G. H. MacDermott

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Gilbert Hastings MacDermott (February 27, 1845 – May 8, 1901) (G. H. MacDermott, as he was called in the theatre world), was also known as the "Great MacDermott". He became famous for his rendition of the "Jingo War Song" which he bought from G. W. Hunt. It was as the result of this song, sung with gusto by MacDermott, that the word Jingoism entered the language.

It became hugely popular in 1878, so much so that the then Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII, had MacDermott sing it for him at a private audience. He was far from a one hit wonder however. In fact he had written and published several plays and acted in many of them.

He sang other popular songs of the day - one being "Champagne Charlie" (written and made famous by George Leybourne) -brought to life again recently in the media in reference to Charles Kennedy erstwhile leader of the Liberal Democrats. The war song was brought back several times by other artists and was sung in an altered version in World War I.

[edit] Biography

MacDermott was born in Islington in 1845, and named John Farrell. His parents were Patrick Farrell, an Irish bricklayer, and Mary McDermott, also from Ireland, a laundress. He had left home by 1861 to join the Navy and in 1866 married Mary Ann Stradwick, by whom he had a son. From humble beginnings MacDermott became a wealthy man. In 1883 he lived in Lambeth with a young actress Annie Milburn, daughter of actor James Hartley Milburn, and had another four children, all of whom adopted his stage name of MacDermott.

He later became a successful theatrical agent and managed several famous music halls. He died in 1901 from cancer at the age of 56. His youngest child, Annie Louise Mary MacDermott, later became a stage star by the name of Ouida MacDermott. Three times married she ended up with Jay Wilber a World War II dance band leader. In an obituary on 9 May 1901, the Daily Telegraph called MacDermott the last Lion Comique. These were artists who came on stage resplendent in evening dress, as contrasted with the cloth cap image of most of his music hall contemporaries. The MacDermott family grave is at West Norwood Cemetery.

[edit] Sources

Dictionary of National Biography

[edit] External links