Exactly 100 years ago: a very young perfomer
Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 9:11 am
On 15 April 1912, almost exactly 100 years ago, the Gramophone Co. made two private records of a crying baby for the English actor Cyril Maude. Both recordings were issued in several countries on a double-sided disc. I picture the German issue. Maude's own children were adults and his grandchildren not yet born. My guess is that the unnamed young performer was an orphan. My opinion is established on the following:
To cite from Wikipedia, in 1905, Maude succeeded Sir Henry Irving as the President of the Actors' Orphanage Fund (now called the Actors' Charitable Trust). During some remarkable years of service he established the first orphanage for actors' children at Croydon, inaugurated innovative fundraising schemes and events, attracted royal patronage, and secured committee members from among leading actors of the day. He served until 1914.
Without a doubt Maude used the baby cries for one of his "innovative fundraising schemes," and the Gramophone Co. published the disc to make some extra money, although its catalogue life must have been extremely short. In fact, I haven't found this record in any catalogue.
To cite from Wikipedia, in 1905, Maude succeeded Sir Henry Irving as the President of the Actors' Orphanage Fund (now called the Actors' Charitable Trust). During some remarkable years of service he established the first orphanage for actors' children at Croydon, inaugurated innovative fundraising schemes and events, attracted royal patronage, and secured committee members from among leading actors of the day. He served until 1914.
Without a doubt Maude used the baby cries for one of his "innovative fundraising schemes," and the Gramophone Co. published the disc to make some extra money, although its catalogue life must have been extremely short. In fact, I haven't found this record in any catalogue.