Friday, December 21, 2012
Update
I've been very slack about updating here, so for my New Years resolution, I will try and update more often.
I can't update the website at present because my desktop computer has been broken for about 6 months. But hat-archive.com is still limping along.
I have been updating the flickr site regularly. I added 11 photos this morning. Most of them are postcards including some lovely early cards of Tivoli performers. I have never seen these before so was quite surprised to find them.
Fanny Powers was a long term member of the Tivoli theatre company and a good friend of Harry Rickards.
I also picked up the postcard below.
This is Guiseppe Sacco Homann, the original world famous fasting man. I picked this up because it is so strange. Guiseppe has written on the back of the card thanking Mr H Brooks for his 'gustations'. I suppose even the world famous fasting man had to eat sometimes.
And of course I had to buy the postcard below.
I overpaid, but it is Charlie Chaplin and I love Charlie. It's from his Essanay film days, around 1914-15.
I have almost 800 postcards on the flickr site so check it out at http://www.flickr.com/photos/hat-archive/
Stage Whispers have updated the history part of their site to include an article I wrote about child labour in the theatres. Surprisingly, very little has been written about this topic. The article focuses on a scandal with a children's troupe which was deserted in India. It is available here.
For the January 2013 issue of Stage Whispers I wrote about Mrs J C Williamson, aka Maggie Moore. The only person in history to exploit the great theatre entrepreneur. Ahh that Maggie, she was an Irish scoundrel!
The new edition of Stage Whispers will be available in newsagents soon.
Happy holidays to everybody.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
The HAT flickr project. Herbert Flemming
Take a look. Or search flickr for hat-archive.
Meanwhile, here's a mini biography of Herbert Flemming from The Referee newspaper in 1908.
I'm putting together a collection of these mini biographies and publishing them through Smashwords. It should be available in the next couple of weeks.
Herbert Flemming
Born c 1855 London.
Emigrated to New Zealand 1876
Died 1908 West Melbourne Victoria Australia
The well known actor-manager who died in Melbourne last week. He was one of the best known men on the Australian stage and as an actor held a very high position, his productions always showing artistic taste and careful selection of the cast. The deceased was about 50 years of age, and was educated at the London University College School. He first appeared on the stage in Christchurch (NZ) in 1876 and it is noteworthy that his companies always included some New Zealanders. A little later he appeared in Melbourne with Creswick, Bland Holt and others, and then filled a seven years engagement with Williamson, Garner and Musgrove. He then went to India and the East and returned to London. A visit to South Africa was made in 1896 and he remained there some years directing eventually a circuit of ten theatres. He came to Australia in 1902 and with a few months intermission remained here till his death. He joined forces with Robert Brough in 1903, but the latter died a year later, and the deceased conducted his own comedy company up till the time of his death. Mr Flemming appeared in Sydney last June and July when he was successful with some new productions. He leaves a widow and two sons.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Inside History
The magazine is available in newsagencies around Australia and can also be ordered on line\
So check out this lovely full colour magazine which promotes Australian history and historians.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Google plus 1
I have not updated for some time due to work committments. I am working on adding some photos and information to the blog and website soon.
Thanks to all who are buying the ebooks- your support is appreciated.
-Leann
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Circus: The Australian Story.
Mark St Leon, Australia's premier circus historian is releasing a new book through Melbourne Books which will be available in May.
Mark has studied Australian Circus for many years and this book will be the definitive history of Circus in Australia.
Anybody who has had the privilege of listening to Mark speak about circus will know that he has an encyclopedic knowledge of the subject, he is the expert in this field. I'm happy that the book will include the stories of May Wirth and Con Coleano, which will make it an unforgettable reading experience. If you are interested in circus, you will love it.
Anyway, it will cost 39.99 and will be in a soft cover large format.More information at Melbourne Books at www.melbournebooks.com.au
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Little Cliff/Laddie Cliff
Here is the post card again.
And here is part of John Perry's email.
The postcard on your HAT posting of 27th February is, indeed, the English 'wonder' performer Little Cliff.
He was 14 years of age when he toured the Rickards theatres in Sydney, Melbourne and various parts of NZ in the second half of 1906. I imagine the source you found giving his age as 4 years old had dropped off the first '1'!
Little Cliff (proper name Clifford Perry) rebranded himself as Laddie Cliff the following year, when he started touring the United States. He went on to become a big star of vaudeville in US and UK in the 1920s and '30s.
He was my late father's first cousin. The family ostracised him for both going on the stage, and divorcing his first wife; both were shameful acts in those days! He died in 1937 without issue.
I also found the autograph below in my collection.
Many thanks to John for contacting me and for allowing me to reprint part of his email.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
New Postcards
This is Andrew Mack, the Irish American comedian/singer, who toured Australia in 1905. He liked it so much he returned in 1907.
The inscription says, "A Tribute in memory of your debut from The Knuts. 1917." The back of the card looks like this.
The handwriting says," From your stage assistant." The print identifies the card as being a souvenir from the , " National Committee of YMCAs on active service with the Australian Imperial Forces."
So is it a wartime joke? or a souvenir of a performance? It certainly is interesting.
The postcard fair always provides surprises!