Louis Drakeford

{{Short description|Australian journalist, writer and songwriter}} '''Louis Henry Drakeford''' (1876 – November 1952)<ref name=Argus1952>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23206087 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=33,136 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=15 November 1952 |accessdate=21 January 2025 |page=16 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> was an Australian journalist, author and songwriter. He was a brother of Labor politician Arthur Drakeford (26 April 1878 – 9 June 1957). He also wrote as '''Thomas Louis Drakeford'''.

==History== Drakeford was born in 1876 in Victoria, Australia, a son of jeweller Samuel Finch Drakeford (died 1933)<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article203815487 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=The Age |issue=24,381 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=3 June 1933 |accessdate=21 January 2025 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> and his wife Elizabeth Margaret Drakeford, née Josephs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Birth certificate: Drakeford, Lewis Henry |url=https://my.rio.bdm.vic.gov.au/efamily-history/66f3482f26905d0dd46c670b/record/5c6545b54aba80ac31313581?q=efamily&givenName=Lewis%20Henry&familyName=DRAKEFORD |access-date=2025-01-21 |website=Births Deaths and Marriages Victoria}}</ref>

In his early days Drakeford lived in Sale, Victoria, Walhalla, Victoria, and Melbourne;<ref name=Argus1952/> sometime around 1900 moving to northern China, where he worked for 27 years,<ref name=Register1928>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article53608476 |title=Is England Musical? |newspaper=The Register (Adelaide) |volume=XCIII |issue=27,262 |location=South Australia |date=31 December 1928 |accessdate=21 January 2025 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> before moving to New York City, where he spent the rest of his life.

==Works== *"Hide and Seek" sung by Ada Crossley in 1896<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article174521301 |title=Footlights and Footnotes |newspaper=The Champion (Melbourne) |volume=2 |issue=40 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=21 March 1896 |accessdate=21 January 2025 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> *Music to "Hands Across the Sea" by Walter Watkins 1900<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article121192767 |title=Old, New Music |newspaper=The Sydney Stock and Station Journal |volume=XII |issue=17 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=12 June 1900 |accessdate=21 January 2025 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> *(As Thomas Louis Drakeford) book ''Honky Tonk Girl'', 1936.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article237744311 |title=Novels And Novelties—By Will Hanley |newspaper=The Labor Daily |issue=3965 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=20 August 1936 |accessdate=21 January 2025 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> *Music to William Tainsh's patriotic verse "The Invincibles" 1941<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8190629 |title="The Invincibles" Set to Music |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=29,600 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=7 July 1941 |accessdate=21 January 2025 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

==Family== Drakeford married Margie; their children included Louis, Yvonne, and Elaine.<ref name=Argus1952/>

He was a brother of Ernest J. Drakeford (deceased), Frederick J. Drakeford (deceased). Maude Drakeford, who married F. S. Brown; Olive Drakeford, who married C. Hand; Emma Drakeford, who married R. Liddell; Ettie Drakeford, who married C. Ryan), Rose Drakeford of Sydney; Peter A. Drakeford of San Francisco, US; and Arthur S. Drakeford. M.P. (of 63 Park st., Moonee Ponds).

==References== {{Reflist}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Drakeford, Louis}} Category:1876 births Category:1953 deaths Category:Australian journalists Category:Australian male journalists Category:Australian writers Category:Australian male songwriters Category:Australian male writers