Howes & Cushing's Great United States Circus
Playbill
1858 (printed)
1858 (printed)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This playbill is undated but advertises one of many performances by Howes and Cushing's Great United States Circus at the Alhambra Palace in London's Leicester Square in 1858. Seth Howes (1815-1901) and Joseph Cushing (1818-1884) went into partnership in the United States in 1856 and sailed to Liverpool where they landed on 25 March 1857 with 72 horses, and 50 performers and assistants. The circus travelled throughout the country before opening at the Alhambra Palace where they gave a private performance to Queen Victoria and the royal family.
In her journal Queen Victoria recorded going to 'the Panoptican' (the Alhambra's former name) with her brother Leiningen, her daughter Alice and the five children and seeing 'a very varied and wonderful performance' with 'excellent riding - absurd mules', a man who lept over seven horses, 'a very clever black horse which did all sorts of things (at a command, not ridden)' and 'some very amusing Bedouin Arabs, who jumped about like so many monkeys, & as if they had no bones'
In her journal Queen Victoria recorded going to 'the Panoptican' (the Alhambra's former name) with her brother Leiningen, her daughter Alice and the five children and seeing 'a very varied and wonderful performance' with 'excellent riding - absurd mules', a man who lept over seven horses, 'a very clever black horse which did all sorts of things (at a command, not ridden)' and 'some very amusing Bedouin Arabs, who jumped about like so many monkeys, & as if they had no bones'
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Howes & Cushing's Great United States Circus (published title) |
| Materials and techniques | Woodcut and letterpress on paper |
| Brief description | Illustrated playbill featuring a woodcut image of female warriors on horseback advertising The Great United States Circus at the Alhambra Palace, Leicester Square, 1858. Letterpress and woodcut. Printed by J.W. Peel. |
| Physical description | Landscape format playbill featuring a woodcut image on the left hand side and a list of acts and performers on the right |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Gabrielle Enthoven Collection |
| Object history | The acts presented were a Star & Waltz Quadrille by ten ladies and gentlemen; a Great Juvenile Act of Horsemanship! by Master James Madigan; Messrs. Murray and Holland as The Roman Brothers, an acrobatic and gymnastic act; The Two Olympians Bachellor and Richards; The Educated Comic Mules Pete and Barney introduced by Murray and Pentland; James Robinson as The Wild Camanchi on his Prairie Steed; a Grand Trial of Skill by the Company; Equestrianism (Classic Poses) by Rose Madigan; The American-Bred Horse Black Eagle introduced by John L. Murray; Mr. James Robinson in his Great Act on a Naked Horse; Murray and Holland in their Globe La Perche; Davis Richards in a Daring Act of Horsemanship Over Hurdles etc; A Troupe of Bedouin Arabs in their Wonderful Performances ending with the Finale: The Village Lovers, Miss Rose Madigan and James Robinson |
| Summary | This playbill is undated but advertises one of many performances by Howes and Cushing's Great United States Circus at the Alhambra Palace in London's Leicester Square in 1858. Seth Howes (1815-1901) and Joseph Cushing (1818-1884) went into partnership in the United States in 1856 and sailed to Liverpool where they landed on 25 March 1857 with 72 horses, and 50 performers and assistants. The circus travelled throughout the country before opening at the Alhambra Palace where they gave a private performance to Queen Victoria and the royal family. In her journal Queen Victoria recorded going to 'the Panoptican' (the Alhambra's former name) with her brother Leiningen, her daughter Alice and the five children and seeing 'a very varied and wonderful performance' with 'excellent riding - absurd mules', a man who lept over seven horses, 'a very clever black horse which did all sorts of things (at a command, not ridden)' and 'some very amusing Bedouin Arabs, who jumped about like so many monkeys, & as if they had no bones' |
| Associated object | S.509-2018 (Object) |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.510-2018 |
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| Record created | October 9, 2018 |
| Record URL |
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