40 Facts About Harry Lauder

Sir Henry Lauder was a Scottish singer and comedian popular in both music hall and vaudeville theatre traditions; he achieved international success.

Harry Lauder usually performed in full Highland regalia—kilt, sporran, tam o' shanter, and twisted walking stick, and sang Scottish-themed songs, including Roamin' in the Gloamin'.

Harry Lauder raised vast amounts of money for the war effort during the First World War, for which he was knighted in 1919.

Harry Lauder went into semi-retirement in the mid-1930s, but briefly emerged to entertain troops in the Second World War.

Harry Lauder was born on 4 August 1870 in his maternal grandfather's house in Portobello, Edinburgh, Scotland, the eldest of seven children.

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Harry Lauder claimed in his autobiography that his family were descendants of the feudal barons the Lauders of the Bass; and his mother, Isabella Urquhart MacLeod McLennan, was born in Arbroath to a family from the Black Isle.

Harry Lauder's father moved to Newbold, Derbyshire, in early 1882 to take up a job designing porcelain, but died on 20 April from pneumonia.

Harry Lauder made his first public appearance, singing, at a variety concert at Oddfellows' Hall in Arbroath when he was 13 years old, winning first prize for the night.

On 8 January 1910, the Glasgow Evening Times reported that Harry Lauder had told the New York World that, during his mining career:.

Harry Lauder often sang to the miners in Hamilton, who encouraged him to perform in local music halls.

Harry Lauder advised him to gain experience by touring music halls around the country with a concert party, which he did.

Harry Lauder concentrated his repertoire on comedic routines and songs of Scotland and Ireland.

Harry Lauder was an immediate success at the Charing Cross Music Hall and the London Pavilion, venues at which the theatrical paper The Era reported that he had generated "great furore" among his audiences with three of his self-composed songs.

Harry Lauder then made a switch from music hall to variety theatre and undertook a tour of America in 1907.

Harry Lauder was, at one time, the highest-paid performer in the world, making the equivalent of £12,700 a night plus expenses.

Harry Lauder was paid £1125 for an engagement at the Glasgow Pavilion Theatre in 1913 and was later considered by the press to earn one of the highest weekly salaries by a theatrical performer during the prewar period.

Harry Lauder travelled to Canada in 1917 on a fundraising exercise for the war, where, on 17 November he was guest-of-honour and speaker at the Rotary Club of Toronto Luncheon, when he raised nearly three-quarters of a million dollars worth of bonds for Canada's Victory Loan.

Harry Lauder made plans for a new house at Strathaven, to be built over the site and ruin of an old manor, called Lauder Ha'.

Harry Lauder was semi-retired in the mid-1930s, until his final retirement was announced in 1935.

Harry Lauder briefly emerged from retirement to entertain troops during the war and make wireless broadcasts with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.

Harry Lauder's next visit was in 1923 when his brother John was on hand in Sydney, with their nephew John, to welcome Lauder, his wife and her brother Tom Vallance, after a four-year absence from Australia.

Harry Lauder visited and stayed with his brother John in Newcastle on several occasions, two well-known visits being in 1925, when he gave several performances at Newcastle's Victoria Theatre for three weeks commencing on 8 August, and again in 1929 arriving in Newcastle for a brief visit on 25 July.

Harry Lauder departed Sydney for the USA on board the liner SS Ventura on Saturday 27 July 1929, a ship he was familiar with.

Harry Lauder played for two weeks at the Opera House to packed audiences every night, figures "which staggered the management".

Harry Lauder starred in three British films: Huntingtower, Auld Lang Syne and The End of the Road.

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Harry Lauder appeared in a test film for the Photokinema sound-on-disc process in 1921.

In 1914, Harry Lauder appeared in 14 Selig Polyscope experimental short sound films.

Harry Lauder continued to record for Gramophone until the middle of 1905, most recordings appearing on the Gramophone label, but others on Zonophone.

Harry Lauder then recorded fourteen selections for Pathe Records June 1906.

Harry Lauder continued to make some cylinders for Edison, but was primarily associated with His Master's Voice and Victor.

Harry Lauder is one of three artists shown on Victor's black, purple, blue and red Seal records.

Harry Lauder is credited with giving the then 21-year-old portrait artist Cowan Dobson his opening into society by commissioning him, in 1915, to paint his portrait.

On 19 June 1891 Harry Lauder married Ann, daughter of James Vallance, a colliery manager in Hamilton; their only son, Captain John Currie Harry Lauder, was educated at the City of London School followed by a degree from Jesus College, Cambridge University.

Harry Lauder wrote the song "The End of the Road" in the wake of John's death, and built a monument for him in the private Lauder cemetery in Glenbranter.

Harry Lauder was buried next to her son's memorial in the private Lauder cemetery on his 14,000 acre Glenbranter estate in Argyll, where her parents would later join her.

Harry Lauder was initiated a Freemason on 28 January 1897 in Lodge Dramatic, No 571, and remained an active Freemason for the rest of his life.

Harry Lauder leased the Glenbranter estate in Argyll to the Forestry Commission and spent his last years at Harry Lauder Ha, his Strathaven home, where he died on 26 February 1950, aged 79.

Harry Lauder was interred with his brother George and their mother in the family plot at Bent Cemetery in Hamilton.

Websites carry much of his material and the Harry Lauder Collection, amassed by entertainer Jimmy Logan, was bought for the nation and donated to the University of Glasgow.

Corkscrew hazel ornamental cultivar of common hazel is sometimes known as Harry Lauder's Walking Stick, in reference to the crooked walking stick Lauder often carried.