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Harry Champion

William Henry Crump (17 April 1865 – 14 January 1942), better known by the stage name Harry Champion, was an English music hall composer, singer and comedian, whose onstage persona appealed chiefly to the working class communities of East London. His best-known recordings include "Boiled Beef and Carrots" (1909), "I'm Henery the Eighth, I Am" (1910), "Any Old Iron" (1911) and "A Little Bit of Cucumber" (1915).

Champion was born in Bethnal Green, East London. He made his stage debut at the age of 17 at the Royal Victoria Music Hall in Old Ford Road, Bethnal Green, in July 1882. He initially appeared as Will Conray and went on to appear in small music halls in the East End. In 1887 he changed his stage name to Harry Champion and started to perform in other parts of London where he built up a wide repertoire of songs. His trademark style was singing at a fast tempo and often about the joys of food.

After more than four decades on the stage, Champion took early retirement after the death of his wife in 1928, but returned two years later to appear on radio, gaining a new, much younger audience as a result. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, music hall entertainment had made a brief comeback, and Champion, like other performers of the genre, returned to performing. By the early 1940s he was in ill health, and died just a month after being admitted to a nursing home in 1942.

Birth and Death Data: Born April 17, 1865 (Shoreditch), Died January 14, 1942 (Tottenham)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1910 - 1922

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 48 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia 27175 10-in. approximately 1910 The natty little patch behind Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 27176 10-in. approximately 1910 Don’t do it again, Matilda Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 27177 10-in. approximately 1910 Ginger, you’re barmy Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 27178 10-in. approximately 1910 Billy Green, P.C. Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 27430 10-in. approximately 1911 Cover it over quick, Jemima Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 27431 10-in. approximately 1911 I’m Henerey the Eighth Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 27432 10-in. approximately 1911 Let’s have a basin of soup Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 27433 10-in. approximately 1911 Standard bread Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 27456 10-in. approximately 1911 The harem-scarem skirt Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 27457 10-in. approximately 1911 The funny little tie Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 27808 10-in. approximately 1911 Timothy, let’s have a look Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 27809 10-in. approximately 1911 Red, white and blue Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 27810 10-in. approximately 1911 Brown, Brown, sit down Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 27811 10-in. approximately 1911 The old dun cow caught fire Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 27812 10-in. approximately 1911 I’m getting ready for my mother-in-law Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 27813 10-in. approximately 1911 I’m proud of my old bald head Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 28429 10-in. approximately 1913 Hot meat pies, saveloys and trotters Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 28430 10-in. approximately 1913 The ragtime ragshop Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 28431 10-in. approximately 1913 While I was licking my stamp Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 28432 10-in. approximately 1913 As large as life in the harem Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 28433 10-in. approximately 1913 I was holding my coconut Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 28434 10-in. approximately 1913 I’m William the Conqueror Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 28525 10-in. approximately 1913 The old ham bone Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 28526 10-in. approximately 1913 Keep your hands in your trousers Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 28527 10-in. approximately 1913 Nan, Nan, Nan Harry Champion vocalist  
(Results 1-25 of 48 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Champion, Harry," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104965.

Champion, Harry. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104965.

"Champion, Harry." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104965

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