A few more photogrphic post cards have been added this year so far. The first selection represent some aspect of Travelling Menageries and Circuses.
The Alphonso family were well known aerialists. A notable speciality act was having three cyclists balancing above the lion’s den on narrow cycleways. whilst below the trainer would put the lions through several tricks. The date is probably 1904 when they were at Madison Square Gardens in New York.
A rather puzzling Carte de Visite by W L Shrubsole, date unknown. Bsed at 5 Davey Place and at Victoria staion in Norwich. William Lewis Shrubsole, 82 Chapelfield Road, Norwich and was known to be photographing between 1890 – 1910. Little is known of his landscape art.
Is though, this an image of the elusive ‘Mrs Wombwell (Ann Morgan)? Norwich has connections to the Menageire, via the wife of E H Bostock, who was from Norwich.
A scarce postcard representing the Tower Circus ring at Blackpool in England. A full description of Frank Matcham’s interiors can be found on the NFA website.
A popular colour postcard of the lion cages at Blackpool Circus and Zoo. Date unknown, poor quality reproduction.
Charles Jamrach (1815 – 1891) was the leading dealer and his emporium was situated in what was then known as Ratcliff Highway in east London — at the time the largest such shop in the world. From the description the building can be placed on the 1868 Edward Weller map of London near to the Tobacco Dock somewhere along St George’s Road (to the right of North Quay).
“Lord” George Sanger had died many years before, but his circus travelled till 1941 when it was broken up due to food rationing, a ban on performing animals(in case they escaped during an air raid!) as well as labour shortages.