William Frederick Bridgen (1871 – 21 August 1924), known professionally as Fred W. Leigh, was an English lyricist who co-wrote several popular music hall songs of the early twentieth century, Born in London, he worked in the offices of the humorous magazine Punch when he was young, and later wrote stories for boys' magazines.
In 1901, he joined the staff of music publishers Francis, Day & Hunter, as literary editor, and remained there until his death.
[1] In 1905, when the young Jerome Kern visited London, Leigh collaborated with him on a song, "Won't You Kiss Me Once Before I Go?
"; almost forty years later, Kern used Leigh's song "Poor John" in the Rita Hayworth film Cover Girl.
These included "The Galloping Major" (1906), co-written with George Bastow, who performed it while cavorting about the stage on a wooden hobby horse; "Waiting at the Church" and "Poor John!"