|
|
Early Circuses
and
Entertainers |
|
Recollections |
Question
1. |
Trisha King
West Lothian, Scotland |
Entertainers
- Alan Ritchie Davidson
- The Gaiety |
|
Reply
1. |
Peter Stubbs
Edinburgh |
Gaiety Theatres
- Edinburgh + Leith |
|
Reply
2. |
Peter Stubbs
Edinburgh |
Gaiety Theatre, Leith
- Before 1888
- From 1913 |
|
Reply
3. |
Bob Sinclair
Queensland, Australia |
Pinder's Circus |
|
Recollections |
|
0. |
Question 1:
Trisha King
West Lothian, Scotland |
Entertainers
- Alan Ritchie Davidson
- The Gaiety |
|
Reply 1:
Peter Stubbs
Edinburgh |
Gaiety Theatres
- Edinburgh + Leith |
|
Reply 2:
Peter Stubbs
Edinburgh |
Gaiety Theatre, Leith
- Before 1888
- From 1913 |
|
Reply 3:
Bob Sinclair
Queensland, Australia |
Pinder's Circus |
|
1. |
Bob Sinclair
Queensland, Australia |
1960s |
|
2. |
Brian Gourlay
Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland |
1940s |
|
3. |
Jim Suddon
Morningside, Edinburgh |
Pinders and Cadonas
Bertram Mills
Waverley Market
Empire Theatre
Pinders Family
|
|
4. |
Jim Suddon
Morningside, Edinburgh |
Gaiety Theatre, Leith |
|
5. |
Bob Henderson
Burdiehouse, Edinburgh |
Meadowbank |
|
6. |
Liz Grieve
Bristol, Avon, England |
Flying
Circus |
|
7. |
Question 2:
Trisha King
West Lothian, Scotland |
Entertainers
- Alan Ritchie Davidson
- The Gaiety |
|
Question
1.
Trisha King
West Lothian, Scotland |
|
Trisha King who wrote:
Entertainers
"Does
anyone know about entertainers and circuses in the early-1900s in
Edinburgh?
In particular,
I'd like to know more about:
- my
great-grandfather, Allan Ritchie Davidson. He lived in Leith
Street and was a songwriter.
- his wife
Agnes Davidson.
- his
children Aggie, Mary and Lizzie.
My granny's
family were clog dancers, tightrope walkers, etc. They
performed in 'Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves' in Edinburgh."
'The Gaiety'
"I know there was
somewhere in Edinburgh called 'The Gaiety'. What is known
about this theatre?"
Trisha King, West Lothian,
Scotland: August 16, 2009 |
|
If you
can help to answer Trisha's questions,
please email me, then I'll pass on your message to her.
Thank
you. - Peter Stubbs:
August 23, 2009 |
|
Reply
1.
to
Question
1.
|
|
'The Gaiety'
There was a 'Gaiety Theatre' at Chamber
Street, Edinburgh. It was built as a theatre, then began
showing films between 1900 and 1956. It was demolished in 1954
to make way for the building of Adam House.
RCAHMS Canmore web site
There was also a 'Gaiety Theatre' in Kirkgate,
Leith, but this burnt down in 1888. When it re-opened the
following year it was re-named Princes Theatre. It was later
reconstructed and opened as the New Gaiety in 1899. It became
a cinema about 1913.
RCAHMS Canmore web site
- Peter Stubbs: August 23, 2009
|
|
Reply
2.
to
Question
1.
|
|
'The Gaiety'
Kirkgate, Leith
Brendan Thomas tells more about the Gaiety
in Leith in his book 'The Last Picture Shows - Edinburgh'.
Here are a couple of brief extracts from his book:
Before 1888
"The original theatre
building was converted from a church and leased to HE Moss of Moss
Empires. The company shared on costs by sharing variety acts
between the Empire in Nicolson Street and the Gaiety, ferrying the
artistes down Leith Walk after their appearance in the Nicolson
Street theatre."
From 1913
"By
1913 the Kirkgate theatre had been renamed the Gaiety and enlarged
with a gallery, pit and circle with a shop on either side at the
entrance. Films appear to have reigned supreme for about 30
years, but on July 3rd 1944 variety returned with Will Fyffe.
The last picture show is not known but the last theatre production
appears to have been ... in 1956.
The Gaiety has now
vanished as has the old Kirkgate itself."
'The Last Picture Shows -
Edinburgh': Moorfoot Publishing,
1984 ISBN 0 906606 09 8
|
|
Reply
3.
to
Question
1.
|
|
Thank you to Bob Sinclair who wrote
Pinder's Circus
"Trisha King was
asking, above, about the history of the circus.
I can remember Pinder's
circus staying at a bit of spare ground between the railway bridge
near Crewe Toll and the western end of
Pilton Avenue.
There was also
a large piece of ground to the west of Pennywell road where a circus
and sideshows used to conduct their business,
but I don't know whose show it was."
Bob Sinclair, Queensland,
Australia: December 19, 2009 |
|
Recollections
1.
Bob Sinclair
Queensland, Australia |
|
Bob Sinclair wrote:
1950s
"My wife,
when she was young in the 1950s, used to
go to the Gaiety with her parents.
She saw the likes of Jimmy Logan and Jack Milroy (1/2 of Francie
and Josie) there."
Bob Sinclair, Queensland,
Australia: December 14, 2009 |
|
Recollections
2.
Bryan Gourlay
Biggar, Lanarkshire,
Scotland |
|
Bryan wrote:
1940s
"I remember being taken to variety
shows at the Gaiety in the Kirkgate as a youngster in the late
1940s. I can’t recall much about it, other than the star act was a
comedian called Johnny Victory.
I think he was an East coast version of Glasgow’s Lex Mclean"
Bryan Gourlay, Biggar,
Lanarkshire, Scotland |
|
Recollections
3.
Jim Suddon
Morningside, Edinburgh |
|
Thank you to
Jim Suddon who wrote:
|
|
Pinders and Cadonas
"I recall seeing
the Pinders Circus as a small child at the Hawick Common Riding, in
the Scottish borders. It seemed to me,
at the time, to be huge but was probably
very small.
I recall a clown with a drum, literally
drumming-up business. The highlight of the show was a wonderful dog
act. The dogs seemed to me at that time to be amazing.
Pinder was famous for his dog acts. His circus toured
most of the Common Ridings alongside the travelling shows provided
by The Cadonas and all the other show people." |
|
Bertram Mills
"It
was not until I had seen the Bertram Mills Circus at Murrayfield
- he first large circus to visit Edinburgh after the
war - that I came to realise that
the Pinders Circus was indeed small by comparison,
but I still remember it with great affection." |
|
Waverley Market
"The
Circus was a feature of Christmas and
New Year for many years in Edinburgh, with
the Circus held in the Waverley Market alongside
the Carnival.
The circus
featured many animal acts, such as bears
with Jean Michum and lions with Tarzana." |
|
Empire Theatre
"I also recall
a full size circus show at the Empire theatre, now the Festival
Theatre. It was adjudged to be of high quality and it was enjoyable
although the high wire acts were a bit scary." |
|
Pinders Family
"I came to
know one of Pinders grandsons in the early 1970s.
He informed me that he had
never actually seen the circus as it had closed before he was born.
His name was Peter and he was a P.T.
teacher at James Gillespies High School. He emigrated to Australia
about 1975.
Pete told me his mum and dad were two
people who had opted out of 'travelling
show life', although he said they
frequently went back and helped out. I think 'the'
Mr Pinder was his maternal grandfather." |
|
Jim Suddon, Morningside,
Edinburgh: February 18, 2010 |
|
Recollections
4.
Jim Suddon
Morningside, Edinburgh |
|
Jim Suddon
wrote again with more memories of circuses in Edinburgh.
Jim wrote:
|
|
Gaiety Theatre - Leith
"My parents were both theatre fans,
particularly my father, so I was taken to the
theatres from an early age, and
especially if my father was home on leave.
Mother enjoyed the cinema but my father
said films were no comparison to the real thing. I recall the
Gaiety as a small theatre but one which people seemed to
particularly enjoy attending.
I remember one show in which there was
a huge tiger. Children were invited
to come down to the stage and sit on its back. I persuaded my dad
to let me go but alas I was too late.
Five children were sat astride the tiger,
then their photos were taken.
Health and Safety did not seem to exist
in those days and all that held the tiger was a man with a chain
attached to its collar." |
|
Jim Suddon, Morningside,
Edinburgh: February 18, 2010 |
|
Recollections
5.
Bob Henderson
Burdiehouse, Edinburgh |
|
Bob
Henderson wrote: |
|
Meadowbank
"Another venue for the circus in
Edinburgh was the area in front of the the old Meadowbank Stadium.
In the mid to late-1940s, there used to
be a fairground and circus, I think round about August. My most
vivid memory of this was a high diver with one hand who dived into
what seemed an incredibly small and not too deep tank of water onto
which petrol had been poured and set alight.
As has already been said they had not
even heard about Health and Safety" |
|
Bob Henderson, Burdiehouse,
Edinburgh: March 11, 2010 |
|
Recollections
6.
Liz Grieve
Bristol, Avon, England |
|
Liz Grieve
wrote |
|
Flying Circus
"I was wondering if you have come across
any photographs of the flying circuses that performed at Turnhouse
Aerodrome.
My
grandmother supposedly won a competition and
had a ‘spin’ in a flying machine around Edinburgh.
Any information would be greatly
appreciated."
Liz Grieve, Bristol, Avon, England: January 21, 2011 |
|
Reply to Liz?
If you know
of any photos of the flying circuses,
please email me, then I'll
pass on the news to Liz. Thank you.
Peter Stubbs: January 30, 2011 |
|
Question
2.
Pat McHardy
Edinburgh |
|
Trisha King who wrote:
Peter Hughes
"I wonder if
you can help me. I am trying to discover more
about the performances of my wife's grandfather,
Peter Hughes.
He
wrote songs and performed as a Song
& Dance Man, both
alone and as part of
'Hughes & Boyle'
between about 1900 and 1940.
Any suggestions
would be welcome"
Pat McHardy, Edinburgh:
May1, 2012 |
|
I asked Pat where Peter
Hughes performed. He replied: |
|
Gaiety Theatre
"Peter
Hughes was born in 1870. He
performed in:
-
Gaiety Theatre at Leith
- Gaiety
Theatre, Ayr
- Theatre
Royal, Edinburgh
Peter Hughes: May, 2012 |
|
Reply to Pat?
If you know
anything about Peter Hughes, and would like to send a message about him to
Pat,
please email me, then I'll give you his email address. Thank
you.
Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: May 27,
2012 |
|