George Formby Sr.  (1877-1921)
Last updated: 04.10.24
p_formbysg.jpgAccording to the Internet source given below, George Formby [James Lawler Booth] was an English comedian and singer born in Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire.
Raised in poverty, he was one of the greatest music hall performers of the early 20th century his act being that of a gormless Lancashire lad that earned him the sobriquet of "The Wigan Nightingale". He established himself in Lancashire during the 1890s billed as J.H. Booth until 1897 when he changed his stage name to George Formby. His first appearance in London was in 1902 attracting the attention of many luminaries including Marie Lloyd and George Robey. He went on to make some 120 recordings as well as establishing a film career.
Formby was injured in June 1916 during rehearsals for the revue Razzle-Dazzle worsening his prevalent ill-health exacerbated by influenza pandemic of 1918.
He died near is home in Warrington, Lancashire.
Websites:
url15.gif George Formby Sr Biography by wikipedia.org.  
  Title (Release Year) Composer Performers Issue
         
cylinder15.gif Father Tried It On (1910) G. Formby Sr. A. Peel Indestructible Record: 7054
  as Performer      
cylinder15.gif When Father Said He'd Pay the Rent (1914) W. Hargreaves G. Formby Sr. Edison Blue Amberol: 23177
cylinder15.gif Plink-Plonk! (1910) C.W. Murphy G. Formby Sr. Edison Amberol: 12024
  Title (Release Year) Composer Performers Issue
         
audioextmp315.gif John Willie - Come On! (1908) G. Formby Sr. G. Formby Sr. Jumbo 170
  as Performer      
audioextmp315.gif Playing the Game in the West (1910) A. Kendal G. Formby Sr.
audioextmp315.gif John Willie - Come On! (1908) G. Formby Sr. G. Formby Sr. Jumbo 170
     Title Author Supplier
       
book15.gif  George Formby Sr. Russell Jesse flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
     Performer CD Title Supplier
       
Folk Music CDs:
cd15.gif George Formby Sr. The Man from Lancashire No.1
cd15.gif George Formby Sr. The Man from Lancashire No.2
cd15.gif Various Performers Music Hall flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Various Performers At The Football Match Last Saturday 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
       
  Animal Language Robert P. Weston (music)
Fred J Barnes (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
  Bells Were Ringing, The George Formby Sr. (words & music)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
  Father Tried It On Arthur Peel (words & music)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
  Frightened to Go to Sleep Again George Formby Sr. (music)
Lipton (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
  Funicular (Plink-Plonk) George Formby Sr. (words & music)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
  Get Behind and Follow Me George Formby Sr. (words & music)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
  Grandfather's Clock Henry Clay Work (words & music)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
  I Began to Run C.W. Murphy (music)
Dan Lipton (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
  I Had My Hands in My Pockets J.P. Long (music)
Paul Pelham (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
  I Kept on Waving My Flag George Formby Sr. (words & music)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
  I Lifted the Latch and Walked In Will Hyde (music)
George Formby Sr. (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
   I Parted My Hair in the Middle C.W. Murphy (music)
Worton David (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
  I Put on My Coat and Went Home William Hargreaves (music)
James Hargreaves (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
  I Was Standing at the Corner of the Street George Formby Sr. (words & music)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
  It Must Be the Clothes I'm Wearing J.P. Long (music)
Paul Pelham (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
  John Willie - Come On! George Formby Sr. (words & music)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
  Looking For Mugs in the Strand George Formby Sr. (words & music)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
  Lucky Jim Frederic V. Bowers (music)
Charles Horwitz (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
  Man Was a Stranger to Me, The T.W. Connor (words & music)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
  My Grandfather's Clock George Formby Sr. (words & music)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
  My Mother Said George Formby Sr. (words & music)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
  Odds and Ends George Formby Sr. (words & music)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
  One of ''The Boys'' Maurice Scott (music)
Fred J. Barnes (words)
R.P. Weston (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
Joe Elvin (perf.)
Nellie Farren (perf.)
Lionel MacKinder (perf.)
 
   Orrible 'Erbert Dan Lipton (music)
George Formby Sr. (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
  Our House Is Haunted George Formby Sr. (words & music)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
  Playing the Game in the West Alec Kendal (music)
George Formby Sr. (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
  Since I Had a Go at My Dumb-Bells Maurice Scott (words & music)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
  Walker Walked Away C.W. Murphy (music)
Dan Lipton (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
  We All Went Home in a Cab George Formby Sr. (words & music)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
  We All Went to Leicester Square George Formby Sr. (words & music)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
  When Father Said He'd Pay the Rent William Hargreaves (words & music)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 
     Title Attribution Instruments Source Remarks
           
pdf15.gif I Was Standing at the Corner of the Street (1910) G. Formby Sr. (w&m)
I Hunt (words)
G. Formby Sr. (perf.)
Piano, Voice IMSLP wvicon.gif
The peformer is featured on 39 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 Remarks
         
perf15.jpg Lucky Jim (1896) Frederic V. Bowers Charles Horwitz (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
perf15.jpg Man Was a Stranger to Me (1919), The T.W. Connor(w&m) George Formby Sr. (perf.)
perf15.jpg I Parted My Hair in the Middle (1913) Worton David C.W. Murphy (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
perf15.jpg Plink Plonk (1909) Luigi Denza George Formby Sr. (perf.)
youtube15.jpg
perf15.jpg  I Put on My Coat and Went Home (1910) William Hargreaves James Hargreaves (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
perf15.jpg Then We All Went Marching In (1913) William Hargreaves(w&m) George Formby Sr. (perf.)
perf15.jpg When Father Said He'd Pay the Rent (1914) William Hargreaves George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 cylinder15.gif
perf15.jpg I Lifted the Latch and Walked In (1909) Will Hyde George Formby Sr. (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
perf15.jpg Playing the Game in the West (1910) Alec Kendal George Formby Sr. (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 audioextmp315.gif
perf15.jpg Did You See the Crowd in Piccadilly? (1915) Dan Lipton Fred W. Leigh (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
perf15.jpg Orrible 'Erbert (?) Dan Lipton George Formby Sr. (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
perf15.jpg It Must Be the Clothes I'm Wearing (1915) J.P. Long Paul Pelham (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
perf15.jpg I Had My Hands in My Pockets (?) J.P. Long Paul Pelham (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
perf15.jpg Walker Walked Away (1905) C.W. Murphy Dan Lipton (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
perf15.jpg I Began to Run (1908) C.W. Murphy Dan Lipton (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
perf15.jpg  Plink-Plonk! (1910) C.W. Murphy Dan Lipton (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 cylinder15.gif
perf15.jpg I Parted My Hair in the Middle (1913) C.W. Murphy Worton David (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
perf15.jpg Father Tried It On (1910) Arthur Peel George Formby Sr. (perf.)
perf15.jpg One of ''The Boys'' (1907) Maurice Scott Fred J. Barnes (words)
R.P. Weston (words)
Joe Elvin (perf.)
Nellie Farren (perf.)
Lionel MacKinder (perf.)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
perf15.jpg Since I Had a Go at My Dumb-Bells (1910) Maurice Scott(w&m) George Formby Sr. (perf.)
perf15.jpg Animal Language (1904) Robert P. Weston Fred J Barnes (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
perf15.jpg Grandfather's Clock (1876) Henry Clay Work(w&m) George Formby Sr. (perf.)
This list is arranged in chronological order and contains 18 works by George Formby Sr. (1877-1921). It does not claim to be complete and represents only the number of items located. Keys: pdf15.gif (w&m)
Title Year Attribution Remarks
       
Odds and Ends 1900c George Formby Sr. (perf.)
I Said, ''Oh! Oh!! Oh!!!'' 1904 A B Kendal (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 wvicon.gif
My Mother Said (w&m) 1906 George Formby Sr. (perf.)
John Willie - Come On! (w&m) 1909 George Formby Sr. (perf.)  Pub.  audioextmp315.gif
Father Tried It On 1910 Arthur Peel (perf.)   cylinder15.gif
Funicular (Plink-Plonk) 1910 George Formby Sr. (perf.)
I Kept on Waving My Flag 1910 George Formby Sr. (perf.)   cylinder15.gif
I Was Standing at the Corner of the Street (w&m) 1910 I Hunt (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
 wvicon.gif youtube15.jpg  cylinder15.gif
All of a Sudden It Struck Me 1915 George Formby Sr. (perf.)  youtube15.jpg
Looking For Mugs in the Strand 1915 George Formby Sr. (perf.)
Grandfather's Clock 1917 George Formby Sr. (perf.)  youtube15.jpg
My Grandfather's Clock 1917 George Formby Sr. (perf.)
Bells Were Ringing, The ? George Formby Sr. (perf.)
Frightened to Go to Sleep Again ? Dan Lipton (words)
George Formby Sr. (perf.)
Get Behind and Follow Me ? George Formby Sr. (perf.)
Our House Is Haunted ? George Formby Sr. (perf.)
We All Went Home in a Cab (w&m) ? George Formby Sr. (perf.)
We All Went to Leicester Square (w&m) ? George Formby Sr. (perf.)
     Composer Title Performer
       
youtube15.jpg L. Denza Plink Plonk (1909) (4:16) G. Formby Sr.
youtube15.jpg G. Formby Sr. All of a Sudden It Struck Me (1915) (3:01) G. Formby Sr.
youtube15.jpg G. Formby Sr. Grandfather's Clock (1917) (3:16) G. Formby Sr.
youtube15.jpg G. Formby Sr. Standing at the Corner of the Street (1910) (7:01) G. Formby Sr.