Pablo Fanque
Pablo Fanque (actually William Darby ; * 1796 in Norwich , † May 4, 1871 in Stockport ) was the first black ringmaster in Great Britain .
Life
Fanque, who had been an orphan since childhood , was trained by William Batty , the director of a traveling circus . He became an excellent equestrian , tightrope walker and acrobat and joined the then famous circus troupe of Andrew Ducrow .
In 1834 he returned to Batty, but left Batty's troop again in 1841 and founded his own circus in Wakefield , which in the following six years became known for its outstanding horse training with particularly selected animals.
In 1847 Fanque first appeared in London ; his performances were hugely successful and were described by the London Illustrated News as:
Mr. Pablo Fanque is a colored artist, and no other horse outperforms or equals his steed. Mr. Pablo Fanque was the sensation of the evening.
After his success in London, Fanque settled down with his circus in Manchester , where he always performed in front of a sold out house. He also went on numerous tours where he and his children worked with the most famous circus artists of his time.
useful information
The text of an advertising poster printed in 1843 for Fanque's circus inspired John Lennon to write the song Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite! which was released in 1967 on Beatles LP Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band .
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| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Fanque, Pablo |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Darby, William (real name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | British performer and ringmaster |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1796 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Norwich |
| DATE OF DEATH | May 4, 1871 |
| Place of death | Stockport |