Annie Fortescue Harrison facts for kids
Annie Jessie Fortescue Harrison (born December 30, 1848 – died February 12, 1944) was a talented English composer. She wrote many popular songs and pieces for the piano. People also knew her as Annie, Lady Hill or Lady Arthur Hill after she married.
Early Life and Family
Annie Jessie Fortescue Harrison was born in Calcutta, which was part of British India at the time. Her father was James Fortescue Harrison, who was a Member of Parliament (MP). An MP is someone who is elected by people to represent them and help make laws in the government.
In 1865, when Annie was about 17, her family moved to a place called Crawley Down in Sussex, England. Her father built a large house there called Down Park. Later, in 1877, Annie married Lord Arthur Hill. He had been married before, and his first wife had passed away. Annie and Lord Arthur Hill had one daughter together.
Her Musical Works
Annie Harrison was known for her lovely music. She wrote different kinds of pieces, including songs, piano music, and even short operas called operettas.
Piano Pieces
She composed several pieces for the piano that were enjoyed by many. Two of her well-known piano instrumentals are:
- "The Elfin Waltzes"
- "Our Favourite Galop"
Operettas
Annie also wrote music for operettas, which are like short, light operas with singing and spoken parts. Two of her operettas were:
- The Ferry Girl
- The Lost Husband
Famous Songs
Her most famous song was "In the Gloaming". It became very popular when it was released in 1877. The words for this beautiful song were written by Meta Orred.
