Gertie Gitana (1887-1957)
Last updated: 26.04.24
p_gitanag.jpgAccording to the Internet source given below, Gertie Gitana [Gertrude Mary Astbury] was an English music hall entertainer born in Longport, Stoke-on-Trent.
Aged just four, she was enrolled in Tomkinson's Royal Gipsy Children performing in Hanley. Her solo professional debut was in 1896 at the age of eight at The Tivoli, Barrow-in-Furness. She career continued with top billings, sometimes as "The Staffordshire Cinderella", with an act which included singing, tap dancing, yodelling, and playing the saxophone. Amongst her sentimental songs Nellie Dean (1905 - words & music: Henry W. Armstrong) became her signature tune with which she enjoyed great success. Her first recordings were made in London on the Jumbo label from 1911 to 1913. World War I saw her as the Forces' sweetheart entertaining the war wounded in hospitals. . After the war, she appeared in pantomime retiring in 1938 but made a comeback in 1948 in Thanks for the Memory which was also part of the Royal Command Performance. Her final appearance was in 1950 at the Empress Theatre, Brixton.
She died in Hampstead, London.
Fun fact: In Cockney rhyming slang, Gertie Gitana means a banana.
Websites:
url15.gif Gertie Gitana Biography by wikipedia.org.  

     Title Remarks Supplier
       
cd15.gif  Music Hall   flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
This list is derived from information provided by Monologues.co.uk which went down sometime in 2023.
The loss of this valuable resource is very sad and a mystery.
     Title Attribution Remarks
       
  Molly Mcglory A.J. Mills (music)
Bennett Scott (words)
Fred Godfrey (words)
Gertie Gitana (perf.)
 
  Never Mind Tom Goldburn (music)
Harry dent (words)
Gertie Gitana (perf.)
 
  Silver Bell Percy Wenrich (music)
Edward Madden (words)
Gertie Gitana (perf.)
 
  When I Leave the World Behind Irving Berlin (words & music)
Gertie Gitana (perf.)
 
  When the Summer Days Are O'Er, Ann Gray Ralph Penso (words & music)
Gertie Gitana (perf.)
 
  You're My Heart's Desire, I Love You Nellie Dean Henry W. Armstrong (words & music)
Gertie Gitana (perf.)
 
     Title Attribution Instruments Source Remarks
           
     Composer Title Performer
       
youtube15.jpg H.W. Armstrong Nellie Dean (3:23) Gertie Gitana
youtube15.jpg I. Berlin When I Leave The World Behind (3:44) Gertie Gitana
youtube15.jpg W. David Dinna Forget (3:06) Gertie Gitana
youtube15.jpg P. Wenrich Silver Bell (2:54) Gertie Gitana
The peformer is featured on 14 sheet music/recording covers. It does not claim to be complete and represents only the number of items located. Keys: (w&m) ER
     Title Composer Attribution Items
         
perf15.jpg You're My Heart's Desire, I Love You Nellie Dean (1905) Henry W. Armstrong(w&m)
perf15.jpg When I Leave the World Behind (1915) Irving Berlin
perf15.jpg Dinna Forget! (1915) Worton David Bert Lee (words)
perf15.jpg My Dusky Princess (1915) Worton David R Penso (words)
perf15.jpg There's Silver in Your Hair (?) Worton David Lawrence Wright (words)
perf15.jpg Nellie Dean (1891-2) Barney Fagan
perf15.jpg Never Mind (1913) Tom Goldburn Harry Dent (words)
perf15.jpg Molly Mcglory (1915.) A.J. Mills Bennett Scott (words)
Fred Godfrey (words)
perf15.jpg When the Summer Days Are O'Er, Ann Gray (1910) Ralph Penso(w&m)
perf15.jpg Sweet Caroline (1910) Harry Staunton Will E Haines (words)
Donovan Meher (words)
perf15.jpg  Morning Star! (1915) Thomas W. Thurban R.P. Weston (words)
perf15.jpg Lola Lee (1910) Huntley Trevor T W Thurban (words)
perf15.jpg Silver Bell (1910) Percy Wenrich Edward Madden (words)
perf15.jpg There's a Cottage in Ballymahone (1914) Robert P. Weston T W Thurban (words)