Ella Retford (1886-1962)
Last updated: 26.04.24
p_refforde.jpgAccording to the Internet source given below, Elinor Maud Dawe (née Flanagan) using the stage name Ella Retford, was an English music hall comedian, singer and dancer, and a stage and film actress born in Sunderland.
Somewhere around 1900 she moved to London performing primarily as a dancer in music hall shows, initially as a dancer. By 1906, she was established as a performer in revues and pantomimes playing principal roles. From 1908 she began to make recordings some of her most successful songs includef All the Nice Girls Love a Sailor (1908 music: Maurice Scott; word: A.J. Mills) and Molly O'Morgan (1909 - music: Will Letters; words: Fred Godfrey).
She appeared in Royal Variety Performances in 1912, 1921 and 1938. In later years she also made film appearances as a character actress.
She died in London.
Websites:
url15.gif Ella Retford Biography by wikipedia.org.  

  Title (Release Year) Composer Performers Issue
         
  Wax Cylinders      
cylinder15.gif She's a Girl Up North (1910) F. Godfrey Ella Retford Edison Amberol: 12072
     Title Remarks Supplier
       
cd15.gif  At The Football Match Last Saturday   flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
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
       
  Hannah, Please Open That Door Kirk McGee (music)
Sam McGee (words)
Ella Retford (perf.)
 
  Have You Seen My Chinee-Man? Bennett Scott (music)
A J Mills (words)
Ella Retford (perf.)
 
  I Want a Girl: Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad Harry von Tilzer (music)
Will Dillon (words)
Ella Retford (perf.)
 
  I'd Like to Bring My Mother Percy Greenbank (music)
Paul A Rubens (words)
Ella Retford (perf.)
 
  I'm Afraid to Come Home in the Dark Egbert A. van Alstyne (music)
Harry Williams (words)
Ella Retford (perf.)
Hetty King (perf.)
 
  Popsy Wopsy Bennett Scott (music)
A.J. Mills (words)
Ella Retford (perf.)
 
  She's a Girl Up North F.E. D'Albert (music)
F. Godfrey (words)
Ella Retford (perf.)
 
  She's a Lassie From Lancashire C.W. Murphy (music)
Dan Lipton (words)
John Neath (words)
Ella Retford (perf.)
Florrie Forde (perf.)
 
  Ship Ahoy Bennett Scott (music)
A.J. Mills (words)
Ella Retford (perf.)
 
  Smith, Jones, Robinson and Brown Sam Mayo (music)
John P. Harrington (words)
Ella Retford (perf.)
 
  Take Me Back to Dear Old Blighty A.J. Mills (music)
Fred Godfrey (words)
Bennett Scott (words)
Lily Morris (perf.)
Ella Retford (perf.)
 
   There's a Girl in Havana Irving Berlin (music)
A. Baldwin Sloane (co-author)
E. Ray Goetz (words)
& A. Baldwin Sloane1 (words)
Ella Retford (perf.)
 
  They're All Single by the Seaside C.W. Murphy (music)
Worton David (words)
Ella Retford (perf.)
 
  You Made Me Love You James V. Monaco (music)
Joe McCarthy (words)
Ella Retford (perf.)
 
     Title Attribution Instruments Source Remarks
           
     Composer Title Performer
       
youtube15.jpg Mr Wright, You're Wrong (1908) (2:56) Ella Retford
youtube15.jpg W. Letters Molly O' Morgan (1910) (2:25) Ella Retford
The peformer is featured on 21 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 I'm Afraid to Come Home in the Dark (1907) Egbert A. van Alstyne Harry Williams (words)
perf15.jpg There's a Girl in Havana (1911) Irving Berlin A. Baldwin Sloane (co-author)
E. Ray Goetz (words)
A. Baldwin Sloane (words)
perf15.jpg She's a Girl Up North (?) F.E. D'Albert F. Godfrey (words)
perf15.jpg She's a Girl Up North (1909) Fred Godfrey Fred E d' Albert (words)  cylinder15.gif
perf15.jpg I'd Like to Bring My Mother (1915) Percy Greenbank Paul A Rubens (words)
perf15.jpg Smith, Jones, Robinson and Brown (1920) Sam Mayo John P Harrington (words)
perf15.jpg Hannah, Please Open That Door (1927) Kirk McGee Sam McGee (words)
perf15.jpg We're Irish and Proud of It Too (1914) Tom Mellor Harry Gifford (words)
Fred Godfrey (words)
perf15.jpg All the Boys in Khaki Get the Nice Girls (1915) Tom Mellor Harry Gifford (words)
perf15.jpg Five Days Leave (1916) Tom Mellor(w&m)
perf15.jpg  Heigh-Ho! (1917) Tom Mellor Harry Gifford (words)
perf15.jpg Take Me Back to Dear Old Blighty (1916) A.J. Mills Fred Godfrey (co-author)
Bennett Scott (co-author)
perf15.jpg You Made Me Love You (1913) James V. Monaco Joseph McCarthy (co-author)
perf15.jpg She's a Lassie From Lancashire (1907) C.W. Murphy Dan Lipton (words)
John Neat (words)
perf15.jpg They're All Single by the Seaside (1911) C.W. Murphy Worton David (words)
perf15.jpg Has Anyone Seen a German Band? (1907) Bennett Scott A.J. Mills (words)
perf15.jpg Have You Seen My Chinee-Man? (1908) Bennett Scott A J Mills (words)
perf15.jpg Popsy-Wopsy (1910) Bennett Scott A J Mills (words)
perf15.jpg What Do You Say, Molly Molloy? (1910) Bennett Scott A J Mills (words)
perf15.jpg Ship Ahoy (1920) Bennett Scott A J Mills (words)
perf15.jpg I Want a Girl: Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad (1911) Harry von Tilzer William Dillon (words)