Wellington Guernsey facts for kids

Wellington Guernsey (whose real name was William Greville Hudson Guernsey) was an Irish composer, poet, and soldier. He was born on June 8, 1817, and passed away on November 13, 1885. He became well-known for his popular songs and piano music.

Early Life and Music Career

Wellington Guernsey was born in Mullingar, a town in County Westmeath, Ireland. When he was a boy, around 1827-1828, he briefly studied music in Lisbon with a famous Italian opera composer named Saverio Mercadante.

After his studies, he likely returned to Ireland in the early 1830s. He worked in music shops in Cork and Dublin. Later, he started his own music business. In 1847, he became the music director for the Olympic Theatre in London, which was a big step in his musical career.

Guernsey's Military Adventures

In the early 1850s, Guernsey began a new path as a soldier. His military journey took him to several different countries. In 1855, he went to Turkey, and in 1856, he was in the Crimea. He also traveled to Paraguay and Brazil in 1857. His time in the military ended in 1858.

Returning to Music and Famous Songs

After his military service, Guernsey focused on music again. He was very successful with his songs and piano pieces, especially between 1845 and 1851. Some of his most famous songs from this time include She Gathers a Shamrock (1845), I'll Hang my Harp on a Willow Tree (1846), and Dinah Blake (1847). He also wrote the words for George Barker's song Mary Blane (1846).

One of his biggest hits was the song Alice, Where Art Thou? (1861). He wrote the words for this song, and Joseph Ascher composed the music. This song sold nearly 300,000 copies and even made it into the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations. This shows how popular his work was!

While his later music, composed after 1860, wasn't as famous as his earlier works, his poetry continued to be very successful. He also translated two books by the music expert François-Joseph Fétis into English. Wellington Guernsey passed away in London.

Selected Musical Works

Here are some of the musical pieces Wellington Guernsey composed. Most of these were published in London.

Chamber Music

• The Coral Cave Polka (around 1860) – This piece was written for a cornet, a flute, and a piano.

Piano Music

• Casilda Quadrilles (1830)
• The Olympic Polka (1848)
• The Glasgow Quadrilles (around 1850)
• The Koh-i-noor Diamond, or Mountain of Light Quadrille (1851)
• Bouquet des mélodies anglaises (1854)
• The Lough Erne Waltzes (1859)
• The Gorilla Galop (1861)
• The Adelina Patti Galop (1862)

Popular Songs

• Old Songs of Old Ireland, a collection (1843)
• Dance Away, We'll be Gay (1845)
• She Gathers a Shamrock (1845)
• I'll Hang my Harp on a Willow Tree (1846)
• Dinah Blake (1847)
• I was Dreaming of Thee, Darling Katty (1849)
• The Songs of Ireland, a collection (around 1860)
• The Boatman of Kinsale (1865)
• The Wearing of the Green (1866)
• The Green Moss (1869)
• The Hindoo Widow (1870)
• God Upon the Ocean (1874)
• Dear Land of my Fathers (1884)
• The Abbess of the Rhine (1885)