Journalist Harold Lake, writing under the pen name of Harold Hartford, wrote the lyrics to the song "I hear you calling me", to music written by composer Charles Marshall. He gives the story behind the lyrics as: "A 16 year old pupil teacher at an elementary school in Canterbury met a girl nearly a year his junior. Then followed three years of utter devotion as only the very young can know, then a fortnight of galloping consumption, and a lad of 19 standing on a November day grave" .

Lake is reported as having sold the song for a few pounds, though having made a small fortune through gramophone recordings.

Harold Lake died in early August 1933.