October 12th to Listen to Europe from 9 to 10pm on Paris Inter Radio (1829m Long Wave, 193m Medium Wave, 48.39m Short Wave). You have to note down the titles of the recordings played, and the advert promises, "everything will be announced in English!" First three correct answers opened by editor Ralph Harvey win the prizes, with LPs and Eps (review copies perhaps) for runners-up.
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GWEN ROGERS
This rare picture of Gwen Rogers is taken from 1928 sheet music.
With thanks to Mike Thomas, here are details of her recordings made in December 1927:
matrix 1690-2 My Little House (fox trot) Parlophone E3474
1691-1 I'd like to have you love me (f-t) Parlophone E3474.
1692-1 Hoping (waltz with male vocal) Parlophone E3475
1693-1 I Don�t Care Who Gets You Tomorrow (fox-trot) - vocal Edna Rogers Parlophone E-3475.
The fascinating legend under the titles gives the artists as
Gwen Rogers' Musical Dolls. Gwen Rogers was one of four members of the Gwen Rogers quartet, which consisted of sisters Gwen, Agnes, Edna and Stella Rogers. They were the daughters of Ted Rogers of Pembroke Dock.
Gwen Rogers who played the drums appeared with her band in autumn 1926 at the Covent Garden, London (alternating with Jack Howard). According to an article in that year they also appeared at Olympia, the London Coliseum and Sherry's at Brighton. A 1927 account claims it was Edna who directed the Musical Dolls at Covent Garden, "a snappy little band of ten". Apparently it was Gwen who had overall control over this as well as three other bands, one, The Romany Players directed by Agnes. Was Gwen Rogers the first British female band leader? Perhaps you can help: consulting various showbiz autobiographies hasn't added anything, and even the immortal British Dance Band discography doesn't mention her! Relative John Rogers has some interesting photos of the group, but more information would be much appreciated.
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Ethel Pierce (1895-1984),
an article by her son, John Branton.

My mother was born Ethel Jane Frost in 1895 in what are best described as very humble circumstances in London. However, she was exceptionally talented in her childhood and, from an early age, started to win musical talent competitions that were very popular at that time. Her mother wrote many of her songs, paid for piano lessons by taking in work, and made her dresses. They were very close, in a family of seven children (plus two who had not survived), and Ethel was on the brink of a singing career when her mother died in a tragic accident in 1911. She set alight to her long petticoats when passing a nearby unguarded candle flame. The accident was witnessed by Ethel, then aged 16 years, who attempted to save her mother by wrapping her in a coat to extinguish the flames, but to no avail.
After his wife's death, Ethel's father was faced with the problem of looking after the six remaining children in the family - four of whom were 16 years and under, with one already married. He solved the problem by introducing a widow into the household with her two children, with whom he quickly became on intimate terms, later marrying her. This caused a great split in the family. The two eldest sons left home, a younger son ran away to live with his married sister, and Ethel accepted a contract to appear as a juvenile on one of the music hall circuits.
Ethel prospered and appears to have made a very reasonable living under the stage name of Ethel Pierce for some six years. Then, at a party to celebrate the end of a week's engagement at the old Hull Empire, now demolished, she met my father. He was invited to the party by a friend and, being an accomplished pianist, was asked to provide the piano accompaniment when Ethel sang informally at the party. Although Ethel was engaged to someone else at the time, a whirlwind courtship nevertheless ensued around the northern music hall circuit wherever Ethel was performing, and eventually my father managed to win her favour. Ethel married in 1917, left the music hall stage and eventually went to live in Northampton where she joined the Northampton Operatic Society. She subsequently regularly appeared as the principal singer in a number of light operatic productions by the Society.
I have tried to research my mother's music hall career but without success so far. I do have an old music hall programme advertising a charity concert for WW1 wounded soldiers, in which Ethel Pierce appears as a solo singer.
My mother died in 1984, age 89 years, and she told me that she had made several recordings while on the music hall stage. This would be in the period from 1911 to 1917. Consequently, any help in tracing any more of her recordings would be very much appreciated. If you can help research Ethel Pierce's career on the music hall stage, then this would also be very helpful too. Please email John.

Ethel Pierce made some Pre World War One recordings for the Globophone Record Company. Her known recordings:
Matrix 6025: Queen of the Cannibal Isle - Globophone 6025, Festival 7017
Matrix 6167: When you're far from the Old Folks at Home - Globophone 6167, Festival 7075.

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Record Quiz
Answers can all be found within this Dinosaur Discs internet site.

1... Which great of the London Musical Stage recorded his song Yip-I-addy-I-ay?
Clue: Look on our CD page and go to the large listing via the foot of that page, and find this title
2... Which recording artist presented Disc Doodling on the radio?
Clue: Look round this magazine at one of the articles!
3... Which recording pianist appeared on TV in The Arthur Haynes Show?
Clue: Go to our TV page - comedy section and find Arthur Haynes
4... Name the British label on which Johnny Duncan appeared with hits such as Ella Speed. (His biggest, Last Train to San Fernando, was also on this label.)
Clue: Look on our CD page under Johnny Duncan's name
5... Gracie Fields sang 'What can you give a Nudist?' But who sang it on Columbia records?
Clue: Look at our CD page again
6... Name the recording artist who appear on all Johnny Ray Sings tv shows.
Clue: look on our TV Comedy/Variety page under ATV Shows
7... Which band recorded "The Punter's Lament" on HMV?
Clue: Look at our CD page

Finished? Well click here for QUIZ ANSWERS

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QUIZ ANSWERS
They're printed rather faint, as we suspect you might have cheated!!

1 - George Grossmith (Jr)
2 - BC Hilliam
3 - Harry Jacobson
4 - Columbia
5 - Bertha Willmott
6 - Shani Wallis
7 - Ray Noble

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