A Light For Future Generations "Go on in a way that you are going. Leave your lights burning behind you, so that others coming after you may benefit thereby. Perchance, your boy or girl passing that way someday, may point to a lamp you left and say.. gratefully and with pride.. "My Dad left that light burning"
Sir Harry Lauder Rotary Club of Harrisburg, Pa. 1916
A Treasured message from Betty Lauder Hamilton
I was truly moved by the interest your website has engendered in the remarkable talent and life of my grand-uncle, Sir Harry Lauder. He died in 1950 aged 80 years. I was then twenty-three and had spent most of my youth beside him. He was the Patriarch of our close family circle of which, now sadly, I am the only survivor. Such happy years particularly during WWII, when he entertained large troup concerts and turned his home, "Lauder Ha' " into open house to U.S. GI's, as well as our own Common-Wealth boys. God, bless him for all his talent and above all, his goodness to others. B.L.H.
NOTE: be sure to read interview with Mrs. Hamilton, in "Memories" titled "Living With Lauder" by Gordon Irving
Sir Harry Lauder Discography by Darrell D. Baker & Larry F. Kiner Update available go here
Excerpts from Interview from New York Herald Tribune mentioning Major Harry Herman Williams, a friend of Sir Harry Lauder and his family. Major Williams being a member of the Argyle Highlanders frighting in France.
"Major Williams met his death in the first battle of Somme in 1916 under dramatic circumstances. He saw Harry Lauder's son pinned to the barbed-wire entanglements after being struck by machine-gun bullets. He went to the rescue of the famous Scottish comedian's boy and carried him to the dressing station. Hastening back to the front lines, he was blown to atoms by a shell."
courtesy of Vickie Williams, grand daughter-in-law of Major Harry Herman Williams
Two World famous friends share a private moment, what more can be said?
courtesy of Uncle Bernie, aka "anonymous"
Sir Harry was described by Sir Winston Churchill as "Scotland's greatest-ever ambassador" contributed by Gregory Lauder Frost ** At a meeting in Edinburgh, Sir Winston Churchill, called Sir Harry "your grand old Scottish minstrel"
Chaliapin, the great Russian singer, said, "When I want to listen to a perfect voice, I put on a record of Harry Lauder"
One evening, when Harry Lauder was appearing in an early engagement in the Alhambra, he was asked if he would see a song writer called Will Fyffe. He graciously acceded and young Mr Fyffe was ush-ered into his dressing room. The nervous young man explained that he and his wife were doing a comedy duo act and that he had written a song which he felt sure was just made for Sir Harry Lauder. And he handed over a manuscript which contained the words and music of a song entitled 'I Belong to Glasgow'. Sir Harry read and reread the manuscript. Then he shook his head and said, ‘No, it's all right in its way but it's no' for me. I never sing songs in praise of drink.' This took Will Fyffe aback. 'But Sir Harry',' he said, 'what about your song "A Wee Deoch an' Doris". Isn't that praising drink?' 'Not the way I sing it,' said Lauder. 'Listen,' And he sang the first two lines of the song – 'Just a wee deoch an' doris, just a wee yin, that's aw. Just a wee deoch an' doris, before ye gang awa.
Will Fyffe looked slightly baffled, and Lauder said, 'You see, I put all the stress on the word "wee" so, instead of being a song that's praising drink, it's really warning people against taking too much.'
********
"Harry Lauder's Walking Stick" tree A Real conversation piece
Corylus contorta... fantastically twisted corkscrew like branches named for the famed Scottish Comedian's walking cane. Slow growing and easily cared for, it's very hardy and does well in sun or shade zone 4-9. Note: different Nurseries list different heights, width and zones. Often used in flower arrangements.
Available in most nursery catalogs
I want to express my gratitude to Glasgow University Library - special collections for permitting me to use the McSwankey graphic as a logo for "The Top 100 Scottish-Irish Celtic Websites"
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