Cooke's Circus | Clowning about

Cooke's Circus

A Pair of Playbills Related to Arthur Nelson, The "King of Clowns"

For the Benefit of Nelson the Clown … Gateshead: np, [ca. 1842]. Letterpress playbill (724 x 241 mm). Woodcut vignette of Arthur Nelson in clown makeup and costume, printed on yellow paper in black ink with various typefaces; 4 small nail holes and several crease folds. — Mr. Nelson Will Sail in a Washing Tub !! On the River Tyne … Drawn by Four Real Geese … The Last Night of Dick Turpin. Newcastle-on-Tyne: J. Christie, nd [? ca. 1842]. 2 woodcut vignettes depicting each performer, printed on yellow paper in black ink with various typefaces; several crease folds, small tear in lower right margin slightly affecting the text. The two playbills matted, framed and double glazed with Plexiglas.

Arthur May Nelson was born in Bristol about 1816 the son of a musician. His career began as an actor in provincial and minor theatres, as well as traditional annual fairs, specializing as a "talking" or Shakespearean clown.

In 1842 he was engaged for the first time at Cooke’s Royal Circus. Nelson was a favorite with the Cooke family, one of Britain’s greatest circus dynasties. It was with Cooke’s he first adopted Dicky Usher’s benefit stunt of being towed by four geese in a washing tub along waterways and on the sea. It was to become a signature for his appearance in many towns and cities throughout the country.

In 1846, the stunt was used to promote the arrival of Cooke's Circus at Great Yarmouth, but backfired when a large crowd gathered on a suspension bridge to watch him. One of the chains snapped, causing the bridge to collapse, which plunged hundreds into the Yare River. The collapse caused the death of 79 people, mostly women and children.

At the age of 44, Nelson died from gangrene of the leg while touring with Pablo Fanque’s tented circus.

REFERENCE:

EE, pp. 108–109