Tom Major

Tom Major was born Abraham Thomas Ball in Bloxwich, Staffordshire, on 18 May 1879. After living for several years in the United States the family moved back to the UK around 1896. Abraham developed a stage career as a music hall comedian and song-and-dance man under the name Tom Major in partnership with Kitty Grant. In 1906 Tom and Kitty were founder members of the Variety Artistes' Federation. They married in 1910 following the death of Kitty's husband. A heart condition prevented Tom from enlisting for active service in the First World War. Kitty died in 1928 and Tom retired from performing two years later. By then, in 1929, Tom had married the dancer Gwendolyn (Gwen) Minny Coates. Tom now began a business making gnomes and other garden ornaments. He and Gwen had four children, including the future British Prime Minister John Major. Tom died on 27 March 1962 and Gwen died in 1970.

Performances associated with Tom Major