Frederick Weatherly
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Frederick Edward Weatherly (1848-1929) was an English lawyer, author, songwriter and radio entertainer. He wrote the lyrics of the well-known ballad Danny Boy which is set to the tune A Londonderry Air. Weatherly wrote over 3,000 popular songs, including the hymn "The Holy City" and the wartime ballad "Roses of Picardy".
[edit] Biography
Frederick Weatherly (usually known as Fred) was born and brought up in Portishead, Somerset before moving to Bath. There is a plaque to his memory at the family home in Woodhill Road, Portishead. After schooling at Hereford Cathedral School he graduated from Oxford University with a degree in Classics 1871. Weatherly studied at Brasenose College. He is reported to have helped out members of the Brasenose IV, who had practised for the Henley Regatta without a cox. When they were told they had to have one, Weatherly volunteered to start the race with them and immediately jump out of the boat. He did so and the team won - although they were later disqualified.
After Oxford, Weatherly practised law and achieved the distinction of being appointed a King's Counsel. Multi-talented, he also wrote adult science fiction and fantasy novels and more than fifty children's books as well as thousands of songs. Beatrix Potter's first signed illustrations were published in A Happy Pair, a book of verse written by Weatherly.
[edit] Works
The first of Weatherly's well-known works was the hymn "The Holy City", written in 1892 to music by the British composer Stephen Adams. The song includes the refrain "Jerusalem, Jerusalem!".
He wrote the song "Danny Boy" in 1910, but it did not meet with much success. In 1912 his sister-in-law in America sent him an old Irish tune called "A Londonderry Air", which he had never heard before. The tune matched his lyrics almost perfectly. He published the now-famous song in 1913.
His poignant ballad "Roses of Picardy", written while he was an army officer in 1916 and set to music by Haydn Wood, was one of the most famous songs from World War I.
Elsie Griffin was one of the singers who popularised Weatherly's songs.
Weatherly also wrote lyrics for the English version of the opéra comique Mirette by André Messager.
[edit] External links
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Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Frederick Weatherly |
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Wikisource has original works written by or about: Frederick Weatherly |
- The "Londonderry Air": facts and fiction. URL accessed on 11 September 2005
- The Origin of "Danny Boy". URL accessed on 11 September 2005
- Who was at Brasenose? URL accessed on 11 September 2005
- First World War - Vintage Audio: "Roses of Picardy" URL accessed on 13 January 2009
