Henry E. Pether

Henry Edmond Pether (13 November 1867 – 7 February 1932) was an English songwriter and arranger.

He was born in Tottenham, London, and worked for many years as an employee of the music publishers, Francis, Day & Hunter, primarily as an arranger of songs, including traditional folk songs and shanties, for publication as sheet music.[1][2] As a writer, his most successful songs included "Waiting at the Church" and "Poor John" (both with lyrics by Fred W. Leigh, sung by Vesta Victoria, 1906); and "The Seaside Posters Round the Home" (lyrics by Edgar Bateman, performed by Ernest Hastings, 1919).[1][3] He also produced orchestral arrangements for revues, including The Ragtime Revue (1912), and The Co-Optimists (1921).[2] Together with Bennett Scott, Worton David and others, Pether was one of the founders of the Performing Right Society, to ensure the fair distribution of copyright payments to songwriters.[3]

He died in Palmers Green, London in 1932, aged 64.[1]

  1. ^ a b c Peter Gammond, The Oxford Companion to Popular Music, Oxford University Press, 1991, p.450
  2. ^ a b Philip L. Scowcroft, "A 120th Garland of British Light Music Composers", Classical Music Web. Retrieved 22 January 2021
  3. ^ a b Richard Anthony Baker, British Music Hall: an illustrated history, Pen & Sword, 2014, ISBN 978-1-78383-118-0, pp.139, 156