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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

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  
Columbia 28528 10-in. approximately 1913 The girl with the golden hair Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 28591 10-in. approximately 1913 Where did you get your bow, Joe? Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 28592 10-in. approximately 1913 Here comes old Father Christmas Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 28679 10-in. approximately 1913 I must have a feather in my hat Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 28680 10-in. approximately 1913 Baked sheep’s hearts Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 28681 10-in. approximately 1913 Oh ladies Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 28682 10-in. approximately 1913 My looks don’t pity me Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 28723 10-in. approximately 1913 How are you, Mother? Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 28724 10-in. approximately 1913 You can’t help laughing, can yer? Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 28810 10-in. approximately 1914 Wotcher, me old brown son Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 28811 10-in. approximately 1914 You’re a liarty Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 28906 10-in. approximately 1914 Who says London ain’t the country? Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 28907 10-in. approximately 1914 Four meals a day Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 29049 10-in. approximately 1914 It’sa cold without your trousers Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 29050 10-in. approximately 1914 Mr. Piper give us a pipe o’ bacca Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 29309 10-in. approximately 1915 Little bit of cucumber Harry Champion Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist  
Columbia 29311 10-in. approximately 1915 My old Iron Cross Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 65462 10-in. approximately 1916 Cockney Bill of London Town Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 65464 10-in. approximately 1916 Hey-diddle-diddle Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 65965 10-in. approximately 1917 Taters : Grow some 'taters Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 65966 10-in. approximately 1917 Aunt Tilly Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 71614 10-in. approximately 1922 I enjoyed it Harry Champion vocalist  
Columbia 71615 10-in. approximately 1922 Everybody knows me in my old brown hat Harry Champion vocalist  

Citation

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

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

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

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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