1914 August to December

On 4th August 1914, a month after the previous concert, Britain entered the Great War, and because South Africa was a dominion of the British Empire it was also automatically at war.  While monarchists like Gwen, keen on maintaining the supremacy of the British Empire, would have had no problems with this, there were plenty for whom the recent humiliation at the hands of the British in the Boer War was still a festering wound.  And given that South Africa shared a border with German South West Africa, there was a strong feeling in Afrikaner quarters that South Africa should be siding with the Germans.  On the other hand Britain required that German South West Africa should be occupied by South African forces so that the territory would be at Britain's disposal in any post-war settlement with Germany.  South Africa agreed to occupy German South West Africa and this decision sparked the Afrikaner Rebellion of 1914 involving military and civic leaders from the former Afrikaner Republics of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State.  It is a sorry chapter in South Africa's history which finally came to an end on 24th January 1915.  In excess of 11 400 men rebelled, while around 32 000 government troops were used to suppress the rebellion; 190 rebels and 132 government supporters were killed in the conflict.  The euphoric cutting Gwen preserved relates to the capture of General C.R. de Wet near Vryburg on 1st December 1914.  In a special court set up to try the rebels de Wet was sentenced to six years in prison and a fine of £2 000.  The fine was paid almost immediately from voluntary contributions, and de Wet was released from prison after only six months as a result of demonstrations by sympathisers and also pressure brought to bear on the government by influential people.  He is seen in prison with other rebels in the two photographs below, on the right in the first photograph, and second from the left in the second photograph. 

On Wednesday, 16th September 1914, there was a religious concert in St Saviour's Church in East London and the war had clearly already made its mark, with the first hymn, a plea for peace, being followed by Intercessions for War.  Gwen performed one item, Abide with Me, and it is not clear from the programme who later performed The Rosary, but it was probably also Gwen.

Ten days later, on Saturday, 26th September 1914, there was a Grand Patriotic Concert in City Hall, East London, where we find the War Distress Fund Orchestra performing.  Unfortunately in both the first announcement below and the programme cover itself we have "The Davis's" performing, clearly referring to what the second notice below calls "the clever Davis family".  Another mistake in the announcement concerns the title of Gwen's "new patriotic song which will undoubtedly rouse the enthusiasm of the audience."  Gwen has corrected the mistake by hand.   In the event, her number went very well, although there was some reservation on the part of the reviewer as to the quality of her voice: "Miss Gwen Watson has a brilliant if slightly metallic voice of much flexibility and power.  The applause accorded her was overwhelming and Miss Watson had to accord another song in which she was equally successful."  At the end of the same review we read that this was already the second such patriotic concert to be given in East London, showing they were clearly behind the war effort.

I'm not sure who was responsible for deciding on the names given to concerts, but the next one is called a Cafe Chantant, very classy!  This one took place on Saturday, 10th October 1914, and was in aid of the East London War Distress Funds.  Gwen is down to perform in only one item, a "Song & Tableau", Hearts of Oak, but when we read the reviews below we find that she augmented this with what was to become something of a calling card for her, It's a Long, Long Way to Tipperary.  The reviewer remarked, "Miss Gwen Watson scored a success in "Hearts of Oak" which she improved upon in "It's a long, long way to Tipperary," where the audience joined lustily in the chorus."  In her Common-Place Book Gwen has added a copy of the words which must have been handed out to the audience, and on a page nearby is a delightful note from Mrs C. K. Niven, on her printed card, "Your Tipperary was lovely."

Hard on the heels of the Cafe Chantant, one week later on Saturday, 17th October 1914, we have A Programme of Concert under the auspices of the East London Choral Society which had 170 members, amongst whom we find Mrs Watson again (under the "Contraltors").  Gwen sang what was heralded as "A New Song", Boys of [the] Ocean Blue, the words of which were printed in the programme.  The reviewer noted enthusiastically, "It is unnecessary to praise Miss Gwen Watson's singing, which is so well known and appreciated," and she gave Tipperary as an encore.

The very next day a letter was written to Gwen by W. I. Chapman who was the conductor at the events listed above and below, both called A Programme of Concert.  The letter reads: "I understand you have kindly promised to sing Wednesday.  Can you let Mr Lones know the name of your solo - he wants to get programmes on hand at once.  Please accept my heartiest thanks for all your splendid help at our concert."  This particular concert was "In Honour of Trafalgar Day ... by request of the Sons of England Patriotic and Benevolent Society."   In the event Gwen was billed as appearing "by special request" and she contributed only one song which was clearly becoming a firm favourite, Tipperary.  She was, no doubt, watched with pride by Mrs Watson in the contraltos of the choir.

Eight days later on Thursday, 29th October 1914, Frere Hospital, East London, put on a Concert in Aid of the War Distress Fund, and there were several songs by the nurses themselves.  Gwen contributed two items, A City Flower Girl's Song and Somewhere a Voice Is Calling. In the review we find that "Miss Gwen Watson proved a prime favourite and established her position with the "new National Anthem:" It's a Long Way to Tipperary yet again!

With Tipperary now such a firm favourite, it was understandable that Gwen's eye would be caught by an amusing report at the expense of some visiting Rhodesians who had clearly been backing the wrong horses at a "military gymkana".  And, of course, we need not read any modern meaning into the last line, "And my head's quite queer"!

On Saturday, 14th November 1914, a concert was held by Quigney Public School, East London, to help with the Christmas Cheer Fund for the Kaffrarian Rifles, but Gwen did not add the programme to her Common-Place Book.  The venue was Victoria Hall, which must be the same hall as used by the Victoria Wesleyan Church in their concert earlier in the year in June.  The review of the concert appeared in the Daily Dispatch on Monday, 16th November 1914, and we find that Gwen was "a favourite vocalist" with her "clear, full-toned voice" hitting "the high notes with particular fidelity of pitch and sweetness of tone."  She sang the Women's Recruiting Song, Your King and Country Want You.  One of the pupils, Ella Munro, who was not "much over 9 years of age", stole a march on Gwen by singing Tipperary, and when called for an encore gave it with new words appropriate to the occasion, "It's a long way to the K.R.'s, Good-bye Vaudette, farewell Market Square."  (The Vaudette, you may remember from an earlier concert, is an East London theatre.)

Coincidentally, on the same day that General C.R. de Wet was captured, Tuesday, 1st December 1914, Mr and Mrs Sowarsby of Harbour Reserve hosted over one hundred guests at their home to raise funds for the war effort of the Ladies' Work Circle, Eastern Division, Railways and Harbours.  The proceeds were over £12 and Gwen contributed two items to the musical part of the evening: Your King and Country Want You and Boys of the King.

On Saturday, 12th December 1914, in the City Quadrangle, East London, there was yet another concert in which Gwen performed, this time only one item, Until.

Although both the programme and the review of the next concert, Fete de Nuit, do not give its exact date, we can place it securely on Saturday, 19th December 1914.  Firstly, 19th December was a Saturday in 1914 (the programme only says "SATURDAY, 19th , INST."; secondly, the programme included Christmas Revels, and so it was a seasonal entertainment; and thirdly, Miss E Munro appears singing Tipperary, which would have followed on from her success singing this song a month earlier in the Quigney Public School concert.  Gwen's two items, My Violet and Until clearly went down well, as the reviewer notes she was "as usual recalled."  In fact, so enthusiastic was the reviewer that they called for a repeat of the programme, but it's not clear whether that ever happened.

Finally, probably in December 1914, came the Christmas card below.  It appears on the same page as the Stratford-Upon-Avon Players, and so could possibly be from one of them.  Sadly, the portrait on the card has faded so badly that we can no longer see who it was; but it must have been one of Gwen's acquaintance, musical or Shakespearean.

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