your comments
Sylvia Lean, Cornwall
My grandmother was the housekeeper for Ivor Novello's mother. I have 4 photographic postcards of him and 1 of his mother sent and given to my grandmother. One is signed by him as Ivor Novello 1921 and another which was actually written by his mother and posted is signed Love to Mary from Boy (the name that his mother called him). My grandmother was also given a cameo brooch which had belonged to Novello's mother. Does anybody have an idea of the value of these?
Lloyd from Penpedairheol
There is a strong connection to Tonyrefail where his great grandfather and Clara Davies' grandafather was the celebrated preacher and resident Rev William Evans of Capel y Ton who died in 1890s. In the book, a History of Tonyrefail, there is mention of this fact and a picture of Clara Novello Davies standing by the grave. This side of the family (paternal or maternal I am unsure) were from farming stock living in Garth Grabban farm for generations.
Jean from Guernsey
My Great Aunt Edie Williams was trained to sing by Ivor Novello's Mother & her nephew Derrick Sherwin was an actor & producer of Dr Who in the early days.
Joseph of Swansea
To Louise Williams from Swansea - great to hear about the family tree. Do you know if Ivor Novello's grandfather was Benjamin Davies, a police officer in Cardiff by any chance? I'd be glad to know as our familiy might be related also.Many thanks.
Jennifer Raynes, Merthyr Tydfil
I can see that many people believe that they are related to Ivor Novello. My mother also believes this and she is aged 92. Does anyone know if Clara Novello Davies has any connection with Merthyr Tydfil? Does anyone know her maiden and birth name as I believe Clara Novello Davies was her stage name?
Mike Sadler
I really don't know alot about him, apart from my mother had his baby things! I think he was my Great Uncle's cousin (by marriage). There is a Birmingham connection, because my Grandmother grew up in the Jewellery Quarter, before becoming a dancer, along with most of her family, in London and abroad.
Katryn from Cardiff
My great grandmother, Gladys Morgan was Ivor Novello's first cousin. They lived in the same street and were childhood playmates. Awww!
Brenda Cox in Bedford
A musical genius. One of the most handsome men I have ever seen (two good profiles stuck together my father used to say!) I would love to be able to see his musicals performed today. If Phantom of the Opera suceeded why would not King's Rhapsody or The Dancing Years? They could be slightly modernised and the wonderful music would show people how great a tunesmith Ivor Novello really was.
Pat from Gloucester
Of course there should be a statue and more to keep alive his name. I have the Sandy Wilson biography too and browsing through it brings back some happy memories as I knew both his house in Littlewick Green, which has been a theatre school for many years (and some great parties took place there, keeping up the tradition) and his flat in the Aldwych, which was given over to theatrical agencies. The problem with naming a music hall, whatever, after him is that it could go the way of other such places in time. I could never understand why the Sybil Thorndike Theatre in Leatherhead had to close down but presumably it wasn't paying its way - I wouldn't want to see that happen to somewhere named after Ivor. There is a (predominantly) children's theatre named after him in Sunninghill.
Captain Norman Lloyd-Edwards
The Ivor Novello Statue Fund is making good progress. The statue by Swansea scuptor, Peter Nicholls, is now in resin form ready for the bronze firing. We are half way to raising the £83,000 needed and as we are now a registered charity, we hope to receive funds from other trusts and foundations and claim Gift Aid from all donors. We are also planning fund raising events to achieve our aim to commemorate Wales's greatest songwriter. Full details from www.novellowales.com (Message from the President of the Appeal)
Ros Williams, Somerset
I am a great fan of Ivor Novello. I can just remember him and most particularly when he died and the state funeral - I was a little girl then. I remembered a great deal of his music and have always loved it. He never seemed able to write a bad tune. I wish we could see the musicals now but it seems they are only extremely rarely performed, I presume too expensive and it might not be the same without Ivor in the leading role every time. To answer someone else writing above, there are some good biogs of him. One I have is just called Ivor by Sandy Wilson and is packed full of illustrations of his every film, show, play etc with writeups. His movie the Lodger is easily obtained on DVD, also the American version of the later talkie when it's good to hear him speak and see him play the piano a little. There is a superb book called Ivor Novello: Screen Idol which investigates in great depth his movies. I find it frustrating no others of his movies seem available to buy although it seems clear the BFI have some of them including the famous "Rat" movies.
Maurita Evans, Adelaide, Australia
My grandmother had a boarding house in Porthcawl. Ivor Novello was performing in the Porthcawl Pavilion, and he stayed there. My grandmother was pregnant with my mother at the time, and when she was born she was named Clara Novello Organ.
Rosie from Worthing
My maternal grandmother was a friend of Ivor's mother and my mother was christened Evelene Victoria Novello. Mother met Ivor when visiting his mother and he warned her to take care of her voice (he was 13 years older), which was a high soprano. She sang solos in various churches around Caerphilly, but with no voice training. He was probably right, as she lost the higher registers as she grew older. My gradmother always referred to Ivor's mother as Mrs Novello rather than Davies.
Bryon Sommers
I was pianist for Tessie O'Shea. Tessie used to, at least while I worked with her in the 1980's, do the Ivor Novello song We'll Gather Lilacs in her act. She told me of the story of the writing of that song. While Ivor was in prison, for 8 weeks of which he only served 4, he wrote a song to his then lover whose name I don't know. Tessie told me that it was written as a stand alone piece and Tessie said later it was put in a show which he went on to write and it became very famous because of British soldiers still stationed overseas.
Debra, Devon
My grandmother Hannah Elizabeth and her sister Betrice Davies were distant cousins of his, on my mother's side.
Bill Desmond, Kincardine, Canada
The hell with a statue - use any money raised to provide a scholarship for promising young Welsh musicians/songwriters/vocalists. You may just give a chance to another genius.
Louise Williams from Swansea
My Great Grandfather Henry Davies is a lateral descendant of Ivor Novello and we have just researched the family tree. We are honoured to be a distant relative of this talented and charismatic man.
Mike from Cardiff
How annoying to find people living outside of Wales having an opinion on this subject, fair enough if they are fans of Mr Novello and they wish to fund raise some money to pay for a suitable monument, but there are many things which we need in this city which I feel would be of a more important cause. Why oh why do we live in a nostalgic past, when we should be moving forward and creating a new and vibrant city? A statue would do what exactly? A park with lilacs? We have so many great parks in Cardiff, we don't need any more. Why not create something forward thinking with his name associated with it ... oh! I guess this has already been done.
Catherine from Sydney, Australia
Family legend has it that we too are related to Ivor - I haven't found a link yet! Seems lots of people have the same problem... There was a biography of Ivor Novello, but it's probably out of print now. I have a copy - Ivor Novello - Man of the Theatre by Peter Noble.
Terry Lee, Bristol
People write about a statue to Ivor Novello in Cardiff - like most UK cities have quite enough of those which are in most cases nothing more than obstacles to traffic and pigeon perches. The way to honour this man would be by naming a music hall after him. But those people who decide such things in Cardiff know nothing at all about the city or the people who have lived - or are living - in it.
Pearl Darlington, Toronto, Canada
Ivor Novello's wonderful music is very difficult to obtain now, except as a "lucky" find in rummage sales or second-hand book sales, as much of it is out of print. Come on Cardiff (my birth place) - do something to keep his memory and music alive! As well as ensuring a statue is completed and put in place, how about an Ivor Novello music festival or some other regularly-staged event for his music?
John Bohlin originally from Riverside, Cardiff
Can anyone find out what happened to the collection in 1992?
Barbara (Birmingham)
I am related to him on my mothers side.
Mary Vincent, North Wales
I learnt to play the piano aged 7 to enable me to play We'll Gather Lilacs etc and have enjoyed Ivor Novello's music for a lifetime. He should be remembered with a statue in Cardiff. He was greatly loved by many in his lifetime.
David Lazell (Loughborough)
Although a Christian, I think that talent is more a mystery than anything argued about by the theologians. Ivor reflected that poetic sense of the Beyond that seemed to characterise so many people I knew when I lived in Bridgend. What if he and Dylan Thomas had collaborated on a musical...wow! I think we are on the edge of a new era of sentiment, and, despite the comment in the recent excellent Radio 4 programme about Noel Coward and Ivor as friends, sooner or later someone will have a stab at a west end revival, but maybe we need a new musical play about Ivor (take your tissues)
Myfanwy Bajaj, Toronto Canada.
Wonderful works. Deserves better.Should be remembered in a far more dignified manner amongst the "greats" of Wales.
Frances Helen Silburn.Toronto Canada
The multi-talented Ivor Novello deserves to be honoured in his native city. One of the many Cardiff parks should plant a garden with a variety of Lilacs.
Deanna Seal from Cowbridge
My father William Ewart Davies was cousin to Ivor Novello. I am trying to confirm this. I know the family originally came from Carmarthen. Can anyone help?
Wendy - Cardiff
Ivor Novello was my mother's mother's 1st cousin but sadly little is known of him in the family. and sadly my mum and her cousin are the only close family of Ivor's left who are still alive.
Sinfonia Britannia
Join The Wales Millennium Centre as it honours the genius and magic of Wales' native son Ivor Novello - composer, movie idol, West End star and 'the last great romantic'. 26 November, The Wales Millennium Centre, www.wmc.org.uk.
Chris from Crosskeys
I find it hard to beleive that a brilliant
composer as Ivor Novello undoubtedly is can be totally ignored by his home city of Cardiff. Shame on you Cardiff a small
room in St Davids hall is a measley
unforgiveable insult to this great man.
Jan from Cardiff
I think Ivor Novello was an inspiration to us all and his music is a legend to be remembered forever. Long may his music live.
Derek Parker - Sydney, New South Wales
It's sad there is no good biography of Ivor Novello available. I've been trying for some years to interest a publisher in such a thing; the response is invariably "But no-one has ever heard of him." Madness!
John Howe
Ivor Novello was certainly a giant of early 20th century showbiz. I think it is a shame that there is no easily accessible monument to this great man. A statue fund has been established - let's hope that enough is raised soon enough to place a statue in the new 'opera house' in the Bay.
Diana Williams from London
£31,000 was collected for such a statue in Cardiff in 1992, and an Italian sculptor was given the job over a champagne dinner in Cardiff - then nothing happened. It seems that there is something distinctly fishy about the whole thing. Ivor was a unique man with a huge talent, and the kindest and unspoilt person you could ever wish to meet. It makes my blood boil to think that for some odd reason nothing was done - particularly since the money came in from many people with small incomes who could ill afford to give.
Stage and screen legend
David Ivor Davies was born in 1893 at Llwyn-yr-Eos (Grove of Nightingales) in Canton, Cardiff, to tax collector David Ivor Davies and Dame Clara Novello Davies. His professional name came from an Italian godmother.
