That’s when a song called “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles,” a jazz waltz composed by John William Kellette, hit Broadway in the play “The Passing Show of 1918.” The song’s words were written by Jaan Kenbrovin, who the National Museum of American History notes doesn’t actually exist. Kenbrovin was a pseudonym for a writing team that included James Kendis, James Brockman, and Nat Vincent. Regardless, “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles” became a popular tune when it hit the airwaves soon after, even catching on at West Ham’s local Park School, according to Goal and NBC Sports.
Those outlets point out that Park School had a rather lively sports culture, with several of its soccer players, including Syd Puddefoot and Jim Barrett, going on to join West Ham. One teammate who didn’t end up at West Ham but ended up with a memorable legacy nonetheless was Billy J. Murray, who earned the nickname “Bubbles” thanks to his apparent resemblance to the pale, curly-haired lad on the Pears’ Soap advertisements. Pears’ Soap is still around, but a century ago, its advertising looked much different: The boy in question actually came from the 1886 oil painting “A Child’s World” by Pre-Raphaelite John Everett Millais. That painting, co-opted for the ad, became known as “Bubbles.” Thus, Park School soccer star Murray earned his Bubbles nickname.
