Journalist, Songwriter. He was the literary editor of the music publishing firm of Francis, Day and Hunter, and the lyricist of some of the most popular songs of the Edwardian era, such as: "Why Am I Always the Bridesmaid"; "Don't Dilly Dally On the Way"; and "Waiting at the Church", the latter of which achieved some notoriety in 1978 when Jim Callaghan sang it at the Labour Party Conference, only to lose the election to Margaret Thatcher. Almost nothing is known of his private life, except that he lived in Willoughby Road in Hornsey and was married to a lady named Kate. In 1905, when the 19-year old Jerome Kern was on a visit to London, he collaborated with Leigh on a song called "Won't You Kiss Me Before I Go?" Forty years later, Kern repaid the compliment by including Leigh's song "Poor John" in a sequence of the Rita Hayworth film "Cover Girl" which is set in a British music hall, although Leigh went uncredited on screen.
Journalist, Songwriter. He was the literary editor of the music publishing firm of Francis, Day and Hunter, and the lyricist of some of the most popular songs of the Edwardian era, such as: "Why Am I Always the Bridesmaid"; "Don't Dilly Dally On the Way"; and "Waiting at the Church", the latter of which achieved some notoriety in 1978 when Jim Callaghan sang it at the Labour Party Conference, only to lose the election to Margaret Thatcher. Almost nothing is known of his private life, except that he lived in Willoughby Road in Hornsey and was married to a lady named Kate. In 1905, when the 19-year old Jerome Kern was on a visit to London, he collaborated with Leigh on a song called "Won't You Kiss Me Before I Go?" Forty years later, Kern repaid the compliment by including Leigh's song "Poor John" in a sequence of the Rita Hayworth film "Cover Girl" which is set in a British music hall, although Leigh went uncredited on screen.
Bio by: Iain MacFarlaine
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