 Throughout his career, Cecil wrote comedy sketches such as "Bright Idea" (1881) with composer Arthur Law, and songs, some of which became popular or were interpolated into musical theatre pieces, such as "Little Jack Sheppard" (1885).He supplemented his income by entertaining at private events and parties.Cecil died on 16 April 1896 at Brighton at the age of 52 and was buried at the Old Mortlake Burial Ground, then in the Municipal Borough of Barnes, Surrey and now maintained by the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.