Valkyrie

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Records

Valkyrie

Records

British Dance Bands

These records date from 1912-1916 and were produced for Catesby's Limited for sale in their London department store.
The label is quite scarce, implying they sold in quite small quantities, and of course, sold only very locally in the one store.

There are two, or maybe three catalogue series known.

One series had plain numbers running from 1 to about 570, though there is currently a gap between No. 270 to 300. It is noticable that 1 -270 use Lindström (Beka) masters and have mauve labels, then from 300 upwards, the label used Jumbo masters, with blue labels (actually called "Valkyrie Blue Label Record"). All those seen in this series were pressed in England as stated around the foot of the label.
These distinctions are based on the few examples I have in my collection, so may change if and when more turn up.

The other series has D- or E- prefixes and start at about 700. As no duplications of numbers have yet been reported, they are thought to use one continuous number run, but as before, this could change if more examples appear to refute this idea.

The D-series are pressed in Berlin, Germany by Homophon using their own masters and have red labels (based on the sole example seen).
The E-series again use Lindström (Beka) masters. These also have red labels and are titled "Valkyrie Red Label Record" similar to the blue labelled ones mentioned. These are made in England.

Thanks to Dr. Rainer Lotz for the image of the D-series record, and to Norman Field for the E-series, both seen here on the right.

Courtesy Rainer Lotz

Courtesy Norman Field

This is a first attempt at a listing. Please e-mail me if you can help me fill in the gaps in any of these series.

My thanks to Frank Andrews and Mike Langridge for providing most of the information for this page. Thanks to Mike's research, I think we are clearer on the different series and sources of masters.
Thanks also to: Bill Dean-Myatt, Graham Farnell, Norman Field, Robert Godridge, Martin Gunton, Keith Hubbard, Mike Jones, Rainer Lotz, Roger Mallatratt, Lee Martin, Ian McPherson, Albert Pattison, Richard Prout, Roger Scott, Jeff Smallcombe, Steve Walker

Page last updated on: August 15, 2024

First the ones with no prefix to the catalogue number.

The source of masters changes from Beka to Jumbo at this point. It is not known at present whether the intervening numbers from 270 to 299 were ever used until more examples turn up or are reported.

Now the D- and E- prefixed series, which are currently thought to be one series, until something crops up which refutes this!
What I;vew noticed, from the few listed here, is that the D-series are pressed by Homophon in Berlin, and the E-series are from Jumbo & Beka and are likley to have been pressed in England.

Cat No	Matrix	Title	Labelled Artists	Notes

D-723	60420 60432	The Wreck Of The Troopship Army And Marine March	Desciptive	Homophon 401

E-743	Lxo-893 .	Love's Inspiration, waltz The Druid's Prayer Waltz	Salon Orchestra	Jumbo 453

D-773	60138 60139	Calum o’the glen, Jacobite lament; The laird, strathspey The Scottish emigrant’s farewell; The wag o’the kilt, strathspey; The De’il’s reel	Mackenzie Murdoch (violin)	Homophon 938

E-780	Lxo-1300 Lxo-1301	The Flowers Of The Forest Mary Morrison; Mary Of Argyle	Pipe Major Laing	Jumbo 614

E-798	Lxo-699 .	Il Bacio Schubert's Serenade	Sergeant Charles Leggett (cornet)	Jumbo 352

D-812	60862	Get Out And Get Under [sic]	Harry Coleman (with orch accmp) (= Harry Cove)	Homochord 4233

E-816	Lxo-2490 Lxo-2491	On The Mississippi In My Harem	Valkyrie Military Band	Jumbo B-38

D-869	35597 41497	I'd Like To Be A Hero Too Do You Want To Be a Soldier, Little Man?	Harry Britton (baritone) (= Robert Howe) Thomas Howell	Beka 892 Beka 540

E-996	40794 40795	Rule Britannia; God Save The King Russian National Anthem; La Marsellaise	Valkyrie Military Band	Beka 295
E-997
E-998	35566 35621	Triumphal March La Branaconne	Valkyrie Military Band	Beka 873 Beka 894
E-999
E-1000
E-1001
E-1002
E-1003	35611 35613	Sons Of The Sea Tommy Atkins	Henry Britton (vocal) (= Robert Howe)	Beka 888
E-1004
E-1005
E-1006	41757 41773	Christians Awake Brightest And Best	Valkyrie Vocal Quartet Valkyrie Military Band	Beka 616
E-1007	41843 41844	It's A Long Way To Tipperary Have You Seen Our John?	Albert Collins (= Harry Cove)	Beka 836
E-1008	35426 35459	Hello Hello, Who's Your Lady Friend? I'll Go Half-Way Home With You	Billy Wilson or Joseph Newman (= Jack Charman)	Beka 863
E-1009
E-1010
E-1011
E-1012	35438 35439	Cohen At The Telephone, part 1 Cohen At The Telephone, part 2	Morgan Wilder (= Harry Bluff)	Beka 842
E-1013
E-1014
E-1015	35315 35316	Hark, The Herald Angels Sing O, Come All Ye Faithfui	The Standard Quartette	Beka 770
E-1016
E-1017
E-1018	35672 35721	It's a Long Way To Tipperary The Rose, The Shamrock And Thistle	Empire Military Band	Beka 914
E-1019	35656 35690	Boys In Khaki, Boys In Blue It's The Navy	Harold Barnes (= George Baker) Joseph Newman (= Jack Charman)	Beka 920
E-1020	35640 35655	Fall In The Eye Beneath The Busby	Harry Britton (= Robert Howe) Harold Barnes (= George Baker)	Beka 904
E-1021	35557 35646	The Flash Of Steel, march With The British Colours, march	Empire Military Band	Beka 906
E-1022	35694 35696	Back From The Front In The Trenches	Descriptive (= Billy Whitlock & party)	Beka 921
E-1023	35623 35624	Carry On - march British Troops Landing In France	Valkyrie Military Band	Beka 896 Beka 895
E-1024	35689 35705	Are We Downhearted? No! Here We Are, Here We Are, Here We Are Again	Joseph Newman (= Jack Charman)	Beka 918
E-1025	35638 35657	Our Fleet The Maple Leaf For Ever	Harry Britton (= Robert Howe) Harold Barnes (= George Baker)	Beka 910
E-1026
E-1027
E-1028	35693 35712	Your King And Country Need You Sons Of The Motherland	Jessie Broughton (contralto) Harold Baines (= George Baker)	Beka 915 Beka 916
E-1029
E-1030
E-1031
E-1032
E-1033		It Takes An Irish Heart To Sing An Irish Song When Irish Eyes Are Smiling	Stanley Kirkby (baritone)
E-1034
E-1035
E-1036
E-1037
E-1038
E-1039
E-1040
E-1041
E-1042
E-1043
E-1044	36088 36143 or 4	Somewhere In Sunset Land A Little Bit Of Heaven	Stanley Kirkby (baritone)	Beka 1023
E-1045	35937 35976	Vesper Bell Just We Two And The Moon	Stanley Kirkby (baritone)	Beka 1006
E-1046
E-1047
E-1048
E-1049	35907 36018	Who's The Girl You're Going To Meet To-Night? Burlington Bertie From Bow	Joseph Newman (= Jack Charman)	Beka 1027
E-1050
E-1051
E-1052	35991 36123	I've Got Everything I Want But You The 4ft 10" Brigade	Ella Retford & Arthur Gilbert Jessie Broughton & Harry Bluff	Beka 1016
E-1053
E-1054
E-1055
E-1056	35855 36172	Till The Boys Come Home Be A Man, Enlist Today	Stanley Kirkby (baritone) Henry Britton (baritone) (= Robert Howe)	Beka 1033

Cat No	Matrix	Title	Labelled Artists	Orig Issue
1
2
3
4
5
6	6031 6032	Abide With Me Jesu, Lover Of My Soul	Band of H.M. Scots Guards	Beka 58
7	2943 2944	A Life On The Ocean, part 1 A Life On The Ocean, part 2	Band of H.M. Scots Guards	Beka 59
8
9
10
11
12	40087 40332	New Colonial March Light Cavalry Overture	Royal Artillery Band
13
14	41550 41551	The Turkey Trot The Bogie Walk	Valkyrie Military Band	Beka 536
15	41527 41532	Alexander's Rag Time Band That Mysterious Rag	Valkyrie Military Band	Beka 526
16
17
18
19
20
21	41345 41348	The Church Parade The Silver Trumpets	Valkyrie Military Band	Beka 471
22
23
24
25	40980 41162	A Breezy Corner In The Shadows	Valkyrie London Orchestra	Beka 443
26	40235 40960	"Tales of Hoffman" - Barcarolle (J. Offenbach) Minuet (Neil Moret [sic - actually Paderewski])	Valkyrie London Orchestra	Beka 356
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34	40390 40391	Serenade, Moonlight (Moret) Poppies	Valkyrie London Orchestra	Beka 22
35
36	40794 40795	Rule Britannia and God Save The King	Valkyrie London Orchestra	Beka 295
37
38
39	11183 40018	Cavalleria Rusticana - overture Cavalleria Rusticana - intermezzo	Valkyrie London Orchestra	Beka 16

Cat No	Matrix	Title	Labelled Artists	Orig Issue
300
301
302	Lxo-637 Lxo-641	It Jolly Well Serves You Right Save A Little One For Me	Billy Williams (comedian)	Jumbo 351
303	Lxo-631 Lxo-636	The Colliers Put A Bit Of Powder On It, Father	Billy Williams (comedian)	Jumbo 388
304	Lxo-632 Lxo-640	Tickle Me, Timothy I'll Meet You One Dark Night	Billy Williams (comedian)	Jumbo A-62
305	Lxo-1524 Lxo-1525	Come And Have A Look At What I've Got You're The One	Billy Williams (comedian)	Jumbo 704
306
307	Lxo-1474	Why Can't They Have The Sea In London? [sic]	Billy Williams (comedian)	Jumbo 656
308	Lxo-1476 Lxo-1478	I Wish I Were A Ladies' Man My Girl From Glasgow Town	Billy Williams (comedian)	Jumbo 657
309	Lxo-2344 Lxo-2347	Snooky Ookums Hello, Hello London Town	The Three Rascals	Jumbo 1071
310	Lxo-2342 Lxo-2348	The Ragtime Dinner-Time Band The Ragtime Goblin Man	The Three Rascals	Jumbo 1067
311
312
313
314	Lxo-2184	I Want To Go To Dixie	The Three Rascals	Jumbo 948
315	Lxo-2187 Lxo-2188	The Gaby Glide Beautiful Band	The Three Rascals	Jumbo 965
316	Lxo-2186 Lxo-2190	Alexander's Ragtime Band The Ragtime Violin	The Three Rascals	Jumbo 966
317
318
319
320	Lxo-1742 Lxo-1747	Those Lovely Bells Short Verses	George Formby (comedian)	Jumbo 943
321
322
323
324	Lxo-1140 Lxo-1153	Taking My Father's Tea Send For John Willie	George Formby (comedian)	Jumbo 675
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334	Lxo-2161 Lxo-2162	The Perambulator Promenade Colonel Knutt	Mark Sheridan (comedian)	Jumbo 958
335	Lxo-2163 Lxo-2164	Jolly Good Job The Sea Can't See I Do Like To Listen to The Church Bells	Mark Sheridan (comedian)	Jumbo 1008
336	Lxo-791	The Football Match [sic]	Mark Sheridan (comedian)	Jumbo 429
337
338	Lxo-978 Lxo-980	Take Me With You, Dearie Archibald, Certainly Not!	Albert Whelan (comedian)	Jumbo 493