Ella Retford
32 records in the collection· mostly on Jumbo, Scala, Pathé
Ella Retford was an English music-hall singer, dancer and comedienne who became a familiar figure in variety and pantomime during the Edwardian era and the years before the First World War. She was particularly admired as a pantomime principal boy, while her many recordings preserve the sentimental, comic and character songs that formed the everyday repertoire of the British halls.
This introduction was written by AI from what is known of the artist. Ask us if you want to know more about a particular record.
Records by Ella Retford
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- A(+Osmond) I've Got Everything I Want but you
- B(Broughton/ Hale)Four Foot Ten Brigade
Ella Retford on Jumbo 1277 — 'I've Got Everything I Want but You' (with Osmond) and 'Four Foot Ten Brigade' (Broughton/Hale) — is a companion to other Retford Jumbo pressings in this collection. Jumbo is an uncommon British label; Retford is a minor but collected music-hall name.AI summary
Jumbo 1277 Music Hall
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- AAll the Boys in Khaki get the Nice Girls
- BGive my Love to Lancashire
Ella Retford on Columbia catalogue is897 — the 'is' prefix suggesting a specialist or international series — with 'All the Boys in Khaki Get the Nice Girls' and 'Give My Love to Lancashire'. The unusual series prefix warrants checking; wartime content adds historical interest.AI summary
Columbia is897 Music Hall
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- AHome of the Hun(+Osmond)
- B(Osmond)When the Clock strikes 13
Ella Retford on Scala 721 — 'Home of the Hun' (with Osmond) and 'When the Clock Strikes 13' — is a wartime topical coupling on Scala, a British label less common than the large majors. Retford is a minor but documented music-hall name, and the patriotic wartime title adds period interest.AI summary
Scala 721 Music Hall
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- AI can picture Polly hanging up the Holly
- BI want Mr Schneider
Ella Retford, the popular Edwardian music-hall performer, on Pathé catalogue 78498, with 'I Can Picture Polly Hanging Up the Holly' and 'I Want Mr. Schneider'. Pathé issued a wide range of British music-hall performers and pressings of this type are moderately common.AI summary
Pathé 78498 Music Hall
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- AI was a good little Girl
- BUnder the Honeymoon
Ella Retford was a popular Edwardian music-hall soubrette, known for cheerful character songs and a long variety career. The Jumbo label was a British budget imprint active in the early 1900s to mid-1910s, and the A-series catalogue number suggests an early pressing. Jumbo issues are less commonly found today than those on the major labels of the period.AI summary
Jumbo A511 Music Hall
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- AI was a good little Girl till I met you
- BWe're all North Country Lads and Lasses
Ella Retford, the popular Edwardian music-hall and revue performer, sings 'I Was a Good Little Girl Till I Met You' and 'We're All North Country Lads and Lasses' on the Scala label, catalogue 731. Scala was a small British label; Retford on Scala is a minor-label pressing of a recognised music-hall name.AI summary
Scala 731 Music Hall
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- AI wonder if you miss me sometimes
- B(Whelan)Moonlight Promenade
Ella Retford on Jumbo 565 — 'I Wonder if You Miss Me Sometimes' and 'Moonlight Promenade' (with Whelan). A companion to the other Retford Jumbo pressings in this collection; Jumbo is an uncommon British budget label and Retford is a minor but collected music-hall name.AI summary
Jumbo 565 Music Hall
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- AI'll let the World go by
- BShe's a Girl up North
Ella Retford, the popular Edwardian music-hall performer, on Pathé catalogue 78496, with 'I'll Let the World Go By' and 'She's a Girl Up North'. Pathé issued a wide range of British music-hall performers and pressings of this type are moderately common.AI summary
Pathé 78496 Music Hall
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- AI'm looking for someone to love me
- BMolly o' Morgan
Ella Retford, the popular Edwardian music-hall performer, on Pathé catalogue 78537, with 'I'm Looking for Someone to Love Me' and 'Molly O'Morgan'. Pathé issued a wide range of British music-hall performers and pressings of this type are moderately common.AI summary
Pathé 78537 Music Hall
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- AJust a little Rocking Chair & You
- BMoving Day
Ella Retford was a popular Edwardian music-hall performer known for her lively stage persona. This Odeon pressing, catalogue 44283, couples 'Just a little Rocking Chair and You' with 'Moving Day'. Odeon was a significant international label with a British market presence; Retford's recordings exist in moderate numbers.AI summary
Odeon 44283 Music Hall
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- ALet's all go into the Ballroom
- BI do like you Susie
Ella Retford, the music-hall singer, with 'Let's All Go Into the Ballroom' and 'I Do Like You, Susie' on Ariel.AI summary
Ariel 2055 Music Hall
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- AMolly O'Morgan
- BShip Ahoy!
Ella Retford performing on Jumbo, a small British label; these novelty or character songs from the 1920s–30s are typical of period music-hall and vaudeville material.AI summary
Jumbo A28096 Music Hall
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- AMr McKie
- BMary Ellen t'Isle of Man
Ella Retford, the popular Edwardian music-hall performer, on the Jumbo label, catalogue 492, with 'Mr. McKie' and 'Mary Ellen t'Isle of Man'. Jumbo was a cheap British budget marque; Retford sides on Jumbo are among the commoner of her label appearances.AI summary
Jumbo 492 Music Hall
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- ASailing down the Chesapeake Bay
- BThere's One in a Million like you
Ella Retford, the popular Edwardian music-hall performer, on the Jumbo label, catalogue 1109, with 'Sailing Down the Chesapeake Bay' and 'There's One in a Million Like You'. Jumbo was a cheap British budget marque; Retford sides on Jumbo are among the commoner of her label appearances.AI summary
Jumbo 1109 Music Hall
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- ASailing down the Chesapeake Bay
- BThere's one in a Million like you
Ella Retford, the popular Edwardian music-hall performer, on the Scala label, catalogue 503, with 'Sailing Down the Chesapeake Bay' and 'There's One in a Million Like You'. Scala is an obscure imprint; a Retford pressing on this label warrants investigation.AI summary
Scala 503 Music Hall
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- AShe's a Lassie from Lancashire
- BCarolina Brown of London Town
Ella Retford, the music-hall singer, with 'She's a Lassie from Lancashire' and 'Carolina Brown of London Town' on Ariel.AI summary
Ariel 1820 Music Hall
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- AThere's a Girl in Havana
- BI'm going back to Dixie
Ella Retford, the popular Edwardian music-hall and revue performer, sings 'There's a Girl in Havana' and 'I'm Going Back to Dixie' on the Jumbo label, catalogue 942. Jumbo was a small early British label; this is a companion disc to the other Jumbo Retford in this collection, and such minor-label pressings of recognised music-hall names are uncommon.AI summary
Jumbo 942 Music Hall
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- AThey all look alike in Khaki
- B(Anon)Van Dam Family
Ella Retford was a music hall performer of the early twentieth century; here she sings They All Look Alike in Khaki on the Popular label, no. 875.AI summary
Popular 875 Music Hall
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- AThey all Look alike in Khaki
- B(Carr) The Old Contemptibles
Ella Retford, the music-hall singer, with the First World War song 'They All Look Alike in Khaki', and 'The Old Contemptibles' by Carr on the reverse, on Ariel.AI summary
Ariel 4600 Music Hall
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- AWatching the Boat coming in
- B(+Williams) Get out and Get Under
Ella Retford on the Jumbo label, catalogue 1204, with 'Watching the Boat Coming In' and 'Get Out and Get Under' (with Williams). Jumbo was a cheap British budget marque; Retford sides on Jumbo are among the commoner of her label appearances.AI summary
Jumbo 1204 Music Hall
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- AWe're all North Country lads and Lasses
- BI Was a good Little Girl
Ella Retford on Columbia catalogue is788 — the 'is' prefix suggesting a specialist or international series — with 'We're All North Country Lads and Lasses' and 'I Was a Good Little Girl'. The unusual series prefix warrants checking, as with other 'is' Columbia discs in this collection.AI summary
Columbia is788 Music Hall
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- AYorkshire
- BLouisiana Lou
Ella Retford, the music-hall singer, with 'Yorkshire' and 'Louisiana Lou' on Albion.AI summary
Albion 1417 Music Hall
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- AYou made me Love you
- BYou wouldn't know the old place now
Ella Retford on Jumbo 1094 — 'You Made Me Love You' and 'You Wouldn't Know the Old Place Now' — carries the same titles as Columbia is493 elsewhere in this collection. Two pressings of identical titles on different labels in the same collection is notable; the Jumbo pressing is the less common issue. Jumbo is an uncommon British budget label.AI summary
Jumbo 1094 Music Hall
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- AYou made me love you
- BYou would not know the old Place now
Ella Retford on Columbia is493 — 'You Made Me Love You' and 'You Wouldn't Know the Old Place Now' — is from the Columbia is sub-series, a slightly less common early variant. A companion coupling to Jumbo 1094 in this collection with the same titles; the is-series pressing is the more likely to be an earlier issue.AI summary
Columbia is493 Music Hall
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- AYou made me Love you
- BHold your Hand out Naughty Boy
Ella Retford on Scala 446 — 'You Made Me Love You' and 'Hold Your Hand Out Naughty Boy.' A further Retford coupling of 'You Made Me Love You,' which also appears on Jumbo 1094 and Columbia is493 in this collection. Scala is a minor British label; having the same title on three different labels in one collection illustrates how widely Retford's repertoire was recorded.AI summary
Scala 446 Music Hall
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- AYou made me love you
- BYou wouldn't know the old Place now
Ella Retford, the music-hall singer, with the 1913 hit 'You Made Me Love You' and 'You Wouldn't Know the Old Place Now' on Valkyrie.AI summary
Valkyrie 503 Music Hall
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- AYou Must Come round on Saturday
- BSee what Percy's Picked up in the Park
Ella Retford, the popular Edwardian music-hall and revue performer, sings 'You Must Come Round on Saturday' and 'See What Percy's Picked Up in the Park' on the Jumbo label, catalogue 811. Jumbo was a small early British label; this is another Retford minor-label pressing consistent with others in this collection.AI summary
Jumbo 811 Music Hall
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- AYou shall have a lovely Home Johannah
- BMoving Day
Ella Retford, the popular Edwardian music-hall performer, on Pathé catalogue 77748, with 'You Shall Have a Lovely Home, Johannah' and 'Moving Day'. Pathé issued a wide range of British music-hall performers and pressings of this type are moderately common.AI summary
Pathé 77748 Music Hall
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- AYou were the first one to teach me to Love
- B(Kirkby) There's a Light that's burning in the window
Ella Retford on the Scala label, a minor British pressing house of the 1920s and 1930s, singing popular ballads of the period.AI summary
Scala 815 Voice
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- AYou're Here and I'm Here
- BWho Paid the Rent for Mrs.Rip van Winkle
Ella Retford, the popular Edwardian music-hall performer, on Columbia catalogue is305 — the 'is' prefix suggesting an international or specialist series — with 'You're Here and I'm Here' and 'Who Paid the Rent for Mrs. Rip Van Winkle?'. The unusual series prefix warrants checking.AI summary
Columbia is305 Music Hall
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- AYou're Here and I'm Here
- BBe sure He's Irish
Ella Retford, the popular Edwardian music-hall performer, on the Scala label, catalogue 652, with 'You're Here and I'm Here' and 'Be Sure He's Irish'. The Scala label is a small and obscure imprint not readily identified in standard references; Retford is a documented artist and a Scala pressing of her material may be genuinely uncommon.AI summary
Scala 652 Music Hall
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- AYou're here and I'm here
- B(Johnson)When I get you alone tonight
Ella Retford, the music-hall singer, with 'You're Here and I'm Here', backed by 'When I Get You Alone Tonight' by Johnson, on Silvertone.AI summary
Silvertone 335 Music Hall