The music and lyrics for the “Wodonga” song were written in 1923 by Jack Lumsdaine, specifically to be performed by touring stage and Vaudeville star, Ada Reeves. John Sinclair (Jack) Lumsdaine was an Australian songwriter, vaudeville artist, entertainer and radio announcer born in 1895 in Casino, New South Wales. After serving in World War I, Jack Lumsdaine worked for music publishers, Allan & Co. Pty Ltd of Melbourne and later J. Albert & Son of Sydney, advising them on what overseas sheet music to publish. Albert & Son were the publishers of “Wodonga”. Tours of Australian and New Zealand theatres, with Lumsdaine performing before the main film, promoted this music as well as his own. He composed hundreds of songs, some of which he recorded. Many of them celebrated famous Australians such as Don Bradman or towns and cities in Australia. He had a record run of 11 weeks at Sydney's Tivoli Theatre. In 1923 he ventured into radio which he continued until his death on 28th August 1948. Ada Reeve (born Adelaide Mary Reeves) was an English actress of both stage and film. She made her first stage appearance at the age of four years old in 1878. This was the beginning of a long and successful stage career. In later years she undertook international tours including Australia in 1914 and 1916 and an extended tour of Australia from 1922 to 1924, a shorter tour in 1926, and another extended tour from 1929, playing mainly in vaudeville. Both of Reeve's daughters, Bessie and Goody, settled in Australia. She returned to England in 1935 and resumed her stage career before starring in the first of 11 films. Her final film before retirement was produced in 1957 at the age of 83 years old. Ada Reeve died in 1966 at the age of 92. This song “Wodonga” was written for her tour of Australia in 1923.This item is significant because it was specially written to be performed by a touring star at the Tivoli Theatre in Sydney to recognise Wodonga.Sheet music booklet of four pages. The cover sheet is primarily orange and white with blue text. It features a portrait of Miss Ada Reeve."wodonga" song, ada reeve, jack lumsdaine, popular music -- australia -- 1921-1930

Bakelite record by Columbia A454 0625 "Oh, If Only I Had You" Sung by Jack Lumsdaine (The Radio Rascal) Size: 10 inch recordflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village