Christmas Past

A gramophone record from 100 years ago and stereographs (stereoscopic views) from 1890 onwards combine to give an idea of what once passed for home entertainment.

Record is british, images american.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• 'Peter
• Dawson'
• 'Ernest
• Pike'
• 'Harold
• Wilde'
• 'Eleanor
• Jones-Hudson'
• christmas
• xmas
• vintage
• 78rpm
• Zonophone
• stereograph
• stereoscopic
• santa
• toys
• photograph

[jassnaround]

I like this song but cant really tell what is being said. Does anyone know the lyrics or even what the main jist is?

[deepinthewoods]

The record is about 100 years old, and a bit scratchy in places. 'Little Empty Stockings' is a sad song about Christmas Stockings left on the mantelpiece (a shelf above the fire) that Santa forgets to fill with presents . In the morning light they are still empty and the children are not happy. Thats about it really. It may be that the parents are too poor, but its not spelled out. It comes from my 78rpm record collection and as far as I know this song is never heard now days - apart from here!

[BeatlesVideoArchive]

Whats this song called and hows the singer?

[deepinthewoods]

Its called 'Little Empty Stockings', sung by 'the Special Zonophone Quintette of mixed voices'. I don't know who any of them were. Recorded around 1908 in England. Its on a single sided shellac Zonophone record. Googling, it appears to be written by Harry Kennedy, a ventriloquist and songwriter, who died in 1894.

[chrisz78]

The quintette consists of Eleanor Jones-Hudson (soprano), Ernest Pike and Harold Wilde (tenors), Stewart Gardner (Baritone), and Peter Dawson (Basso). Gardner sings solo in the first verse, Pike in the second (with some interjections by Mme. Jones-Hudson). Recorded in London, June 7th, 1909 and first issued in December of that year.

[deepinthewoods]

@chrisz78 Excellent! Thanks for that - so some very well known voices of the time

[jassnaround]

That's about all I got from the lyrics that I could decipher. But on the last 2 or 3 lines, there is something about "fill the empty stockings by the fire" so I am wondering if someone comes to fill the stockings or if it is saying something else. Oh well, we may never know since the recording is so old. Thanks for your input.

[deepinthewoods]

Yes, they're worth a spin!

[CoZzMiX]

How time passes!

You may have inspired me to get my old 78's out... :)

[sprichbeeke]

Thanks for this wonderful historical view of Christmas...ans for your subscription.

Merry Christmas!