William Gribbon Ross (31 July 1819 – 23 April 1881) was a Scottish actor and singer who became a popular entertainer in London in the mid-nineteenth century.

Biography

Ross was born in

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

, and worked on newspapers there as a compositor. His "early history as an unsuccessful and untalented actor is obscure",Harold Scott, ''The Early Doors: Origins of the Music Hall'', Nicholson & Watson, 1946, pp.46-48 though it is believed that he acted and sang locally before moving to England to perform. By the 1840s, he was in London, and became a regular performer at the Cyder Cellar 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 ...

. He sang a wide range of songs, but his fame rested on just one, " Sam Hall", which had originated some years earlier as the story of a habitual criminal. He performed the song in character as a

chimney sweep A chimney sweep is a person who inspects then clears soot and creosote from chimneys. The chimney uses the pressure difference caused by a hot column of gas to create a draught and draw air over the hot coals or wood enabling continued combust ...

awaiting execution, "sitting astride a chair, the effect of his tattered clothes and bedraggled hat increased by the blackened clay pipe held between his teeth, which was removed only for purposes of expectoration, and for the greater emphasis of the oaths which bespatter the verses." The song was notorious for its refrain of "Damn your eyes!", sometimes replaced by a stronger expletive.Richard Anthony Baker, ''British Music Hall: an illustrated history'', Pen & Sword, 2014, , pp.4-5 Ross's performances drew large crowds, and were "unanimously held to possess a degree of power.... for a number of years, a crowded room was assured whenever Ross was announced." The critic W. J. MacQueen-Pope said that "as a piece of characterisation of its kind, it is doubtful if it was ever excelled," and

Henry Chance Newton Henry Chance Newton (13 March 1854 – 2 January 1931) was a British author and theatre critic for '' The Referee'' magazine. Biography Henry Chance Newton was born in London to parents of Northern Irish descent. He had written about the stage s ...

described Ross as a "really comic comic singer and splendid character actor.. bringing down the house as he always did with his drolleries". Ross's performances were seen by

Thackeray William Makepeace Thackeray ( ; 18 July 1811 – 24 December 1863) was an English novelist and illustrator. He is known for his satirical works, particularly his 1847–1848 novel '' Vanity Fair'', a panoramic portrait of British society, and t ...

, who referred to them in his novel ''

Pendennis ''The History of Pendennis: His Fortunes and Misfortunes, His Friends and His Greatest Enemy'' (1848–50) is a novel by the English author William Makepeace Thackeray. It is set in 19th-century England, particularly in London. The main ...

''. "Song-and-Supper Rooms", ''Victorian London''
Retrieved 4 October 2020 Ross performed other songs, including "Hamlet Ye Dane", as well some written by

Charles Sloman Charles Sloman (1808 – 22 July 1870) was an English comic entertainer, singer and songwriter, as well as a composer of ballads and sacred music. He was billed as "the only English ''Improvisatore''". Biography Born in Westminster into a ...

, but they were much less successful. By the late 1850s, the craze for "Sam Hall" had diminished, and Ross returned to the regular stage, sometimes appearing in touring musical comedy shows with his daughter, Lillian Ross. He made theatrical appearances in London as an actor, and performed an impersonation of

Richard III Richard III (2 October 1452 – 22 August 1485) was King of England from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the Plantagenet dynasty and its cadet branch the House of York. His defeat and death at the Battle of Boswor ...

. He died in Camden, London in 1881 (though one source gives 1876) Drawing of W. G. Ross, ''V&A Museum''
Retrieved 4 October 2020 and was buried in

Kensal Green Cemetery Kensal Green Cemetery is a cemetery in the Kensal Green area of North Kensington in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in London, England. Inspired by Père Lachaise Cemetery in P ...

References

1819 births 1881 deaths British music hall performers {{UK-comedian-stub