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Records

Portland

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Portland records were sold by Currys, probably in the 1920s, as a sideline to their successful bicycle manufacturing business. All Portland records are paste-over labels upon existing Winner issues, although some of the red-labelled ones are cleverly disguised by having the label fit neatly into the sunken central area of the Winner record.

Currys obviously had an arrangement with J.E. Hough Ltd (who produced the Winner records) but whether they obtained the records in bulk or gradually as they went out of catalogue, I don't know.

There were three series of Portland records, and some of the Winners being over-stuck and sold as Portland could have been as much as 5 years old at the time. The extent of each of the series is unknown.

Series 1: A pale blue label with gold printing, which makes them almost impossible to read. The label shows no artists names, just the type of music, and the catalogue was in a 1000-series. The original Winners on known examples all date from pre-1920.

Series 2: A dark red label of the same design as "Westport" (another Currys Winner over-paste, q.v.) with black printing. The artists names generally match the ones on the Winner label beneath and the catalogue is in an 8000-series

Series 3: A mauve label with dark blue printing and a catalogue in a 9000-series. The label states "Curry 1927 Ltd" though the original Winners found with this label are usually from about 1924 !

 
Series 1

Series 2


series 3

This is a first attempt at a listing. Please e-mail me if you can help me fill in the gaps in any of these series.

Thanks to the following who have provided extra information: Robert Girling, Mike Jones, Ian McPherson, Roger Mallatratt, Richard Prout

Page last updated on: October 01, 2024

Cat No Matrix Title Desc Artists Winner
1001          
           
1009 3028 (842)
 (843)
Life's Dream Is O'er
When We Are Married
Duet Alma Jones & Wilfred Virgo 2424
           
1034 2499 (30)
3519 (1342)
The Trumpeter
Here's A Health Unto His Majesty
  Robert Carr (baritone)
Julien Henry (baritone)
2699
1035 4651-2 (1623)
4655-1 (1624)
Away Down In Coney Island
The Rooster's Yarn
Fox trot
Fox trot
Royal Court Orchestra 2842
           
1053    (1928)
   (1929)
The Tram Conductor
The Man Behind The Bar
  Harry Bluff 2997
           
1087 5541 (2268)
5542 (2269)
Oh, You Cuddlesome Girl
Early In The Morning
Song Stanley Kirkby & Harry Hudson 3166
           
1094 5559 (2296)
5558 (2297)
When The Bells Of Peace Are Ringing
Sergeant Daddy, V.C.
Song Stanley Kirkby 3180
           
1117 5702
5703
Oshkosh
Uncle Sam's Got A Great Big Stick
Song The Two Bobs 3257
1118 5695
5756
He May Be Old, But He's Got Young Ideas
I've Just Gone And Lost That Darned Old Train Again
Song (Stanley) Kirkby & (Harry) Hudson 3262
1119          
1120          
1121 5900
5901
The Jingaboo Man
Torpedo Jim
Song The Two Bobs 3302
1122          
1123          
1124 6032
6033
A Lonely Soul
Someone Else May Be There While I'm Gone
Song Stanley Kirkby 3321
1125 6012
6013
Everybody's Jazzing Now
Our Big Jazz Band
Song The Elliotts 3322
           

 

Cat No Matrix Title Labelled Artists Winner
8001 5106 (2018)
5107 (2019)
'Tis Only A Rose
Underneath The Stars
Robert Carr (baritone) 3042
8002        
8003        
8004        
8005        
8006        
8007        
8008 4049 (1187)
4050 (1188)
The Shopwalker
The Jap
Harry Bluff (comic) 2613
8009 4186
4187
Husheen
Rory Darlin'
Jessie Broughton 2664
         
8015 6206
6207
John Of Devon
Simon The Cellarer
Charles Tree (baritone, with orch accmp) 3572
         
8023 7167
7170
That's How The World Was Made
Sleepy Little Curly-Headed Baby
Gerald Adams (tenor) 3669
8024 7214
7216
Sally
Rainbow
Stanley Kirkby (baritone) 3661
8025        
8026        
8027 7604
7732
Second Hand Rose
Good-Bye Shanghai
(Fred) Van Eps' Quartette
Nathan Glantz & his Orchestra
3720
         
8035 8056
8057
Oh, That Mistletoe Bough
Nobody Told Me
Stanley Kirkby & Harry Hudson 3921
         
8052 8411
8447
Born And Bred In Brooklyn
Southern Roses
Diplomat Orchestra (= Speciality Orchestra)
Diplomat Orchestra (= Green Bros. Novelty Orch)
3962
         
8066 8754
8755
In Between The Showers
You're In Kentucky
Fredk. Grainger (tenor) 4069
         
8071 9365
9366
Sweet Little You
Too Tired
Edison Bell Dance Orchestra 4227
         
8078 8502 (8417)
8594 (8427)
Somebody's Wrong
Linger Awhile
Pavilion Players (= Porter's Blue Devils)
Pavilion Players (= Bailey's Lucky Seven)
3977
         

 

Cat No Matrix Title Labelled Artists Winner
9001 10266
10268
Matador (6/8)
Sevilla (6/8)
Regent Dance Orchestra 4487
9002 9989
9995
Picador
Carolina
Robert Carr (baritone) 4404
9003 8099
8110
Carolina Home
Lost (A Wonderful Gal)
Pavilion Players (= Bailey's Lucky Seven) 3862
9004 8554
8555
Here He Is Again
The Plain Jane Of The Family
Blackpool Tower Orchestra 4026
9005 8040
8044
Dancing Honeymoon
I'll Build A Stairway To Paradise
Hurlingham Club Orchestra 3923
9006 8931
8932
In The Cool Of The Evening
Marie, I Want To Mar-ry You
Elite Dance Orchestra (= Edison Bell Dance Orch) 4145
9007 8678
8715
I Love The Girl Who Kisses
Before You Go
Regent Orchestra (= Bailey's Lucky Seven)
Regent Orchestra (= The Four Musical Minstrels)
4057
9008 7966
7967
She Gives It All To Me
Those Naughty Eyes
Vic Willis & his Orchestra 3884
9009 8679
8824
Are You Lonely ?
After The Storm
Regent Orchestra (= Bailey's Lucky Seven) 4072
9010