Florence Everilda Goodeve

Florence Everilda Goodeve (24 May 1848 – 15 January 1916)[1][2] was an English composer and lyricist, often credited as Mrs Arthur Goodeve.

Florence Everilda Goodeve c. 1895

Early and personal life

She was born Florence Everilda Knowlys in Heysham, Lancashire.[3] Her father Thomas John Knowlys (b. 1803;[1][4] died by 1869[5]) and mother Anna Maria Martha née Hesketh (1809–1886)[1] were married in September 1828,[1] and built a large edifice they named Heysham Tower in the area, which is now the site of the Midland Hotel, Morecambe.[6] Her father was nephew of Newman Knowlys and her mother was sister of Peter Hesketh-Fleetwood.[6][4] She was the youngest of four sons and six daughters, one of whom died in infancy.[1][4] She married Louis Arthur Goodeve (1841–1888)[1] on 23 November 1869 at Christ Church, Clifton Down,[4][5] wearing "a simple tulle veil" and attended by seventeen bridesmaids.[7] She accompanied her husband to Calcutta, where he was an advocate in the High Court; they had five children.[1] Florence died in London.[8]

Music and art

Florence evinced a musical talent at an early age and at the age of fourteen she wrote her "Glockenspiel Galop" and several songs. It was heard by Virginia Gabriel who persuaded her to have it published. Altogether she published about 70 songs. Some of her most popular were, "Ah, Well-a-Day," "The Jovial Beggar," and "Fiddle and I."[3]

Her later compositions included "Song of the Rivers," "In the Silver Years," "I Would Not Love You Less," "Row, Row," a boating song, "If Thou Must Love Me," and "The King's Wooing," a baritone song, written for Robert Watkin-Mills.

Besides being a musician, Goodeve was an amateur painter, and she also contributed to several magazines.[3]

References
  1. "Florence Everilda Knowlys (1848-)". FamilySearch. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  2. "Re Florence Everilda Goodeve, deceased". The London Gazette (29552): 4069. 18 April 1916. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  3. E. Hatzfeld, ed. (October 1895). "Popular Lady Composers". Strand Musical Magazine. London: George Newnes. 2 (10): 251.
  4. Mayo, Charles Herbert (1882). A genealogical account of the Mayo and Elton families of the counties of Wilts and Hereford. London: C. Whittingham. p. 144. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  5. "Marriages". The Illustrated London News. LV (1569). Elm House. 4 December 1869. p. 554. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  6. "Heysham Tower in the 19th century", Heysham Heritage Association
  7. Mrs Warren, ed. (1 January 1870). "On-dits and Facts of the Month". The Ladies' Treasury. London: Bemrose & sons. ns 8: 17. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  8. Sadie, Julie Anne; Samuel, Rhian (1994). The Norton/Grove dictionary of women composers. ISBN 9780393034875. Retrieved 14 December 2010 – via Google Books.
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