A native of Waterloo, Quebec, Ella Dot Martin Blake emigrated to Worcester County, Mass., in about 1927. She and her husband Sydney farmed and raised two sons. Ella Blake died in 1987.
Assembled by Ella Dot Martin Blake, this collection consists of eighty pieces of sheet music, more than half with illustrated covers. Dating from the early 1900s, the collection covers both World Wars as well as the rise of Broadway and Hollywood’s golden age. Selections include military sheet music, “Good-Bye, Little Girl, Good-Bye” (1904) and music from Hollywood films, such as “Daddy Long Legs” dedicated to Mary Pickford (1919), and “By a Waterfall” from Footlight Parade (1933).
Background on Ella Dot Martin Blake
I’m forever blowing bubbles
Ella Dot Martin was born in Waterloo, Quebec, on Dec. 22, 1889, the daughter of Carmi Arad Martin and Candace Amelia (Beach), and in about 1912, she married a local farmer, Sydney Thomas Blake, in an Anglican ceremony, raising two sons.
For several years after the turn of the twentieth century, Carmi Martin worked as a painter in Woonsocket, though he returned to Waterloo in about 1909, and Ella and Sydney followed in about 1927, settling in Blackstone, Worcester County, Mass., where Sydney worked at different points as a painter and farmer. Sydney died in 1955 and Ella in Milton Village, Mass., in 1987.
Assembled by Ella Dot Martin Blake, this collection consists of eighty pieces of sheet music, more than half with illustrated covers. Dating from the early 1900s, the collection covers both World Wars as well as the rise of Broadway and Hollywood’s golden age. Selections include military sheet music, “Good-Bye, Little Girl, Good-Bye” (1904) and music from Hollywood films, such as “Daddy Long Legs” dedicated to Mary Pickford (1919), and “By a Waterfall” from Footlight Parade (1933)..
Collection inventory
Series 1. Illustrated sheet music
Harris, Chas. K.: Always in the way. Chicago : Chas. K. Harris
1930
Dubin, Al and Dave Franklin: The anniversary waltz. Hollywood, Calif. : Mayfair Music Corp.
1941
Kahn, Gus (lyrics) and Tolchard Evans (music): Barcelona. New York : Leo Feist
1926
Earl, Mary: Beautiful Ohio: waltz. New York : Shapiro, Bernstein, and Co.
1918
Hughes, Jimmy; Frank Lake; and Al Stillman: Bless ’em all. Cleveland, Ohio : Sam Fox Publ.
1941
Kahal, Irving (words) and Sammy Fain (music): By and waterfall, Footlight parade. New York : M. Witmark and Sons
1933
Reisfeld, Bert; Mart Fryberg; and Rolf Marbot: Call me darling, call me sweetheart, call me dear (sag mir Darling). New York : Santly Bros.
1931
Hirsch, Walter (lyrics) and Erwin R. Schmidt (music): Carolina sunshine. New York : Harry von Tilzer
Rissland, Karl: The Ditson easy trio album for violin, ‘cello, and piano. Boston, Mass. : Oliver Ditson Co.
1922
Lyttleton, Claud (words) and Hamilton Gray (music): A dream of paradise. New York : Armstrong Music Publ.
1903
English favorites. New York : Century Music
undated
Fulton, Bert L.: Evening chimes: reverie. London : Frederick Harris Co.
1910
Fifty-six songs you like to sing. New York : G. Schirmer
1937
The four hand folio: a collection of gems arranged for two performers. New York : Richard A. Saalsfield
undated
Fay, J. Everett (words) and James B. Oliver (music): Good night beloved, good night. New York : M. Witmark and Sons
1900
Weatherly, F. E. (words) and Stephen Adams (music): The holy city. New York : Boosey and Co.
1892
Eberhart, Nelle Richmond (words) and Charles Wakefield Cadman (music): I hear a thrush at eve. Boston, Mass. : White-Smith Publ.
1913
Ford, Lena Guilbert (words) and Ivor Novello (music): Keep the home fires burning (till the boys come home). New York : Chappell and Co.
1914
Brennan, J. Keirn (lyrics) and Ernest R. Ball (music): A little bit of heaven, shure they call it Ireland (how Ireland got its name). New York : M. Witmark and Sons
1911
Grieg, Edvard: Lyrical pieces for pianoforte. New York : G. Schirmer
1904
Blake, Ella Dot Martin: Manuscript music book. :
undated
The monster imperial. :
1905
Scott, Clement (words) and Reginald de Koven (music): Oh promise me . New York : G. Schirmer
1917
Blossom, Henry (lyrics) and Victor Herbert (music): The Princess Pat. New York : M. Witmark and Sons
undated
Clementi, Muzio: Six sonatinas. New York : G. Schirmer
1904
Newton, Eileen (words) and Arthur F. Tate (music): Somewhere a voice is calling. New York : T. B. Harms
1911
Standard studies and study pieces for the pianoforte. New York : Century Music
1908
Cooke, Leonard (words) and Lilian Ray (music): The sunshine of your smile. New York : T. B. Harms
1915
King, Stoddard (lyrics) and Zo Elliott (music): There’s a long, long trail. New York : M. Witmark and Sons
1915
Graff, George (words) and Ernest R. Ball (music): Till the sands of the desert grow old. New York : M. Witmark and Sons
1911
Strauss, Johann: Voices of spring. New York : Century Music
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