For the benefit of Mr. Kite
There will be a show tonight on trampoline
The Hendersons will all be there
The Hendersons were wire-walker, equestrian, trampolinist and clown John Henderson and his wife Agnes, the daughter of circus owner Henry Hengler. The Hendersons travelled all over Europe and Russia during the 1840’s and 1850’s. The ‘somersets’ which Mr. Henderson performed on ‘solid ground’ were somersaults, ‘garters’ were were banners held between two people and a ‘trampoline’ in those days was a wooden springboard rather than stretched canvas.
Late of Pablo Fanques’ fair, what a scene
Over men and horses hoops and garters
Lastly through a hogshead of real fire
In this way Mr. K will challenge the world
Pablo Fanque was the first black circus proprietor in Britain. His circus, in which he himself was a performer, was the most popular in Victorian Britain for 30 years. Fanque married Susannah Marlaw. On 18 March 1848, his wife died when a wooden viewers’ gallery at the circus.That night, their son was performing a tightrope act before a large crowd at the Amphitheatre at King Charles Croft, in the Headrow in Leeds. The 600 people seated in the gallery fell with its collapse, but Susannah Darby was the only fatality. Pablo Fanque died of bronchitis on 4 May 1871
The celebrated Mr. K
Performs his feats on Saturday at Bishopsgate
The Hendersons will dance and sing
As Mr. Kite flies through the ring, don’t be late
The Bishopsgate bombing occurred on 24 April 1993, when the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) detonated a truck bomb in London’s financial district in Bishopsgate. One person was killed in the explosion and 44 injured, and damage estimated at £1 billion was caused.
Messrs K. and H. assure the public
Their production will be second to none
And of course Henry the Horse dances the waltz
John Henry (March 9, 1975 – October 8, 2007) was an American Thoroughbred race horse who had 39 wins, with $6,591,860 in earnings. He was twice voted the Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year in 1981 and 1984, with his 1981 selection is the only one whereby the victor received all votes cast for that award. John Henry was also listed as #23 – Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century.
The band begins at ten to six
When Mr. K performs his tricks without a sound
And Mr. H will demonstrate
Ten somersets he’ll undertake on solid ground
Having been some days in preparation
A splendid time is guaranteed for all
And tonight Mr. Kite is topping the bill
William Kite came from a circus family. Born in Lambeth, London, about 1825. His father, James Kite was a circus proprietor, and the first to visit Knott Mill Fair, Manchester, in 1806. James Kite formed his own company around 1810, traveling as "Kite’s Pavilion Circus."
Performed and produced by "Jack ‘n’ Gary"
Jack Petruzzelli: lead and background vocals and ukulele
Gary Schreiner: Piano, organ, bass harmonica, chord harmonica & lots of keyboards
Emily Bindiger: choir vocals
Doug Yowell: drums
Every Tuesday from January 20, 2009 until July 31, 2012 The Beatles Complete On Ukulele released a new recording of a
Beatles song* featuring a ukulele sung by a different artist.
These albums are a compilation of those recordings.
*we consider a Beatles song to be one of the 185 original compositions released by The Beatles between 1962 and 1970....more