Aubrey Hopwood facts for kids
Aubrey Hopwood (born April 4, 1863 – died October 25, 1917) was a British writer. He was famous for writing the words (lyrics) for songs in popular shows called Edwardian musical comedies. He also wrote novels and fun books for children. Some of the musicals he helped write include Alice in Wonderland (1886), A Runaway Girl (1898), and The Lucky Star (1899).
Early Life and Family
Aubrey Hopwood was born Henry Aubrey Hopwood in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1863. He was the second of nine children. His father, John Turner Hopwood, was a Member of Parliament. This means his father was part of the group that helped make laws for the country. Aubrey went to Cheam School and Charterhouse. His younger brother, Ronald Arthur Hopwood, became a Rear Admiral in the Royal Navy. He was even called the "Poet Laureate" of the Royal Navy, which means he was a very respected poet for the navy.
A Career in Writing and Theatre
Before becoming a full-time writer, Aubrey Hopwood was a Lieutenant in the Northamptonshire Regiment for a short time. In the 1880s, he travelled to Florida in the United States.
In 1886, he worked with Henry Savile Clarke to write the songs for the musical Alice in Wonderland. This musical was based on the famous books by Lewis Carroll, who even helped guide their work. From 1893 to 1907, Hopwood was the Secretary of Arthur's, a special club in London. In 1897, he wrote a romantic adventure novel called Down by the Suwanee River.
Aubrey Hopwood wrote many songs for popular musicals.
- In 1898, he wrote the lyrics for A Runaway Girl with Harry Greenbank. This show was a huge hit in London, playing 593 times! It also played in New York City.
- In 1899, he wrote the lyrics for The Lucky Star with Adrian Ross. This show was put on by the famous D'Oyly Carte Opera Company at the Savoy Theatre.
- He also wrote songs for The Merry Go-Round (1899), which was popular in Britain, Europe, and the United States.
In 1900, Hopwood published a fun children's book called The Bunkum Book. It had illustrations by Maud Trelawny. He also wrote the lyrics for You And I (1901) and The Cherry Girl (1903). The Cherry Girl was described as a "children's fairy play."
In 1901, Aubrey Hopwood helped write the songs for Bluebell in Fairyland. This musical was a "musical dream play" and was very popular. It ran for 294 shows and was often performed during the Christmas pantomime season. The story for Bluebell in Fairyland came from a children's Christmas book called The Sleepy King. Hopwood wrote this fairy tale in 1898 with Seymour Hicks. Critics said the book was "brimful of excellent fun" and that children would love the "odd sayings and quaint antics" of the characters.
In 1903, he published Rhymes without Reason. In 1905, he wrote a non-fiction book about dogs called The Old English Sheepdog: from Puppyhood to Championship, A Handbook for Beginners.
Later Life
In 1911, Aubrey Hopwood was working as a "private secretary" and living in Malmesbury, England. His sister, Eleanor Ramsay, lived with him. Later, he became unwell and was admitted to a special center in York. He passed away in October 1917 at the age of 54 due to illness. Aubrey Hopwood never married.
Images for kids
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Aubrey Hopwood with two Old English Sheepdogs (1905)
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Theatre poster for A Runaway Girl (1898)
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Poster for the original production of The Lucky Star (1899)
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Cover of the vocal score of The Cherry Girl, 1903
