Hargreaves, William

William Hargreaves (1880–1941) was a British composer and songwriter. He was born in Liverpool, but moved to London in 1901 where he established himself as a song and revue writer. His most famous songs include:

• Burlington Bertie from Bow
• Delaney’s Donkey
• Down in the field where the buttercups all grow
• Farewell Isabelle
• I’ve never wronged an onion
• Just like being at home (with Harry Lauder)
• Little by little and bit by bit (with Worton David)
• Little Yellow Bird (with CW Murphy, 1903)
• The Most miserable man on earth (with Sam Mayo, 1904)
• Oh! I must go home tonight
• PC 49
• Where The Violets Are Blue-oo and The Roses Are Red
• The King’s Navy
• Your dear old dad was Irish (your mother came from Wales)

He was married to the singer and male impersonator Ella Shields and wrote a number of songs for her.