“SONG THAT WON THE WAR”

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 30 September 1933, Page 14

“SONG THAT WON THE WAR”

'J'HE woman who bought the first copy ■of “It's a Long Way to Tipperary,” and was the first woman artist to sing it 21 years ago 1 , has been; revealed by a reader’s 1 letter to aro English newspaper. She i.s Miss Winifred Ray, olf Birmingham. “I thought you would like to sloe the first copy of the song ever sold,” Miss Rav writes. “I was interested in an article in the ‘Sunday Chronicle’ on the men who wrote the war songs.”

Miss Ray, a well-known l music hall artist, bought the part righto of the “soing that won the war” from its author, Jack Judge, for 11s fid. This was in February, 1912, a few weeks after the song had been written. “I produced the song first ait the

Girl Who Started “Tipperary” Rage

Grand Theatre, Gravesend, on March 12, 3912,” says Miss Ray, “and: sang it with great success both in: London and the province®. It more than: trebled my salary and filled my date book.

“By the end of 1912 the song was being sung all over the country, and at Ohristm'as I sang it at the Manchester pantomime.” “Tipperary’s” world fame cams through a stroke of chance. When the Lancashire troops landed at Boulogne, in France, in rbe eairiy d&yts of that war in 1914, they marched to camp singing the Song, because ait Blackpool 1 and the Isle of Man that holiday season “Tipperary” was (the song hit of the moment.