The Old Showmen and the Old London FairsFrost, Thomas
History
The Old Showmen and the Old London Fairs
Frost, Thomas
Fairs -- England -- London; London (England) -- Social life and customs
The next show announced, for one penny, "_The Black Wild Indian Woman--The
White Indian Youth--and the Welsh Dwarf--All Alive!_" There was this
further announcement on the outside: "_The Young American will Perform
after the Manner of the French Jugglers at Vauxhall Gardens, with Balls,
Rings, Daggers, &c._" The Welsh dwarf was William Phillips, of Denbigh,
fifteen years of age. The "White Indian youth" was an Esquimaux; and the
exhibitor assured the visitors upon his veracity that the "black wild
Indian woman" was a Court lady of the island of Madagascar. The young
American was the exhibitor himself, an intelligent and clever fellow in a
loose striped frock, tied round the middle. He commenced his performances
by throwing up three balls, which he kept constantly in the air, as he
afterwards did four, and then five, with great dexterity, using his hands,
shoulders, and elbows apparently with equal ease. He afterwards threw up
three rings, each about four inches in diameter, and then four, which he
kept in motion with similar success. To end his performance, he produced
three knives, which, by throwing up and down, he contrived to preserve in
the air altogether. The young American's dress and knives were very
similar to those of the Anglo-Saxon glee-man, as Strutt has figured them
from a MS. in the Cotton collection.
The inscriptions and paintings on the outside of the next show announced
"_The White Negro, who was rescued from her Black Parents by the bravery
of a British Officer--the only White Negro Girl Alive--The Great Giantess
and Dwarf--Six Curiosities Alive!--Only a Penny to see them All Alive!_"
One side of the interior was covered by a pictorial representation of a
tread-mill, with convicts at work upon it, superintended by warders. On
the other side were several monkeys in cages, an old bear in a jacket, and
sundry other animals. When a sufficient number of persons had assembled, a
curtain was withdrawn, and the visitors beheld the giantess and the white
negro, whom the showman pronounced "the greatest curiosity ever seen--the
first that has been exhibited since the reign of George II.--look at her
head and hair, ladies and gentlemen, and feel it; there's no
deception--it's like ropes of wool!" The girl, who had the flat nose,
thick lips, and peculiarly-shaped skull of the negro, stooped to have her
hair examined. It was of a dull flaxen hue, and hung, according to Hone's
description, "in ropes, of a clothy texture, the thickness of a quill, and
from four to six inches in length." Her skin was the colour of an
European's. Then there stepped forth a little fellow about three feet
high, in a military dress, with top boots, who "strutted his tiny legs,
and held his head aloft with not less importance than the proudest general
officer could assume upon his promotion to the rank of field marshal."
The next show was announced as an "exhibition of real wonders," and the
following bill was put forth by its proprietor:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account