John Walter Bratton

John Walter Bratton (January 21, 1867 – February 7, 1947) was an American Tin Pan Alley composer and theatrical producer who became popular during the era known as the Gay Nineties.

Early life

Raised by his grandmother, Mary Bratton, in New Castle, Delaware, near Wilmington, John Walter Bratton (sometimes spelled Bratten) was the son of John F. and Emma Bratton, of whom little is known. He was educated at the Harkness Academy in Wilmington and later attended the Philadelphia College of Music before embarking on a career as a baritone singer.

Career

John Bratton's career soon moved from performer to composer and producer. He began in the chorus of a show called Ship Ahoy for $18 a week and not before too long was selling songs written with his friend, lyricists Walter H. Ford, for as little as $10 a title. Over the years Bratton would collaborate on over 250 songs with Ford and Paul West. One of their earlier tunes was a tribute to veterans of the Spanish–American War called Hats off to the Boys Who Made Good, that years later Bratton conceded was "terrible". Today he is remembered for his composition Op103, dating from 1907, Teddy Bears' Picnic the only one of his songs to be a lasting hit. Although most of his compositions had lyrics, he left Teddy Bears' Picnic as an instrumental. Perhaps because it sold so well as sheet music he never felt little need to do anything else with it except over the silent film ere as background music for a number of popular movies. Many years later British based, but Irish born Jimmy Kennedy wrote the lyrics. This explains why an American composition contains the British term "Mummies and Daddies" rather than "Mommies and Daddies", though the latter does crop up from time to time in copies printed in the former colony.

John Walter

John Walter may refer to:

See also

John Walter (rugby union)

John (Jack) Walter (2 August 1904 – 25 April 1966) was an All Black and Taranaki rugby football representative in the 1920s and 1930s.

Biography

John Walter was born in Toko on 2 August 1904. Playing for the Stratford club, he was selected for his first game for Taranaki in 1924. In 1925 he was selected for the All Black tour of Australia, where, as a 20-year-old, he played in seven of the eight matches and scored four tries. He looked to have a promising career ahead of him, however the competition as loose forward was too great and Walter lost his place.

Between 1924 and 1932 Walter played 85 matches for Taranaki, and played in the combined Taranaki-Wanganui side against the touring New South Wales team in 1925. In 1931 he led Taranaki to an 11–10 victory over the touring Australian side.

John Walter died on 25 April 1966 in Stratford. His nephew Alan Smith, also playing out of the Stratford club, was a Taranaki representative and an All Black lock in 1967–70.

References

John Walter (Indian Army officer)

Major-General John McNeill Walter (10 June 1861 - 1951) CB, CSI, DSO was a British officer who served in the Indian Army.

Military career

Educated at Cheltenham College, Walter was commissioned into the 12th Regiment of Foot on 14 January 1880. He became Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General in India in May 1896, and saw action with the Tochi Field Force and then at the Relief of Ladysmith in October 1899 during the Second Boer War. He became Assistant Adjutant-General in October 1910 and Deputy Adjutant-General at GHQ India in September 1913.

Walter served in World War I as Adjutant-General, India from November 1915 and as Major General in charge of Administration at Northern Command, India from 1917 before retiring at the end of the War.

References