John Rogers Thomas was born on March 26, 1829 in Newport, South Wales, and died on April 5, 1896. He also may have used the pseudonyms of Charles Osborne, Arthur Percy and Harry Diamond. His most popular songs were The Cottage by the Sea (1856), Old Friends and Old Times (1856), Bonny Eloise—The Belle of Mohawk Vale (1858), 'Tis But a Little Faded Flower (1860), When the War Is Over, Mary (1864), Beautiful Isle of the Sea (1865), Croquet (1867), Eilleen Allanna (1873), and Rose of Killarney (1876).
Three large works which he composed are (1) The Picnic (1869), a cantata for schools (children's operetta), with words by George Cooper (Boston: Oliver Ditson & Co.); (2) The Lady in the Mask (1870), an operetta, with words by George Cooper, containing two songs (New York: Wm. A. Pond & Co.); and, (3) Diamond Cut Diamond (1876), a parlor opera in one act containing seven songs (New York: J. L. Peters). (Hide extended text) ... (Read all)
