William Gribbon Ross

H. Chance Newton’s book ‘Idols of the Halls’ has a whole section on ‘Ross the Renowned but Rowdy’ referring to him as ‘that really comic comic singer and splendid character actor... bringing down the house as he always did with his drolleries’. Ross created his own material and Newton describes seeing him perform ‘a remarkably clever, brilliantly-written burlesque medley in which he impersonated Richard the Third. I have a vivid recollection of Ross’s mock Crookback King and his alternatively humorous and intense outbursts of Shakespearean snippets, sandwiched with little parodies of popular songs and ballads.’

Like so many performers of his time, Ross’s huge popularity dwindled and the one-time star of the music halls died in poverty and obscurity. In fact, Shirlie knew nothing about him until her brother Martin was researching into family history, finally discovering his grave in north London, marked ‘W.G.Ross – singer’. For Shirlie, knowing who she is named after has also helped explain to her her fascination with writing and performing, not least the comedy songs which keep popping up here and there in her writing. She also discovered that Ross lived most of his life in a house not ten minutes’ walk away from where she was based for many years in London.