Britannic

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Britannic

Records

British Dance Bands

Britannic records date from about 1910 and there appear to be two distinct styles, as shown. Neither show any maker's name but the first one does say "British Made"; the other proudly proclaims "British Made Throughout". The first style shown (right) uses masters from "Bell" (and is an oversized 10" disc) pressed by Edison Bell; other matrix sources, such as Beka, American Record Company (ARC), were also used, and were the standard 10" discs. Some (at least) of the non-Edison Bell records were made by The Disc Record Company; these have "MADE IN ENGLAND" embossed into the record just outside of the label.

The Edison Bell ones have a 3-digit catalogue number (i.e. a number common to both sides) whereas all the others appear to have face numbers only. From known examples, the Edison Bell ones are in a 500 or 600 range.

The other (mauve coloured) label is a standard 10" disc and the masters were from various sources, such as Nicole, Beka and American record Co; they were all pressed by the Disc Record Co. of Harrow.

The records cost about 2/6 and were sold by the "tally man" system where the customer was contracted to buy a number of discs over a year (about 50) for a fixed price, for which they received a new gramophone.

It is thought that the mauve labelled style was the earlier one, though it is not known for sure.

Please e-mail me if you can help me fill in the gaps in any of these series.

Thanks to the following who have provided information: Frank Andrews, Mike Atkin, Arthur Badrock, Paul Cleary, David Coleman, Bill Dean-Myatt, Graham Farnell, Norman Field, Philip Hutchinson, Michael Kinnear, Mike Langridge, Barry McCanna, Ian McPherson, Richard Prout, Mavis Ricketts

Page last updated: October 02, 2023

Firstly the attractive coloured label;
I have split the listing into two sections; the first ones have face numbers only (i.e. different numbers on each side) and are from ARC, Beka &c. The second section have actual catalogue numbers (i.e. numbers common to both sides) are are Edison Bell products.

Now the purple label.:
Based on the few in this list, it would appear the catalogue numbers are in blocks based on the repertoire.
100- series : Band; 1200 series: instrumental (soloists); 2300 series: vocal; 3600 series Popular vocal & comedy.

Cat No	Matrix No	Title	Artist (all anonymous on the label)	Coupling	Source

0004	41004	The Miner's Dream Of Home		1385	Beka
0005	41005	Put On Your TaTa	anon (= James Hudson)	1391	Beka

008	B-8-A	Save A Little One For Me		1083

0012	40712	True Till Death	Harry Thornton (baritone)	0364	Beka

0019	40719	Harry Lauder Memories, part 1	Beka London Orchestra	0020	Beka
0020	40720	Harry Lauder Memories, part 2	Beka London Orchestra	0020	Beka

0028	H-28	Little Black Cupid	(Baritone, with orch) (= Frank Miller (Stanley Kirkby?))	1255

0030		Oh Promise Me ?		1203

0033 (1)	B-33-A	I Wonder If You Miss Me Sometimes	Stanley Kirkby	1241
0033 (2)	40333	Asleep In The Deep	Norman Williams (bass) ?	0048 (1)	Beka
0034	40644	Merry Widow Waltz	Beka London Orchestra	1413	Beka
0035
0036	40736	Sleep And Forget	Philip Ritte (tenor)	1379	Beka

0047	41047	Down In Jungle Town	Jack Charman (baritone)	0048 (2)	Beka
0048 (1)	40448	When The Ebb Tide Flows	Norman Williams (bass)	0033 (2)	Beka
0048 (2)	41048	Queen Of The Cannibal Isle	Jack Charman (baritone)	0047	Beka

0060 (1)	40460	Thora	Philip Ritte (tenor)	0803	Beka
0060 (2)	41160	Count Of Luxembourg, waltz	Beka London Orchestra	1334	Beka
0061	40661	God Be With You	Harry Thornton (baritone)	1120 (1)
0062	40662	When The Mists Have Rolled Away	Harry Thornton (baritone)	1121

0067	41067	The Old Rustic Bridge	Stanley Kirkby (baritone)	1346

0072	40972	Marching Through Georgia	Beka London Orchestra	1193	Beka

0081	40481	Semper Fidelis	Beka London Orchestra	1262	Beka

0089	2589 B	A Flying Trip Through Johann Strauss	[anon]	0392

0120	41120 ?	Love Is A Seidlitz Powder		1252	Beka

0132	41132	My Wife's Gone To The Country	Arthur Gilbert	1230	Beka

0256	5256	Through The Green Valleys	(Military Band)	389	Beka ?
0256b	5256	Albert Edward March		0718a

0259	031384	Love Me And All The World Is Mine	Henry Burr	0663	ARC

0289	5289	Pizzicato with chimes solo ("Sylvia" - Delibes)	(bell solo, with orch)	1307	Bel Canto ?

0293	293	Jefferson Guards		1259

0325 B	5325 B	Silver Bell		1251	Bel Canto
0326	5326 B	By The Sea	Charles Denton	1061	Bel Canto
0327	5259	Why Does Mrs Flanagan Want To Go To The Isle Of Man Again?	Robert Nelson	0911	Bel Canto

0331	5331	Tis A Faded Picture	(Baritone)	1269	Bel Canto

0364	40364	Yes! Let Me Like A Soldier Fall	Bernard Turner (tenor)	0012	Beka

389	40389	La Reine De Saba	Beka London Orchestra	0256	Beka
390		Waiting At The Church		425
391
0392	40392	Choristers Waltz	Beka London Orchestra	0089

0407	40407	Your Number's Up	Will Terry	1324	Beka
0408	40408	I'm Wait-Wait-Waiting	Will Terry	1199	Beka

425		Minstrel Record		390

0615	40615	I'd Like to Spend My Holidays With You	Will Terry	0822	Beka

0663	40663	I Like Your Old French Bonnet	James Hudson (baritone)	0259

0711	40711	I'll Saw His See-Saw Down	Harry Bluff	1302	Beka
0712	40712	True Till Death	Harry Thornton (baritone)	1268	Beka

0718a	5031	Nicky March (from "Waltz Dream")		0256b

0759	40760	The Dollar Princess waltz	Beka London Orchestra	0994

0803	40803	Nellie Dean	James Hudson (baritone)	0060 (1)	Beka

0822	40822	Billy Whitlock's Wedding	Billy Whitlock	0615	Beka

0911	40911	Oh, Joe, I Want To Go To The Picture Show	Harry Bluff	0327

0994	40995	Reminiscences Of Wales, selection	Beka London Orchestra	0759

1061	41061	I'm Henry VIIIth	Harry Champion	0326

1083	031083	Makes Me Think Of Home Sweet Home	Byron G. Harlan	008

1120 (1)	031120	Where Is My Wandering Boy To-Night?	Frank C. Stanley	0061
1120 (2)	41120	We All Go The Same Way Home	Stanley Kirkby	1434
1121	031121	All Hail The Power Of Jesus Name		0062

1193	X-1193	Everybody Have A Good Old Time	(vocal - sounds American)	0072	ARC ?

1199	031199	Making Eyes	Collins & Harlan	0408	ARC

1203				0030

1230	031230	The Chirpers	Joe Belmont (whistler) & Orchestra	0132	ARC

1241	031241	Just Idle Deams	Henry Burr	0033 (1)	ARC

1251	031251	Would You?		0325	ARC
1252	031252	45 Minutes From Broadway	Billy Murray (tenor)	0120	ARC
1253	031253	Just A Little Rocking Chair And You	Billy Murray (tenor)	1393	ARC

1255	031255	Flanagan's Night Off	Len Spencer & Steve Porter	0028	ARC

1259	031259	The Norseman	Regimental Band Of The Republic	0293	ARC

1262	031262	Swedish Guard March	Regimental Band Of The Republic	0081	ARC

1268	031268	Sing Me To Sleep	Henry Burr (with orch accmp)	0712	ARC
1269	031269	Just Because She Had That WInning Way	Arthur Collins (comic, with orch accmp)	0331	ARC

1280	031280	Auction Sale At a Toyshop	Len Spencer & Alf Holt	1294	ARC

1294	031294	Pals, Good Old Pals	Byron C. Harlan	1280	ARC

1302	031302	Mrs Hiram Offen Engaging Bridget O'Sullivan	Steve Porter & Emma Fisher	0711	ARC

1307	031307	Cocoanut Dance	Regimental Band of the Republic	0289	ARC

1324	030124	Sleigh Ride Party	[male quartet]	0407	ARC

1334	031334	Silence And Fun	Regimental Band of the Republic	0060 (2)	ARC

1346	031346	Keep On The Sunny Side	Byron G. Harlan	0067	ARC

1379	5379	That's When You Miss Me, Little Girl		0036

1385	031385	In The Evening By The Moonlight	(vocal) (announced) (= Byron G. Harlan)	0004	ARC

1391	031391	Peaches And Cream	anon (male & female vocal duet)	0005	ARC

1393	031393	After They Gather The Hay	Frank C. Stanley (baritone)	1253	ARC

1413	031413	Waltz Royale		0034

1417		My Jesus As Thou Wilt	orchestral

1419	031419	Home Sweet Home Sounds Good To Me	Band & Xylophone	5367	ARC

1430	031430	Jesu, Lover Of My Soul	Mixed Voices Quartette)	5368	ARC

1434	031434	Bill Simmons	Vess L. Ossman (banjo)	1120 (2)	ARC

5367	5367	Feather Queen	(band) (= Star Orchestra)	1419	Star
5368	5368	Jesus Saviour Pilot Me		1430	Star

5372	5372	St Louis Tickle	banjo (= Vess L. Ossman)		Star

Cat No	Matrix No	Title	Artist	Source

505	2387 2402	It Trovatore, selection, intro. Anvil Chorus Forget-Me-Not, intermezzo	London Military Band (= Band of H.M. King's Colonials)	Bell 174 Bell 181
506
507
508
509
510
511	2001 2276	Waldmere March Dreams Of Ragtime	Imperial Military Band Parisian Orchestra (= London Concert Orch.)	Bell 161 Bell 94

522	2146 2289	Beauty's Eyes Rock Of Ages	David Saunders (= Charles Copeland) Donald Keen (= Tom Kinniburgh)	Bell 39 Bell 106

533	2128 2170	The Village Of Toad In The Hole Jocular Joker	Tom Braddon (= Ben Lawes) G.H. Chirgwin	Bell 35 Bell 48

545	2123 2179	Call Me Back Again Sally In Our Alley	Carlton Quartette Tally Ho! Trio	Bell 32 Bell 48
546
547
548	2112 2316	On Strike I'll Meet You One Dark Night	Harry Lester (= Harry Bluff) Frank Barrett (= Will Terry)	Bell 21 Bell 125

561	2097 2301	Because I Look Like a Fool The Old French Bonnet	Ben Lawes Frank Barrett (= Harry Fay)	Bell 18 B1ll 113
562
563	2030 2427	My Lady Gracious Nigger's Birthday	London Military Band (= King's Colonial Band)	Bell 20 Bell 195
564	2050 2096	The World Wants Men Like You Ring Down The Curtain	William Morgan (= Lloyd Morgan) Henry Taylor (= Robert Carr)	Bell 10 Bell 27
565
566
567
568
569
570	2152 2286	Come And Have A Drink With Me A Tiny Seed Of Love	Harry Lester (= Harry Bluff) Thomas Friend (= Harry Clifton)	Bell 42 Bell 105

606	2367 2368	Raymond, Overture, part 1 Raymond, Overture, part 2	London Military Band (= King's Colonial Band)	Bell 144

619	2409 2418	I've Got Rings On My Fingers Flanagan	Frank Barrett (= Harry Fay) Frank Barrett (= Will Terry)	Bell 185 Bell 189

650	2265 2319	Because When Other Lips	Arthur Cranborn (= Arthur Grover) Frank Farren (= James Davis)	Bell 98 Bell 128
651	2264 2332	At The Races With My Little Wigger Wagger	Dan Daly (= Harry Bluff) Harry Lester (= "Arthur Ellwood")	Bell 99 Bell 127
652
653
654
655	2230	The First Noel Hail, Smiling Morn	Excelsior Quartette	Bell 83 Bell
656
657	2231 2268	The Toreador From Shoreditch Laughing All The Day	Sam Mayo W. (Billy) Whitlock	Bell 84 Bell 96
658
659	2242 2279	Gounod's Serenade Chanson Polonaise	Bohemian Orchestra Victor Walters (violin) (= Victor Opferman)	Bell 85 Bell 107
660
661
662	2203 2346	Thora The Druid's Prayer	Gustav Bohm ('cello) (= Ludwig Lebell) Parisuan Orchestra (= Vichaud's Orchestra)	Bell 87 Bell 131
663
664
665
666
667
668
669
670
671	2232 2234	I'll Prove I'm Right Hits Of The Season	Sam Mayo (comic) Imperial Military Band	Bell 94 Bell 81
672	2177 2273	Killarney Auld Lang Syne	Tally Ho Trio Donald Keen (= Tom Kinniburgh)	Bell 59 Bell 68

Cat No	Matrix No	Title	Artist	Source
101	40837 40838	Overture To Zampa, part 1 (Herold) Overture To Zampa, part 2 (Herold)	Garde Republicaine Band	Beka
102
103	277 40386	Washington Post march Belphegor, march	Band of the Garde Republicaine
104
105
106
107
108	030258 031418	Beauties Of Erin Minnehaha	Royal Marine Band	ARC
109
110
111	(03)5364 0289 / 5289	Valse from "The Beggar Student" Pizzicato from "Sylvia"	Royal Marine Band	Star Bel Canto
112
113	5031 5068	Nicki March (from "The Waltz Dream") Valse (from "The Waltz Dream")	Royal Military Band	Bel Canto
114
115	40719 40720	Harry Lauder Memories, parts 1 & 2	Royal Military Band
116	5299 40389	Selections from "Carmen" La Reine De Saba - overture	Royal Military Band
117	0392 / 40392 0533 / 40533	Chorister's Waltz Venus On Earth Waltz	Royal Military Band
118
119
120	40644 031413	The Merry Widow Valse Valse Royal	Royal Military Band	Beka ARC
121
122
123	40796 40797	The Phantom Brigade Turkish Patrol	The Band of the Irish Guards	Beka
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132	031230 5367	The Chirpers' Intermezzo Feather Queen Intermezzo	The Star Orchestra (with announcement)	ARC
133
134
135
136	5355 41319	Intermezzo - Amaphelia Overture La Cais	The Star Orchestra
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148	1616-35R 3127	Selection from The Orchid Selection from La Grande Duchesse	Royal Military Band Band of the Garde Republicaine
149
150

171	2740-35 2742-35	God Save Ireland Irish Wedding	British Imperial Military Band	Nicole

1201	030810 030814	St Louis Ragtime Medley - Any Rags	Vess Ossman (banjo)	ARC
1202
1203	5371 030892	Sunflower Dance Hurrah! Boys	Vess Ossman (banjo)
1204	41153 41155	The Shamrock Selection from Sea Song	Steve Bartle (concertina)	Beka
1205
1206	2649 8313	Mary Fantasia On Favourite Airs	Sergeant Leggett (cornet) W. Draper (clarionette)	Nicole
1207
1208
1209	2219 Q 2240 Q	The Centaur Silver Bells March	C. Pinner (Xylophone)
1210	5211 5212	The Flight Of Ages I'll Sing Thee Songs Of Araby	Sergeant Leggett (cornet)	Nicole

2301
2302	031248 5379	Starlight That's When You'll Miss Me, Little Girl	Henry Burr (tenor) (= Byron G. Harlan !) Burr & Harlan	ARC
2303	H-26 H-31	Come To The Ball ("The Quaker Girl" - Monckton) If I Had The World To Give You	[anon] Robert Carr (baritone)
2304	031291 .	Pretty Desdemone Sweet Adeline	Arthur Collins Frank Dobson	ARC ?
2305
2306
2307	030852 031385	Farewell, Nellie Mine In The Evening, By The Moonlight, Dear Louise	Byron G. Harlan	ARC
2308
2309
2310
2311	031059 031273	When The Bees Are In The Hive You Don't Seem Like The Girl I Used To Know	Byron G. Harlan (tenor)	ARC
2312
2313
2314
2315
2316
2317
2318	41028	The Star Of Bethlehem	Philip Ritte (tenor)
2319
2320	40460 031241	Thora Just Idle Dream	Philip Ritte (tenor) G.B. Wayson (tenor)	Beka ARC
2321	030785 031290	Out Where The Breakers Roar A Sailor's Song	Frank C. Stanley	ARC
2322
2323
2324
2325
2326
2327
2328	40522 40709	When The Fields Are White With Daisies Somewhere	Harry Thornton (baritone)	Beka
2329
2330	1121 40662	All Hail The Power Of Jesus Name When The Mists Have Rolled Away	Harry Thornton (baritone)
2331
2332
2333
2334
2335
2336
2337
2338
2339
2340
2341
2342		Just For Tonight Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder	Byron G. Harlan & Frank C. Stanley F.C. Stanley
2343	41066 031426	Nobody Knows, Nobody Cares Stars And Stripes And You	Stanley Kirkby (baritone) C. Gordon (baritone)	Beka ARC
	A copy of the issue below is labelled as the first entry but plays the second one. It is not known if all copies are like this.
2344	2021-M 3005	Bedouin Love Song Blow, Blow Thou Winter Wind	Peter Dawson (bass)	Nicole
2344	2021-M 1554-40-19	Bedouin Love Song The Vicar Of Bray	Peter Dawson (bass) Frank Arthur (bass)	Nicole
2345
2346
2347
2348
2349
2350
2351
2352
2353	2662 40715	Somebody's Soldier Boy Eileen Alannah	Peter Dawson (= Hamilton Hill) Peter Dawson (= Harry Thornton)	Nicole Beka
2354	2703-37 3707-37	Violets The Girl Of My Heart	Edgar Coyle (baritone)	Nicole
2355
2356	2659 2660	Rule Britannia The British Grenadiers	Harrison Brockback	Nicole

3601
3602
3603
3604
3605	5326 B 5328 B	By The Sea All Clear Out Of The Park	George Evans (= Charles Denton) Harry Bluff	Bel Canto
3606
3607	5326 A 40827	Captain Ginjah Anywhere Is Alright When You're Doing Well	Pete Brown	Bel Canto Beka
3608
3609
3610
3611	40825 41048	I Wish I Lived Next Door To You Queen Of The Cannibal Isle	Jack Charman	Beka
3612
3613
3614	12394 ? 41120	Silver Bell We All Go The Same Way Home	Jack Charman	? Beka
3615
3616	5257 or 5335 41024	Take Your Girlie Where The Band Is Playing Fall In and Follow Me	Jack Charman	Bel Canto Beka
3617	5260 40710	Follow The Tramlines Tax The Bachelors	Jack Charman Pete Brown	Bel Canto Beka
3618	0301269 [sic] 031422	Just Because She Had That Winning Way Put A Little Bit Away For a Rainy Day	Arthur Collins	ARC
3619
3620
3621
3622
3623
3624
3625	0028 1251	Little Black Cupid In The Moon Alice, Where Art Thou Going?	G.W. Johnson (= Jack Charman) G.W. Johnson (= ?)	ARC ?
3626
3627
3628	41047	Down In Jungle Town	Pete Rastus
3629
3630
3631	5189 031294	The Whistling Bowery Boy Pals, Good Pals	Harry Tally Harry Tally (= Byron G. Harlan)	ARC
3632
3633
3634	B-7-B 031343	The Old Grey Coat What's The Use Of Knocking When A Man's Down?	Billy Williams Arthur Colllins
3635	B-31 (0031) 031276	My Girl From London Town My Irish Maid	Billy Williams Billy Bunt (= Billy Murray)
3636
3637
3638
3639
3640	5377 031271	Camp Meeting Time In Timbictoo	Collins & Harlan

3653	031361 031425	Minstrel Record A Minstrel Record B	Minstrels

3666	5370 5371	Alexander's Ragtime Band That Mysterious Rag	Cassidy & Moran
3667
3668
3669	1623 1637	Hitchy Koo Waiting For The Robert E. Lee	Ragtime Sam [actually duets]