John Labern ( 1815 – March 1881) was an English singer and songwriter whose songs in the 1830s and 1840s were significant in the development of

popular music Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training.Popular Music. (2015). ''Fun ...

. He was born and grew up in the

Fitzrovia Fitzrovia ( ) is a district of central London, England, near the West End. Its eastern part is in the London Borough of Camden, and the western in the City of Westminster. It has its roots in the Manor of Tottenham Court, and was urbanised in ...

area of

St Pancras, London St Pancras () is a district in North London. It was originally a medieval Civil parish#Ancient parishes, ancient parish and subsequently became a metropolitan borough. The metropolitan borough then merged with neighbouring boroughs and the are ...

, and performed his songs in the

Vauxhall Gardens Vauxhall Gardens is a public park in Kennington in the London Borough of Lambeth, England, on the south bank of the River Thames. Originally known as New Spring Gardens, it is believed to have opened before the Restoration of 1660, being me ...

and

song and supper room A song and supper room was a type of dining club in mid-nineteenth century Victorian England in which entertainment and good food were provided. They provided an alternative to formal theatre and music hall with a convivial atmosphere in which th ...

s, including the Cyder Cellars in

Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist sit ...

. His songs were widely circulated in periodicals including T. P. Prest's ''London Singer's Magazine'', in the late 1830s, which featured Labern's work prominently. His songs addressed topical issues in a humorous style, and because they were not performed on theatre stages avoided any censorship by the

Lord Chamberlain's Office The Lord Chamberlain's Office is a department within the British Royal Household. It is concerned with matters such as protocol, state visits, investitures, garden parties, royal weddings and funerals. For example, in April 2005 it organised t ...

; some would have been considered obscene.Richard Anthony Baker, ''British Music Hall: an illustrated history'', Pen & Sword, 2014, , pp.14-15 As well as performing them himself, his songs were sung by other entertainers such as J. W. Sharp and Sam Cowell. Jess Owen, "John Labern and ‘Jacky’ Sharpe: Singers and Fitzrovians", ''Fitzrovia News'', 27 September 2011
Retrieved 25 September 2020 They were published in several volumes, including ''J. Labern's Original Comic Songs'' (1842) and ''Labern's Comic Minstrel'' (1865). "Labern's Comic Minstrel", ''Abebooks''
Retrieved 25 September 2020 In 1858, Labern became a tobacconist and stationer with a shop on

Euston Road Euston Road is a road in Central London that runs from Marylebone Road to Kings Cross, London, King's Cross. The route is part of the London Inner Ring Road and forms part of the London congestion charge zone boundary. It is named after Euston ...

. He died in 1881 and was buried at

Brompton Cemetery Brompton Cemetery (originally the West of London and Westminster Cemetery) is since 1852 the first (and only) London cemetery to be Crown Estate, Crown property, managed by The Royal Parks, in West Brompton in the Royal Borough of Kensington a ...

References

1810s births 1881 deaths Year of birth uncertain English lyricists British music hall performers {{England-musician-stub