For Canada Day: The Arthur Wellesley Hughes Sesquicentennial

We know not wot of the date of birth of Canadian march composer Arthur Wellesley Hughes (1870-1950), so we share this post for Canada Day. (For a little wrap-up of the Canadians of Travalanche, go here.)

Born in Kingston, Ontario, our subject was clearly named with the utmost patriotism after Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington. Nevertheless as a boy he ran away with the circus, a journey that took him to America — permanently. He became a musician in circus bands, playing piano, alto horn and calliope. Shows he worked for included Mighty Haag, Hagenbeck-Wallace,Sells-Floto, Ringling Bros & Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows, Downie & Wheeler, Robbins Bros., Walter L. Main, and Miller Bros. 101 Ranch Wild West Show.

Hughes composed scores of marches and other pieces of music starting in the 1890s. By the 1940s he had retired, and was reportedly a pauper.

For more on the history of show business,consult No Applause, Just Throw Money: The Book That Made Vaudeville Famous.