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Felix Powell

1878 – 1942

British, Welsh composer

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About Felix Powell

Lived 1878 – 1942 (aged 63). Felix Powell was a British composer.

Felix Lloyd Powell (23 May 1878 – 10 February 1942) was a Welsh British Army Staff Sergeant most famous for writing the music for marching song "Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag and Smile, Smile, Smile", in 1915, during World War I. The words were written by his brother George Henry Powell (under the pseudonym George Asaf), and the song was entered into a competition for "best morale-building song". It won first prize and was noted as "perhaps the most optimistic song ever written".

Powell later wrote a musical play, Rubicund Castle, which was staged at the Pavilion Theatre in Peacehaven. When a West End producer bought it he drastically altered it, leaving only the music unchanged, and renamed it Primrose Times. This version went unstaged after the latter was arrested and convicted for fraud.

Powell committed suicide during World War II in 1942, aged 63. Wearing the uniform of the Peacehaven Home Guard, he shot himself in the heart while on guard duty, using his own rifle.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Also known as
Felix Lloyd Powell, Felix L. Powell

People in Felix Powell's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Felix Powell's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Felix Powell?

British, Welsh composer

When was Felix Powell born?

Felix Powell was born on 23 May 1878 in St Asaph.

When did Felix Powell die?

Felix Powell died on 10 February 1942 in Peacehaven.

What was Felix Powell's occupation?

Felix Powell was a composer.

What nationality was Felix Powell?

Felix Powell was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Felix Powell

· Wikidata: Q5442307

· DBpedia: Felix Powell

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Felix Powell. https://biography.guide/felix-powell/

MLA: "Felix Powell." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/felix-powell/.

Chicago: "Felix Powell." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/felix-powell/.

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