Echoes of Percy French.
As the famous saying goes, "If it isn‘t written down, it never happened"! In 1920 Charles Seignobos put it another way. In his "Histoire de la Civilisation Contemporaine" he said "History is made with documents. Documents are the imprints left of the thoughts and the deeds of the men of former times. For nothing can take the place of documents. No documents, No history."
What is so interesting about Percy French is the extraordinary amount of publications, documents and ephemera that have been produced about him, not just during his lifetime but long afterwards – echoes of the life of a great Irishman - a great Roscommon man!
William Percy French was born on 1st May 1854 at Cloonyquinn, Co. Roscommon, one of nine children, the second son of Christopher French LD JP, a landowner and his wife Susan Emma (nee Percy). In later life he described his arrival into the world with typical humour;
"No cables buzzed the news to the ends of the earth.
No telephone rang – there were none to ring.
Cabinets were not hastily summoned, nor consuls recalled.
But Larry McCullagh lepped on the chestnut mare,
And galloped as fast as he could 'shplit' for Dr. Peyton.
By the time the doctor arrived, I was an accomplished fact".
Even as a child William was active in journalism, producing "The Tulsk Morning Howl" & "The Trombone of Truth" with him acting as editor and his sisters and cousins as contributors.
After an early education from a family tutor in Cloonyquinn the family moved to Derby, in England. William attended Kirk Langley School and later Windermere College and in 1870 he went to Foyle College in Derry for a final grinding for his Trinity entrance exams.
William Percy French studied civil engineering at Trinity College, but he tended to devote more of his time to song-writing, playing the banjo and watercolour painting. He remarked "I think taking up the banjo, lawn tennis and water-colour painting, instead of Chemistry, Geology and the theory of strains, must have retarded my progress a great deal". He EVENTUALLY gained his Engineering Qualification and after some temporary positions, was posted on a Government Scheme in Co. Cavan.
"Tis an onerous post – but the writer refrains
from dwelling at length on it‘s pleasures and pains.
It may not last long, but as yet he remains,
Yours Faithfully,
William,
Inspector of Drains"
He remained in Cavan for five years, which he later described as the "happiest" years - painting and writing songs. After a number of years the work ended and he returned to Dublin to edit a comic magazine called "The Jarvey". He continued to compose music and poetry, to sing and to paint. He met Dr. Houston Collisson with whom he formed a partnership which lasted for many years.
A letter from W. Percy French to Mr. Gill explaining the circumstances of his loss of copyright to Abdullah Bulbul Ameer. No date. The song was written in 1877.
"The Jarvey" was a publication grandiosely advertised as "The Irish Punch". It was a comic paper produced by Macready & Kyle of Middle Abbey Street. Contributors were paid out of the profits, but after the first month there were no profits and very few contributors. French stuck to the task for two years and in between, he married Ettie – his Little Ray of Sunshine, who contributed drawings to the publication. After only a year and a half however Ettie died.
Dublin Up to Date programme for a Dublin Castle performance on 23 February 1892. Percy French entertained his guests to humour, new songs and pantomime. During the interval Mr. R. C. Orpen made instant sketches of the audience and a five minute watercolour.
Society Search Lights programme for Antient Concert Rooms, Dublin on 23 - 26 May 1894.
A copy of The Rush Light Series No. 1 of 1890 written by W. P. French, with illustrations by R. C. Orpen and advertising The Jarvey on the back cover.
In 1894 he married Helen Sheldon, and during their happy life together they had three daughters. During this period in Dublin he was still writing music and acting, advertising himself as "The Jarvey Concert Company".
A letter from Ettie French to Mrs. Smyth in July 1961. She died in 1993.
A memorial service for Ettie French was held in St. Coman‘s Church, Roscommon on 27th November 1993.
Around the turn of the 20th Century he left Ireland for London. Here, his career as an entertainer developed and flourished. He continued to give concerts in Ireland and visited many of the larger houses to entertain the inhabitants.
In 1910 he travelled to the USA, Canada and the West Indies, in the company of his friend and musical collaborator, Dr. Houston Collisson. In 1913 he accepted some engagements in Switzerland and spent the time there entertaining and painting the local scenes. While performing in Glasgow in 1920 Percy French became ill. He died a few days later at the home of his cousin in Formby, Lancashire, where he is buried beside St. Luke‘s Church. He was 65.
Thus ended the life of a man whose every moment of fame had been documented and recorded and which, with his death, we might think had come to an end? But this was not the case. As with all great men, their fame finds an echo down through the pages of history and so it was with Percy French.