George Formby was one of the first widely-known Lancashire comedians, sometimes appearing in the guise of John Willie as in the song 'John Willie, Come on'. He settled in Wigan in 1900, and was credited with the popularization of the name 'Wigan Pier'.
His son George, apprenticed as a jockey, left racing on the death of his father and started to carry on the family stage tradition. Initially he re-created his father's material, but eventually developed his own personality and as George Formby Jnr. was highly successful in his own right. Today, it is the son who is remembered but George Formby Senior has an appeal of his own and is often regarded as the "comedians" comedian.
The CD contains 26 tracks from his earliest recordings, transferred from original 78 rpm records and phonograph cylinders which were made between 1905 - 1912.
Further George Formby Snr. recordings are available on CDR8 and CDR79
