Henry E. Pether

Henry Edmond Pether (13 November 1867 – 7 February 1932) was an English songwriter and arranger.

He was born in Tottenham, London, and worked for many years as an employee of the music publishers, Francis, Day & Hunter, primarily as an arranger of songs, including traditional folk songs and shanties, for publication as sheet music.^[1][2] As a writer, his most successful songs included "Waiting at the Church" and "Poor John" (both with lyrics by Fred W. Leigh, sung by Vesta Victoria, 1906); and "The Seaside Posters Round the Home" (lyrics by Edgar Bateman, performed by Ernest Hastings, 1919).^[1][3] He also produced orchestral arrangements for revues, including The Ragtime Revue (1912), and The Co-Optimists (1921).^[2] Together with Bennett Scott, Worton David and others, Pether was one of the founders of the Performing Right Society, to ensure the fair distribution of copyright payments to songwriters.^[3]

He died in Palmers Green, London in 1932, aged 64.^[1]