George R. Poulton

Who was George R. Poulton?

George R. Poulton was a musician and composer. best known for composing the tune to "Aura Lea".

He was born in Cricklade, Nr Cirencester, England in 1828. He was baptised in St. Mary's Church and was raised in the town until the age of seven when his parents, Charles and Hannah Poulton, emigrated to Lansingburgh, New York. George Poulton's descendants still have connections with the little Saxon town of Cricklade.

In 1861, George Poulton composed the tune "Aura Lea" - one of the most popular tunes of the 19th Century which became a famous American Civil War song and later became popular with college glee clubs and barbershop quartets. It was also sung at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. In 1956 the song was given new lyrics and released as the Elvis Presley song "Love Me Tender".

In 1867, six years after writing "Aura Lea", George R. Poulton died, aged thirty-eight.