Record

Performance TitleBritish Legion - Festival of Empire and Remembrance 1929
Performance Date11 November 1929
Performance DayMonday
Main PerformersHRH The Prince of Wales - speaker

Carrie Tubb,
Margaret Balfour,
Topliss Green - vocals
Secondary PerformersFred W Holloway - organ,
Herbert Dawson - piano
Orchestra or BandHM Brigade of Guards Bands,
Drummers of HM 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards,
Trumpeters of HM Life Guards
ChoirsThe Welsh Singers
ConductorsMuriel Jones,
Captain Andrew Harris,
Captain R G Evans,
Lieutenant J L Hurd,
Lieutenant-Colonel Mackenzie-Rogan
Set ListGrand March: 'Imperial', Sullivan,
English Airs: 'The Rose', Myddleton,
Three Dances: 'Nell Gwyn', German,
'God Save The King' (The National Anthem), arr. Mackenzie-Rogan (Carrie Tubb, Margaret Balfour),
March: 'Punjab' (Massed Bands),
March and Chorus: 'The Boys of The Old Brigade' (Massed Bands),
Song: 'Pals of Yesterday', A C Mackenzie (Topliss Green),
March of Women's War Units: 'The Great Little Army' (Massed Bands),
March of The Nursing Services: 'The Great Little Army' (Massed Bands),

Entry of Divisional Signs:
'Tipperary' (Massed Bands),
Marchs: 'Soldiers of The King',
'A Life On The Ocean Waves',
'Hearts of Oak',
March and Chorus: 'Pack Up Your Troubles' (Massed Bands),
March: 'Boys-Be Prepared' (Organ),
Grand Patriotic Fantasia: 'There's A Land Where Summer Skies', J Mackenzie-Rogan (Massed Bands, Organ),
'Kayah Than' (Massed Bands, Organ),
'Annie Laurie' (Massed Bands, Organ),
'Reel' (Massed Bands, Organ),
'Autiko mai na' (Massed Bands, Organ),
'God Defend New Zealand' (Massed Bands, Organ),
'Land of My Fathers' (Massed Bands, Organ),
'Kalinka',(Massed Bands, Organ),
'La Belle Canadienne' (Massed Bands, Organ),
'O Canada' (Massed Bands, Organ),
'Let Erin Remember' (Massed Bands, Organ),
'The Cruiskeen Lawn' (Massed Bands, Organ),
'Killarney' (Massed Bands, Organ),
'Moolee Wha' (Massed Bands, Organ),
'Hornpipe' (Massed Bands, Organ),
'Land of Hope And Glory', (Massed Bands, Organ),
'Rule Britannia', (Massed Bands, Organ),
'God Bless The Prince of Wales' (Muriel Jones, The Welsh Singers),
Song: 'Agnus Dei', Bizet (Margaret Balfour),
'The Long, Long Trail',
'Ship A-Hoy',
'Keep The Home Fires Burning',
'There Is A Tavern In The Town',
'Take Me Back To Dear Old Blighty',
'Loch Lomond',
'We've Wound Up The Watch On The Rhine',
'Good-Bye-Ee',
Song: 'There's A Land', Frances Allitsen (Carrie Tubb),
'Song of The Nightingale', (Welsh Singers),
'March of The Men Of Harlech' (Welsh Singers),
Song: 'Friend O'Mine', Wilfrid Sanderson (Topliss Green),
Overture: 'In Memoriam', Arthur Sullivan (Massed Bands, Organ),

Service:
Ode: 'How Sleep The Brave', Samuel Liddle, (Carrie Tubb),
'Last Post' (3rd Batt.Coldstream Guards Drummers),
'Reveille' (Trumpeters, HM Life Guards),
Hymn: 'Now Thank We All Our God' (Massed Bands, Organ),
'God Save the King' (The National Anthem) (Massed Bands, Organ)
Royal PresenceHM King George V,
HRH Queen Mary,
HRH The Prince of Wales
Performance NotesTickets were free via ballot with priority given to those who had undertaken military service during the First World War.

This was the first ever time that poppy petals were dropped from the auditorium ceiling at the end of the Festival. Precisely 1,069,825 petals, or one for each member of the Imperial Forces who fell in the war were dropped.

The event was divided into two sections, the first devoted to the British Empire, and the second to Remembrance. During the first half representatives in uniform of all the units of the Empire who served in the war passed before the audience to allotted places on the stage. They were led by the chelsea Pensioners, and replicas of the Divisional signs used in the war were carried by men of the Divisions.

The Prince of Wales gave a speech as Patron of the British Legion.

During the interval an ex-soldier in the gallery played a mouth-organ throughout.

There was little decoration except for a Royal purple draped in front of the organ and the rostrum.

(The Daily Telegraph, 26 October 1929 and 12 November 1929)
Related Archival MaterialProgramme (RAHE/1/1929/68)
URLhttps://thirdlight.royalalberthall.com/pf.tlx/dmxdOwFdDYLAk
Catalogue
Reference NumberTitleDate
RAHE/1/1929/68British Legion - Festival of Empire and Remembrance11 November 1929
Work
Ref NoTitleNo of Performances
OzahiroixipyxBritish Legion - Festival of Empire and Remembrance 19291
Performers
CodeName of Performer(s)
DS/UK/189Tubb; Carrie (17 May 1876-20 September 1976); English soprano singer
DS/UK/1106Balfour; Margaret (1892-1961); English classical contralto
DS/UK/202Topliss; Green (fl 1915-1931); English bass-baritone singer
DS/UK/1885British Army; HM Band of the Life Guards; 1795-; British Army Band
DS/UK/1559British Armed Forces; Brigade of Guards; 17th Century-; British historical military unit
DS/UK/2429British Army; The Band of the Coldstream Guards; 1785-; British army band
DS/UK/4074Jones; Muriel (1887-1975); British founder, conductor of the Royal Welsh Ladies Choir
DS/UK/371Royal British Legion (RBL); 1921-; British ex-service welfare charity
DS/UK/5236Massed Bands of HM Brigade of Guards (fl 1900s-)
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