 On 9 May 1885 , at the age of 15 , Lloyd made her professional solo stage début at the Grecian music hall ( in the same premises as the Eagle Tavern ) , under the name " Matilda Wood " . She performed " In the Good Old Days " and " My Soldier Laddie " , which proved successful , and earned her a booking at the Sir John Falstaff music hall in Old Street where she sang a series of romantic ballads . Soon after this , she chose the stage name Bella <unk> and appeared on stage in costumes designed by her mother . Her performances were a success , despite her singing other artists ' songs without their permission , a practice which brought her a threat of an injunction from one of the original performers . News of her act travelled ; that October , she appeared at the Collins music hall in Islington in a special performance to celebrate the theatre 's refurbishment , the first time she had appeared outside Hoxton , and two months later , she was engaged at the Hammersmith Temple of Varieties and the Middlesex Music Hall in Drury Lane . On 3 February 1886 , she appeared at the prestigious Sebright Music Hall in Bethnal Green , where she met George Ware , a prolific composer of music hall songs . Ware became her agent and , after a few weeks , she began performing songs purchased from little @-@ known composers . As her popularity grew , Ware suggested that she change her name . " Marie " was chosen for its " posh " and " slightly French " sound , and " Lloyd " was taken from an edition of Lloyd 's Weekly Newspaper . 
