Record

Performance TitleFirst Daily Mirror Gugnunc Sing-Song Party
Performance Date18 June 1927
Performance DaySaturday
Performance Time15:00
Main PerformersIda,
Fred Griffiths and ''Pogo'' - performers,
Robert Radford - vocal,
R Arnold Greir,
J W Lamb - organ
Secondary PerformersHerbert Dawson - piano
Orchestra or BandDebroy Somers' Band (Savoy Orpheans)
ConductorsDebroy Somers
Set List'Fantasia on British Sea Songs' (Debroy Somers Band),
'Minuet' (1600) (Ida),
'Modern' (1927) (Ida),
'Drake's Drum', Stanford (Robert Radford),
'Four Jolly Sailormen', Edward German (Robert Radford),
'Gugnunc Song', Rupert and Douglas Graham,
'Pack up your Troubles',
'When the Red, Red Robin Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along',
'Onward Christian Soldiers',
'The Golden Vanity', arr. Lucy Broadwood (Robert Radford),
'Widdicombe Fair' (Robert Radford),
'Rule Britannia',
'Way Down Upon de Swanee Ribber',
'Land of Hope and Glory', Elgar,
'God Save the King' (The National Anthem)
Performance NotesThe strange name of this event comes from the Daily Mirror's 'Pip, Squeak and Wilfred' newspaper cartoon which ran from 1919-1956 drawn by Bertram Lamb and Austin Bowen Payne. The cartoon also featured in the Sunday Pictorial in the early years. It concerned the adventures of an orphaned family of animals. Pip, who assumed the "father" role, was a dog, while the "mother", Squeak, was a penguin. Wilfred was the "young son" and was a rabbit with very long ears.

In 1927, the Pip, Squeak and Wilfred club began and was named the Wilfredian League of Gugnuncs (WLOG). The club organised many competitions and events for thousands of members, especially at the British South Coast Seaside resorts. "Gugnuncs" is a combination of two baby-talk words used by Wilfred, who as a toddler-aged child cannot speak yet. Nunc being his version of Uncle. There was a WLOG member's badge in blue enamelled metal, featuring the long ears of Wilfred. Among the WLOG rules was one to never eat rabbit.

The Gugnunc parties were held between 1927-1929 at the Royal Albert Hall raising funds for children’s hospitals and charities.

The Handley Page H.P.39 biplane (1929) was nicknamed the Gugnunc.
Related Archival MaterialProgramme (RAHE/1/1927/54)
Catalogue
Reference NumberTitleDate
RAHE/1/1927/54Daily Mirror - Gugnunc Sing-Song18 June 1927
Work
Ref NoTitleNo of Performances
EbomievoofipiorFirst Daily Mirror Gugnunc Sing-Song Party1
Performers
CodeName of Performer(s)
DS/UK/1119Daily Mirror; 1903-; British tabloid newspaper
DS/UK/1121Daily Mirror; Gugnuncs; 1919-1956; British newspaper cartoon strip
DS/UK/214Radford; Robert (1874-1933); British bass opera singer
DS/UK/1586Greir; Robert Arnold (fl 1914-1967); English organist
DS/UK/3409Savoy Orpheans; 1920s; British dance band
DS/UK/2287Somers; W Debroy (1890-1951); British conductor, bandleader
DS/UK/3662Lamb; J. W. (fl 1927); English organist
DS/UK/3663Griffiths; Fred (fl 1927); British variety performer
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