Frederick Weatherly

Frederick Edward Weatherly (1848-1929) was an English lawyer, author, songwriter and radio entertainer. He wrote the lyrics of the well-known ballad "Danny Boy" which is set to the tune "A Londonderry Air". Weatherly wrote over 3,000 popular songs, including "Roses of Picardy" in 1916 and the hymn "The Holy City" in 1892.

Frederick Weatherly (usually known as Fred) was born in Somerset and after schooling at Hereford Cathedral School graduated from Oxford University with a degree in Classics 1871. Weatherly studied at Brasenose College. He is reported to have helped out members of the Brasenose IV, who had practised for the Henley Regatta without a cox. When they were told they had to have one, Weatherly volunteered to start the race with them and immediately jump out of the boat. He did so and the team won - although they were later disqualified.

After Oxford, Weatherly practised law and achieved the distinction of being appointed a King's Counsel. Multi-talented, he also wrote adult sci-fi and fantasy novels and more than fifty children's books plus thousands of songs. Beatrix Potter's first signed illustrations were published in "A Happy Pair", a book of verse written by Weatherly.

Weatherly wrote the song "Danny Boy" in 1910, but it did not meet with much success. In 1912 his sister-in-law in America sent him an old Irish tune called the "Londonderry Air", which he had never heard before. The tune matched his lyrics almost perfectly. He published the now-famous song in 1913. Elsie Griffin was one of the singers who popularised Weatherly's songs.

Weatherly also wrote lyrics for the operetta "Mirette".

External links

* [http://pages.britishlibrary.net/londonderryair/ The "Londonderry Air": facts and fiction.] URL accessed on 11 September 2005.
* [http://www.theoriginofdannyboy.com/index.asp The Origin of "Danny Boy".] URL accessed on 11 September 2005.
* [http://www.bnc.ox.ac.uk/history/alu/page5.html Who was at Brasenose?] URL accessed on 11 September 2005.