Not currently on display at the V&A

Puppet

ca. 1900 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This is part of one of a group of marionettes and marionette properties owned by James Tiller, the son of Ambrose Tiller II, who inherited them from his father and revived them for a while before selling them. His father was the second son of the marionette company proprietors Ambrose Tiller and Eliza Cheadle, and in 1901 Ambrose II started his own company, Tiller's Mechanical Mannikin Show and Theatre of Varieties.

Ambrose II married Sarah Chipperfield, of the circus proprietors' family, and had nine children. By 1909 he had added a bioscope to the show. They toured much of East Anglia and Lincolnshire, performing at fairs and setting up their booth in inn yards. By 1914 the emphasis had changed and his travelling show was known as 'Cinema and Mannikins'. The show continued until the early 1930s, but during this time Ambrose and his sons built a cinema at Long Sutton, which they managed until the 1950s.


Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
Carved and painted wood with calico and nails
Brief description
Carved wooden painted lower left arm of an undressed and unstrung marionette from the Jim Tiller troupe, inherited from his father, Ambrose Tiller II, ca.1900.
Physical description
Part of a carved wooden painted left arm of an undressed and unstrung marionette, comprising the lower section and arm from the calico joint at the elbow nailed to it, in a bad condition.
Dimensions
  • Approximately, at longest point length: 18.0cm
  • Approximately, at widest point of the calico joint section width: 3.5cm
  • Approximately, at widest point of hand width: 4.0cm
  • At tallest point of shoe, at the back of the heel height: 3.5cm
Credit line
Given by the Museum of Entertainment, Whaplode St. Catherine
Object history
"In 1901, Ambrose II, second son of Ambrose Tiller and Eliza Cheadle started a company of his own, Tiller's Mechanical Mannikin Show and Theatre of Varieties. He married Sarah Chipperfield and had nine children. By 1909 he had added a bioscope to the show. They toured much of East Anglia and Lincolnshire, performing at fairs and setting up their booth in inn yards. By 1914 the emphasis had changed and his travelling show was 'Cinema and Mannikins'. The show continued until the early 1930s, but during this time Ambrose and his sons had built a cinema at Long Sutton, which they managed until the 1950s. In the 1950s James Tiller (son of Ambrose II) revived the marionettes for a time, but eventually sold his part of the marionette troupe to the Museum of Entertainment at Whaplode St. Catherine, Lincolnshire." (Extract from: John McCormick with Clodagh McCormick and John Phillips: The Victorian Marionette Theatre. University of Iowa Press).
Summary
This is part of one of a group of marionettes and marionette properties owned by James Tiller, the son of Ambrose Tiller II, who inherited them from his father and revived them for a while before selling them. His father was the second son of the marionette company proprietors Ambrose Tiller and Eliza Cheadle, and in 1901 Ambrose II started his own company, Tiller's Mechanical Mannikin Show and Theatre of Varieties.

Ambrose II married Sarah Chipperfield, of the circus proprietors' family, and had nine children. By 1909 he had added a bioscope to the show. They toured much of East Anglia and Lincolnshire, performing at fairs and setting up their booth in inn yards. By 1914 the emphasis had changed and his travelling show was known as 'Cinema and Mannikins'. The show continued until the early 1930s, but during this time Ambrose and his sons built a cinema at Long Sutton, which they managed until the 1950s.
Bibliographic reference
The Victorian Marionette Theatre John McCormick with Clodagh McCormick and John Phillips: University of Iowa Press.
Collection
Accession number
S.40:2-2005

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Record createdJanuary 3, 2007
Record URL
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