Lily Morris

[Sarah]

Can anybody tell me where I can get any info/photos on Lily Morris. She was a music hall artiste whose signiture song was always a Bridesmaid Never a Bride. She starred along side Arthur Askey as Lady Randall in the 1941 film I Thank You.

She was my g-g-aunt, married to my Grandmothers Uncle Archibald McDougall.

Many thanks

[MORRISBEX]

(Sarah @ Mar 10 2004, 10:46 PM)

Can anybody tell me where I can get any info/photos on Lily Morris. She was a music hall artiste whose signiture song was always a Bridesmaid Never a Bride. She starred along side Arthur Askey as Lady Randall in the 1941 film I Thank You.

She was my g-g-aunt, married to my Grandmothers Uncle Archibald McDougall.

Many thanks

Hello Sarah,

I am Lily Morris's Great Grandaughter.Before Archibald McDougall she was involved with my Great Grandfather Benjamin Morris,as she took the surname as her stage name.

Her son my grandfather Leonard Morris passed away 2 weeks ago.I searched the internet for information if she had any children,or if i have any relations through her.I found she had married Archibald but had no other information.

My Grandad looked just like her and told me many stories about her.My father is her grandson and there are 5 of us.We do have a video of when she was performing and a picture of her which is addresed to my Grandfather.

Please keep in contact and tell me what you know.

Thanks Rebecca Morris x

[plasticjock]

(Sarah @ Mar 10 2004, 10:46 PM)

Can anybody tell me where I can get any info/photos on Lily Morris. She was a music hall artiste whose signiture song was always a Bridesmaid Never a Bride. She starred along side Arthur Askey as Lady Randall in the 1941 film I Thank You.

She was my g-g-aunt, married to my Grandmothers Uncle Archibald McDougall.

Many thanks

Found the following info re: Lily Morris:





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Buried - Southgate Cemetery Plot D 1472 - (married name: McDougall) b 1884 d 1952.



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Lily Morris 'Don't Have Any More Missus Moore!' - HER COLUMBIA & REGAL 78s – CYLIDISC CD 504



What Are You Going To Do About Selina?/ Only A Working Man/ ‘The Old Apple Tree'/ Don’t Have Anymore, Mrs Moore (Regal version)/ We All Said ‘No!’/ What’s To Be Done?/ Which Of The Three?/ Why Am I Always The Bridesmaid?/ Truly Rural (Regal version)/ Say Goodbye/ Mrs Scott/ Tiddley-hi/ Since Our Mother’s Been A Lady/ That’s Where The Soldiers Go (Regal version)/ Wives Of Commercial Travellers/ Charlie/ Don’t Have Anymore, Mrs Moore (Columbia version)/ Truly Rural (Columbia version)/ Because He Loves Me/ That’s Where The Soldiers Go (Columbia version)/ ‘The Old Apple Tree'(Live)/ Don’t Have Anymore, Mrs Moore (Live) (67'37")

The vivacious Ms Morris in a collection of her classics. All her Columbia and Regal issues are here (bar the vocal chorus "Truly Rural" with Ray Starita's Orchestra), with the bonus of a 1950 live performance of "Don't have any more" and "The Old Apple Tree" Quite simply, this recording at Collins's Music Hall in Islington is music hall at its very best. Join the audience lapping up Lily's utterly mesmerising performance.

Superb transfers by Roger Beardsley

Available from A Barker at 68 Hawkes Road, Mitcham, Surrey, CR4 3JG.

Cheques, etc payable to A Barker. Also credit card via Paypal.

tonybarker@clara.co.uk

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The Gallery - Lily Morris



--------------------------------



Alfred Hitchcock



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[Rob Compton]

She was a great artiste, so lively and fun on stage. Not that I'm old enough to have seen her on stage, I hasten to add... But there is some archive film of her, and this has been shown on TV in the past, in programmes dealing with music hall. She's very memorable!



rgds

[letty]

(plasticjock @ Nov 16 2005, 10:05 PM)

Found the following info re: Lily Morris:

--------------------------------------------



Buried - Southgate Cemetery Plot D 1472 - (married name: McDougall) b 1884 d 1952.



--------------------------------------------

Lily Morris 'Don't Have Any More Missus Moore!' - HER COLUMBIA & REGAL 78s – CYLIDISC CD 504



What Are You Going To Do About Selina?/ Only A Working Man/ ‘The Old Apple Tree'/ Don’t Have Anymore, Mrs Moore (Regal version)/ We All Said ‘No!’/ What’s To Be Done?/ Which Of The Three?/ Why Am I Always The Bridesmaid?/ Truly Rural (Regal version)/ Say Goodbye/ Mrs Scott/ Tiddley-hi/ Since Our Mother’s Been A Lady/ That’s Where The Soldiers Go (Regal version)/ Wives Of Commercial Travellers/ Charlie/ Don’t Have Anymore, Mrs Moore (Columbia version)/ Truly Rural (Columbia version)/ Because He Loves Me/ That’s Where The Soldiers Go (Columbia version)/ ‘The Old Apple Tree'(Live)/ Don’t Have Anymore, Mrs Moore (Live) (67'37")

The vivacious Ms Morris in a collection of her classics. All her Columbia and Regal issues are here (bar the vocal chorus "Truly Rural" with Ray Starita's Orchestra), with the bonus of a 1950 live performance of "Don't have any more" and "The Old Apple Tree" Quite simply, this recording at Collins's Music Hall in Islington is music hall at its very best. Join the audience lapping up Lily's utterly mesmerising performance.

Superb transfers by Roger Beardsley

Available from A Barker at 68 Hawkes Road, Mitcham, Surrey, CR4 3JG.

Cheques, etc payable to A Barker. Also credit card via Paypal.

tonybarker@clara.co.uk

---------------------------------



The Gallery - Lily Morris



--------------------------------



Alfred Hitchcock



-------------------------------

I have been looking for information on Lily Morris for months as I do a Music Hall chat for W.I's. and include her: we listen to a few of her songs as well as singing chorus's.



I am proposing to do another chat about Music Hall Ladies and would appreciate any information that you have that you feel you could share with me.



I have a CD of her songs and they are just great

[Rob Compton]

Your talk sounds fun, letty - I'd love to hear it - but I'm afraid I wouldn't qualify for the WI! [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/blink.gif[/img]



rgds

Rob

[Sarah]

Apologies to all of you. I have just rediscovered this site having had a computer crash.. Was just about to go to bed when I read the posts......WOW. I will get back to you, Dad just about to come out of hospital having had a hip replacement so have a bit on at the moment. Rebecca, I guess we have a lot to talk about. I will be in touch but it might not be for a week or too. I assume you have done a google search with her name " ". Some good photos there.

Best wishes to all

[Rennie]

I have been looking for information on Lily Morris for months as I do a Music Hall chat for W.I's. and include her: we listen to a few of her songs as well as singing chorus's.



I am proposing to do another chat about Music Hall Ladies and would appreciate any information that you have that you feel you could share with me.



I have a CD of her songs and they are just great

The CD is available here:-



Lily Morris - Windyridge CDR18





Pic:-



http://www.musichallcds.com/mhcdpics/lily_morris.jpg

[MrDrakesDuck]

She's terrific performing My Old Man in Those Were the Days (1933) & as the char woman in Radio Parade of 1935 (1934).

[Sarah]

I have quite a few of her Will Hay rolls on tape and have just ordered the cd. I must admit the info Morrisbex gave is "interesting" My Mother aged 87 knew nothing about it. I am doing the family tree so any info anybody has I would be delighted to hear.

[MrT]

Lily Morris first appeared on film in 1930 in Alfred Hitchcock's revue film "Elstree calling". In this she sang two of her finest numbers, "Why am I always the bridesmaid" and "He's only a working man", complete with dance! Sarah, I can send you a copy of this film if you would like it - send me a PM.



Best wishes

Mike (MrT)

[Wee Sonny MacGregor]

Lily Morris is one of the artistes who feature in Richard Anthony Baker's very recent book "Music Hall" which you can get from your local library.

[Sarah]

Thanks, I'll have a look this weekend..........Can't wait to hear from Morrisbex!. It's been an exciting week!

[Sarah]

There is a bit more info on her on the RootsChat.com web site under middlesex.

[Sarah]

Mottisbex if you are still out there. I have some more info on Lily Morris. 1901 census

Father Maurice - cigar maker, mother Mary Ann - was a cap maker. Sister Catherine - was a milliners assistant. Brother Maurice, shop assistant. Father's father William, was a bricklayer from Kerry, Ireland. Lily herself a music hall artist.I have addresses and dates if you want them

[Wee Sonny MacGregor]

From 'Roy Hudd's Cavalcade of Variety Acts': "Lily Morris, Comedienne. Born Lilles Mary Crosby, London. 1883. Another music hall star who made it into our period. Lily, a genuine Cockney, graduated to low comedy after a long career as a soubrette and Principal Boy in pantomime. In the early 1900s she recalled "I had a production number to lead with the whole company dressed as Dutch boys and girls, 'By the side of the Zuyder Zee'. The pantomime was Aladdin!' By 1917 she had established herself as a chorus singer with classics like 'Why Am I Always the Bridesmaid' and 'Don't Have Any More, Missus Moore'. She had played with great success, all over the UK and scored enormously in America. She continued as a solo act (she never did revue) till her retirement, well before our period starts. It was once again the silver tongued Don Ross who persuaded yet another music-hall star to go on the road with his revival show, Thanks for the Memory. She joined the show on the death of Nellie Wallace. Alas, I never saw her 'live' as she was taken ill the week befiore she was due to play my local, the Croydon Empire. Luckily she appeared in several films and she is probably the most effective, in this medium, of all of them. I've watched them with young people and, when when she picks up her skirts and does her eccentric dance, all hearts are hers. Lily died in 1952."

[Roger Fillary]

I've been keeping an eye on this thread for a while because I and a colleague are in the process of building a website devoted to Lily.



It is up and running at The Lily Morris Website but at present only has a title page. Over the next few weeks we will be adding biographical information and we are also going to include as much graphic material as we can such as signed photos (the one on the title page is one of them), postcards, theatre programmes and bills and full reproductions of sheet music that she sung. We also intend to add some video footage and mp3s of some recordings.



It is early days yet and it will grow slowly as we acquire material. It is a labour of love as we consider Lily Morris to be one of the all-time music hall greats.



It is great news that relatives have found this BritMovie forum and I hope they will visit our website.



As we are in need of as much information as possible, be it biographical detail and dates or photos or other material, I would be very grateful if those who have already contributed to this forum (or any future contributors) could email me direct so we can help further the development of the website. We are not looking to buy material, unless it is for sale - what we need is information and scans of any ephemera only so that the owners keep their precious memories but also get to contribute to the website.



My name is Roger Fillary, my co-host and the actual collector of the ephemera is Keith Fawkes.

[Sarah]

Will try to get some memories/genealogy info together tho it may take a little time. She was married to my grannie's uncle Archibald McDougall. Untill I found this website we had no idea she had been "married" before and never knew she had had a child!

[Roger Fillary]

Sarah, thanks for your reply and I look forward to hearing from you in due course.

[Sarah]

Sorry for the delay. 92 year old father been in hospital 10 weeks but now on the mend and on his way home. Mum (LM's great niece) will join him in a day or two. Life has been a bit fraut but will get back to you eventually!

One thing Mum does remember is going to see her in a panto(?) in Warrington and going back stage. She remembers LM being very proud of the red boots she was wearing.