[Sheet music] On the Staff

Sheet music for the song titled, 'On the Staff', composed by Ivor Novello with lyrics by Clifford Grey, also known as Frank Clifford Grey. This copy appears to be autographed by Ivor Novello. Publishing rights were held by both Ascherberg, Hopwood & Crew, and B. Feldman & Co. This version also advertises another song by Novello and Grey through the inclusion of the first page of the song titled 'It's just a memory'.

This is a humorous song about a job with the Army Staff during the First World War. It featured as part of George Grossmith and Ed Laurillard’s production of a French operette at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London titled 'Arlette' and was performed by Stanley Lupino [Hook], an English performer and writer . Lloyd’s Weekly News wrote of this production, ‘The tale is of the impecunious Prince Paul of Perania (Mr. Joseph Coyne), who prefers Arlette, a modest attendant on the Queen Dowager (Miss Winifred Barnes), to all the vast wealth of Miss Walters from America (Miss Adrah Fair).’

This copy of the music was part of the collection of sheet music belonging to Ernest Alfred Nicholls. It is symbolic of the concerts, theatre and other musical performances that Australian soldiers took in whilst on leave in London during the First World War. It is highly likely that at least one Australian soldier would have seen the operette 'Arlette' featuring a performance of this song during 1917. It is not known whether Nicholls himself saw the performance.


Towards the bottom of this page is a sound recording of this sheet music, or a parody, that was created as part of the Music and the First World War project. More information about this recording, including names of the performers, can be found on the catalogue record for the sound recording. A link to the catalogue record for the sound recording can be found at the bottom of this page, under the heading ‘Related objects’ where it can be identified with the prefix [sound recording].