[1] In the 1911 England Census, his father Lewis, is shown as a "Dealer in rags" (wife, Becky, "Assisting in the business"), and Ambrose as Barnett, a "Violin student musician".

[2] He began playing professionally, first for Emil Coleman at New York's Reisenweber's restaurant, then in the Palais Royal's big band.

He gave as his date of birth 11 September 1896; place of birth Warsaw, Russia; nationality Russian; father's birthplace Grietza, Russia; place of employment Palais Royal, 48th Street & Broadway; nearest relative Mrs Becky Ambrose, mother, 56 "Blaksley" Street, London, England.

[3] After a year there, besieged by continual pleas to return from his ex-employer in London, in 1925 he was finally persuaded to go back by a cable from the Prince of Wales: "The Embassy needs you.

[3] On 7 July 1939 at Blenheim Palace, less than two months before war was declared, it was the Ambrose band which played for the lavish coming-out party held for 17 year-old Lady Sarah Consuelo Spencer-Churchill.

Other singers with the Ambrose band included Sam Browne, Elsie Carlisle, Denny Dennis, who recorded a number of duets with Vera Lynn, Max Bacon (also the band's drummer), Evelyn Dall and Anne Shelton, with whom "When That Man is Dead and Gone", a jibe at Adolf Hitler, written by Irving Berlin, was recorded in 1941.

[9] After a short period back at the May Fair Hotel, Ambrose retired from performing in 1940, although he and his orchestra continued to make records for Decca until 1947.

[2] In the mid-1950s, despite appearances in London's West End and a number of recordings for MGM, Ambrose, in common with other bandleaders, was struggling because rock and roll had arrived.

He was forced to start performing in small clubs with casual musicians, and his financial position deteriorated catastrophically.

His situation was saved, however, by his discovery of the singer Kathy Kirby, whom he heard singing at the age of 16 at the Ilford Palais.

His music was kept alive after his death by, among others, Radio 2 broadcasters Alan Dell and Malcolm Laycock, the latter continuing to play his records into the 21st century.