Author Topic: CIRCUS - Henry Luigi Boswell  (Read 48687 times)

Offline DJFRENCH

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Re: CIRCUS - Henry Luigi Boswell
« Reply #18 on: Friday 02 January 09 12:48 GMT (UK) »
just to say that in the 1851 census the address is SHEEPCOTE Street in Birmingham.

it is very central and i used to work in that street.

Signing off now for the day..

all the best jim.... what a result ? i'll be back tomorrow. i have looked on a French site to find henry's birth but no joy. Should you ever find it ..i speak fluent french...if you need help

Debz
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Offline merryhow

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Re: CIRCUS - Henry Luigi Boswell
« Reply #19 on: Saturday 03 January 09 22:57 GMT (UK) »

Hi, just thought I'd add this, REBECCA COOKE = GEORGE ROBERT WOOLFORD 15th Sept 1835, Glasgow, Lanark. ( IGI ext ). Didn't notice a birth for daughter Rebecca.

                     Val 

Offline JStockley

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Re: CIRCUS - Henry Luigi Boswell
« Reply #20 on: Monday 05 January 09 11:55 GMT (UK) »
GOODNESS me but you are all so good at this !!! ;-)
Many thanks, apologies for the delay in reply ........... you have given me a lot to read and digest. I can explain most of what you have found but some of it is new and very interesting. This is the line of circus proprietor Thomas Taplin Cooke, then the circus Boswells .......... thanks very much, I need to absorb what you have posted and would like to come back to chat with you all very soon.
kindest regards, Jim

Offline JStockley

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Re: CIRCUS - Henry Luigi Boswell
« Reply #21 on: Monday 05 January 09 13:31 GMT (UK) »
Hi Debz,

Thanks so much for this 1871 census.

That is certainly Henry Luigi and his Mum, Rebecca Boswell. They are with Rebecca's nephew Alfred Eugene Cooke and Alfred's brothers George and Hubert Cooke.

I'll post more info later on how this all ties together, in the meantime I'd be grateful for the full list of Cookes at the Bull Inn in 1871?

many thanks
Jim


Offline JStockley

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Re: CIRCUS - Henry Luigi Boswell
« Reply #22 on: Monday 05 January 09 13:57 GMT (UK) »
Dear Dave, Debz and Val ..........

I really appreciate the help, it's very kind.

When I posted earlier about how "I'll post more info later on how this all ties together" .... that was a bit presumptuous of me ;-)  What I meant to say was.... would be of interest to you to know more about these circus people that I'm looking for?

I suppose it's quite easy to get carried away with enthusiasm about ancestors who are of no interest to anyone but yourself !  I could do with the help.

very best

Jim

Offline DJFRENCH

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Re: CIRCUS - Henry Luigi Boswell
« Reply #23 on: Monday 05 January 09 14:16 GMT (UK) »
go for it Jim - i can imagine my oxford ancestors visiting Henry's circus act !
I really enjoyed getting the results !
Debz
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Offline JStockley

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Re: CIRCUS - Henry Luigi Boswell
« Reply #24 on: Monday 05 January 09 16:45 GMT (UK) »
Not the Boswells .............. this is my Grandfather, Richard Chipperfield at Oxford St Giles (I think?) I like the face of the child looking up at him, he could always tell a good story! I'll post the Cooke/Boswell story later

Offline JStockley

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Re: CIRCUS - Henry Luigi Boswell
« Reply #25 on: Monday 05 January 09 17:05 GMT (UK) »
Thanks Debz ........... I do want to thank you all again for the help with Henry Luigi. My family have been in circus in England since the early 1800s. My eldest sister is married to Brian Boswell and runs a circus here in South Africa. The Boswell's are descended from the Cookes, who were a circus dynasty from 1750 or so.

COOKE, Thomas Taplin (1780 - 30 Nov.1866) born in Warwick - actor, equestrian, rope-walker and strongman.  Appeared as an actor & equestrian in Lisbon in 1816, lost 40 horses in a bad storm in the Bay of Biscay on the return journey. In 1830 he erected his first permanent circus buildings at Newcastle-on-Tyne, Sunderland and Hull.In 1836 he chartered the 3000 ton 'Roger Stuart' of Greenock and on 8 September sailed to New York with 120 artistes (40 were family members including his SEVEN sons and FIVE daughters), 42 horses and 14 ponies. ........In 1839  he returned to Scotland and built various large wooden circus buildings in places including Manchester and Glasgow. He died in London in 1866 at the age of 86.  (Ref: Victorian Arena by Dr John Turner)

COOKE, Rebecca (1814/1898) daughter of Thomas Taplin Cooke. As VAL kindly posted, Rebecca married George Robert Woolford (of Bristol) in Glasgow, 15 Sept 1835. We know they performed in America with Thomas T Cooke and they had a daughter (Rebecca Marianna Woolford 1838/1907). 

LOOSE END # 1: we don't know much about George Robert Woolford. His father was probably also George Woolford. His sister was the most famous circus performer of her time = Louisa Woolford (she partnered/married Andrew Ducrow of Astley's). We don't know what happened to George Woolford (did he die in America?) but on 7 Dec 1850 (widow) Rebecca married James Clement BOSWELL


BOSWELL, James Clements.  Acrobatic and Shakespearian clown. Born 4th January 1826 in Halifax, Yorkshire. Noted at Astley's, 1843, Hughes'circus 1845, and Hengler's, in Dover, 1845, as clown contortionist. At Cooke's, 1850-1, and again at Hengler's, Cheltenham, in 1851, providing mirth and Shakespearian jests with rival clown Knight. At Astley's in the 1850s. Became all the rage in Paris,  establishing the English school of clowning. Also performed daring aerial acts and the 'broken ladder' stunt. Married Rebecca Cooke (1814-1898). Father of James Clements II, Henry Luigi, Nellie, Rebecca (Woolford) and Lily, All riders. Died lst May 1859, of heart failure during a performance at the Cirque Napoleon, Paris.(Ref: Victorian Arena by Dr John Turner). The building is now Cirque d'Hiver and is still in daily use as a circus.

LOOSE END # 2: We have nothing on LILLY BOSWELL at all. We hear she married an "Alfred Whitmee" ?

BOSWELL, James Clements II 
Jockey act and character act rider.  Born c1853, at Lambeth, Surrey.  Later a circus proprietor. 
Brother of Nellie Boswell (Mrs Cattle).  Jimmy Boswell married the equestrienne Louisa Powell (born 1858, at Edinburgh, Scotland, daughter of James Powell), in 1879.  Father of James, Alfred, Sidney, Rebecca (born c1880, in Germany, who married George Lockhart) and Doretta. 

Proprietor of Boswell's Circus by 1883, in Blackpool, going to Whitehaven, Carlisle, etc.  For a number of years had a wooden circus building at Oxford, with seasons commencing there on 24th April 1889, for seventeen weeks, 5th April 1890, for a short season, 20th July 1891, for fifteen weeks, and in 1893.  After this he ran a show at Swindon, with his eldest son James.  Later ran the Boswell Stage Circus, managed by son James.  The family then went to South Africa, where they remained for many years, with a circus and menagerie combined. 'Victorian Arena; the Performers', Dr John Turner volume 1 (Lingdales, 1995)

LOOSE END # 3: There has always been confusion as to whether Walter was a son or a nephew of James C Boswell II.

DAVE's discovery of  Walter LUIGI Boswell seems to support the idea that Walter was Henry's son, not James C's so I'll have to send for the certificate ;-)

Well, that's all for the moment........ would love to have more on the 1971 census when you have time ;-)

kind regards

Jim

Offline DJFRENCH

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Re: CIRCUS - Henry Luigi Boswell
« Reply #26 on: Tuesday 06 January 09 14:04 GMT (UK) »
So Jim, you are the grand son of Chipperfield Circus family ??
wow, they are really famous aren't they ? i used to go to Their Circus in Oxford when i was little  (in the 50's/60's)

I would bet my last bar of chocolate that the photo is St Giles....a little further down from the fork in the road in the direction away from the centre. I can see at the back of the photo the helter skelter which is exactly the same as it was when i went to St Giles fair...it was fantastic ...i loved it , it was at the end of August and the beginning of Sept. Such VERY happy memories. It was so traditional for so many years.

I have included all the Cooke family in the 1871 census but there are 23 "performers "lodging there so it will take me some as i type slowly  :-[

I will send you a pm .

Debz
Cutcliffe- Devon
Courtenay Powderham Castle
Barnard -Oxford and Claines
Tollet - Begbroke
Gamble and Clement Calcutta
SHAW-BETHNAL GREEN,MIDDLESEX
WILD-BETHNAL GREEN,MIDDLESEX
GAMBLE-BARNSTABLE.DEVON