Would love to find out more about my acrobat ancestors. Family story was that two ancestors were stage acrobats who performed all over UK and Europe. They were brothers Will and Bert Leatherland who used the stage name "Willbert and Lealand".
I discovered that they were William Leatherland (1880-1926) and his brother Bertie Leatherland (1885 - ??) both born and brought up in Birmingham (UK). I can't find either of them in 1901 or 1911 census.
I found them in the UK outgoing passenger lists travelling to New York in Oct 1910 as William Willbert and Berta Lealand, then returning to UK in Dec 1910, occupation looks like paperman but may be performer. They are also listed in UK Incoming Passenger Lists as William Lealand "actor" arriving from Buenos Ares, Argentina in 1915 with Bert Lealand and a James Curtis. William died aged 46, occupation on death certificate was "comedy acrobat".
I have searched endlessly for any more traces of them. They were not from a traveller / gypsy family, but may have performed in the circus / music hall. If anyone has come across them I would love to know more.
David
