Pablo FANQUE - son or nephew?

[spison]

Annie BANHAM (1855-?) is one of ‘my girls’. I am not related to her. Her bio has led me back to England doing research that is not really within my parameters but is really intriguing me. If you want to read more of Annie’s life, more details about William, Martha or her siblings or check my references please go to

https://nis.wikidot.com/banham

Annie was the daughter of William BANHAM and Martha ROLLINSON who married in the Cathedral, Manchester, Lancaster in 1854. This marriage has not been found on the Lancashire OPC and the IGI doesn't record ages or the names of William or Martha’s parents.

I am looking for William BANHAM in 1841 (age 10) or 1851 (age 20) or anything else that you can help identify whether he was a son or a nephew of William DARBY aka Pablo FANQUE. There has been a lot written about the older man but everything I’ve found written about the Australian Pablo FANQUE doesn’t match the records I have from NSW and Victoria. There is one biography of the older Pablo FANQUE in the book “Black Victorians” which I can only access in Sydney or Canberra so I can’t even confirm whether he did have a son named William.

William BANHAM's professional name in Australia was Pablo FANQUE, the same professional name used by William DARBY. William BANHAM was a successful circus performer, equestrian and rope dancer who had arrived in Australia in about 1854. Google books states that William BANHAM aka Billy BANHAM was a nephew, rather than a son, of William DARBY aka Pablo FANQUE but in Australia, William certainly provided information that led people to believe that he was Pablo's son. He may possibly have been the unnamed son who was performing on the rope at the time of the death of Susan DARBY, the wife of the older Pablo FANQUE, in the tent collapse in Leeds in 1848. The distinction between the two performers named Pablo FANQUE has been found in only one Australian newspaper of the period but the paper doesn't identify any family relationship.

Shortly after William’s arrival in Australia, as Pablo FANQUE, he was working with Burton's Circus and between about 1858 and 1861 he was the ring-master of Ashton's Circus. In 1861, one of the employees of Ashton's Circus sued William DARBY alias Pablo FANQUE for assault. William eventually operated his own circus which he named the National Circus. In 1865 he was declared insolvent. Pablo continued to present shows and his family almost certainly performed with him. Martha is billed as Mrs Pablo FANQUE and was probably an equestrienne. Google books states that William aka Billy BANHAM returned to England in about 1870 but he died in Sydney of pulmonary consumption on 5 June 1869 at his residence, 12 Wilmot Street. Newspapers name him as Pablo FANQUE but his death was registered as William BANHAM by his wife Martha and he was buried at Balmain Cemetery by the Rev. Charles TILLEY. He was an equestrian. Martha recorded that his parents were William Darby BANHAM and Susan and that he had been born in Norfolk, England. This strongly suggests that she believed William was the son of the English Pablo FANQUE but it may also be a coincidence that a cousin of William DARBY also had a wife named Susan – or Martha was mistaken and this may have been Pablo's attempts at making his profile more important that he also lied to his wife.

A link on Ancestry by an unknown researcher has connected this death of William BANHAM with the family of Samuel and Mary BANHAM in the 1841C in Earsham, Norfolk, (courtesy TNA: HO197/758/22/p.16) and this William is not with this family in 1851. However this link may not be correct as a William BANHAM, the correct age, whose father was Samuel, married Jemima KEMP (or KETT) in 1863 (Family Search: Batch No: I07422-4; Source film No.: 2262382) and is probably alive and living at Earsham on the 1871C and 1881C. It therefore must be questioned whether this is the correct family for the William BANHAM who came to Australia.

Any suggestions gratefully accepted.

Jane

[Coromandel]

I don't think this is going to answer your question, but in case it helps, here's a sad story:

In September 1856, a woman called Jane Banham ('the principal dancing lady' in Samuel Wild's travelling theatre) was murdered at Armley, near Leeds.

Some months previously, Jane had split up from John Hannah, a tailor, who had been cohabiting with her for two or three years and by whom she had had two children. He was charged with her murder [and subsequently hanged for it].

At the inquest, John Hope, 'musician and painter at Wild's Theatre' said 'The deceased was my daughter. She had been married, and her husband's name was William Banham. He was an equestrian. He was in Australia when I last heard of him....'

(From a long report in the Standard, 13 September 1856)

The Leeds Mercury of 20 September 1856 noted that 'We are informed that the husband of Jane Banham (now in Australia) was known as "Young Pablo," in Pablo Fanque's circus, who deserted his wife several years ago. Both "Young Pablo" and the deceased performed together at the circus in Leeds at the time Pablo Fanque's wife (Mrs. Darby) was killed by the falling of the building in which the entertainments were given, in King Charles's Croft.'

I see that on FamilySearch there is a marriage of a William Banham and Jane Hope in Cork on 23 November 1850 (his father is given as William Banham and hers as John Hope). Is this the same couple, I wonder?

[geneius]

If you google.co.uk Pablo FANQUE you will find quite a bit written about him, there are also requests on other family history forum sites!!! This query is posted by a descendant.

wiki state....Pablo FANQUE ( b William DARBY 28/02/1796 Norwich died 4/5/1871 Stockport)

[Nicolina]

FreeReg has William DARBY, son of John and Mary (nee STUMPS) born and privately baptised 28th February 1796 at All Saints, Norwich.

[Nicolina]

looking for siblings of William shows that Mary's maiden name may have been STAMP, not STUMP.
John Richard b. 4th July 1792, chr. privately 8th July 1792 at St. Peter Mancroft, Norwich. Mother late STAMP. Admitted Into the Church 22nd July 1792

[spison]

Thanks all and keep any ideas coming. I think I've read just about everything online about the older Pablo FANQUE. I'm actually looking for the man who was born in about 1831 and who probably made that first marriage to Jane Hope (Thanks Coromandel). I can't find anything online telling me the names of the Pablo FANQUE's (b. late 1700s) children from his first marriage to Susan or what happened to them. There were apparently two - one was Lionel (Thanks Geneius).

Coromandel: I suspect that this is the same man and I will put that sad story into Annie's biography to go with all the other sad stories. The Australian Pablo's son was also called Young Pablo when he performed. The Leeds Mercury article places the man who came to Australia at the circus at the time of the death of Susan DARBY and when FANQUE's son was reported to have been performing on the tightrope.

I ask again: Son or Nephew? Am I the only person thinking he may have been a son even though the one online article that everyone quotes about him (Google books) states that he was a nephew?

Jane

[Coromandel]

I'm still not any further forward in finding out where young Pablo came from. Here are some more bits and pieces from the papers that may fill in a bit of his story.

Pablo Fanque's circus was in Ireland by the April 1850. There are ever so many advertisements in the papers. One in Freeman's Journal [Dublin] of 18 April 1850 has a 'List of Artistes' who were to appear in the nightly performances at the Music Hall, Abbey Street, Dublin. The list begins 'Messrs Pablo Fanque, H. Williams, T. Moseley, Barnham . . . ' and also includes Mrs Hope and Miss Hope.

Freeman's Journal of 18 June 1850 announced the final performance in Dublin that night. The company was going to do a week each at Carlow, Kilenny, Waterford, Clonmel and Tipperary on their way to Limerick, where a short season was due to open on 29 July.

On 13 September 1850 'the lady of Pablo Fanque' gave birth to a daughter in Galway (Freeman's Journal, 17 Sept. 1850).

I can't see any mentions of Pablo or his circus for the next few weeks: perhaps they had a winter break or they were in an area not covered by the 19th c. British Library Newspapers.

Some newspapers in early January 1851 reprint an (undated) item from the Cork Examiner reporting that a 'strolling beggar' there had 'lately sold his son, a child about 14 years old, to Monsieur Pablo Fanque, to be trained in equestrian feats'. The price? Two shillings. So Pablo and his circus could have been in Cork at the time when William Banham married Jane Hope there. (Re. the marriage, it looks like the two parties are indexed in Ancestry's Ireland Civil Registration Marriages index, which means you should be able to send off for a marriage certificate.)

Later in January 1851 the circus was back in Dublin. 'Mr Wm. Banham' was still with them in May 1851 when they were in Belfast . . . which probably explains why you can't find him on the 1851 census (taken at the end of March). The circus remained in Ireland for a few more weeks but was in Glasgow in time for the fair there in July 1851.

It might be worth trawling through the newspapers for references to 'young Pablo' or 'Pablo Fanque jun'. The earliest reference I can see is from the Caledonian Mercury of 18 October 1838, which mentions 'Young Pablo Fanque, a boy apparently not above seven or eight years of age, who dances on the tight rope with the ease and coolness of a practised veteran'. He and 'Pablo Fanque, a gentleman of colour' were among the performers at Batty's Royal Circus. (Perhaps finding out where the circus was at the time of the 1841 census will help locate young Pablo then?). So far no sign of anything mentioning that Pablo senior and junior were related.

Some advertisements of 1847-1850 refer to 'Pablo Fanque jun.'. 'Young Pablo' was still with Pablo Fanque's circus in May 1852 (his 'daring as well as graceful tight-rope dancing' was commented upon in the Manchester Times of 15 May 1852).

By 1854 he seems to have gone his own way. 'Pablo Fanque, Jun. (the greatest Rope Dancer in Europe of the present day)' advertised in the Era of 27 August 1854 that he had 'just concluded a prosperous engagement' and was 'now open to accept a Star Engagement for a limited number of nights at any respectable establishment.' Letters were to be addressed to him at E. Couzens's, Clown's(?) Snuff Box and Cigar Shop, Peter-street, Manchester'.

[Coromandel]

The earliest reference I can see is from the Caledonian Mercury of 18 October 1838, which mentions 'Young Pablo Fanque, a boy apparently not above seven or eight years of age, who dances on the tight rope with the ease and coolness of a practised veteran'. He and 'Pablo Fanque, a gentleman of colour' were among the performers at Batty's Royal Circus. (Perhaps finding out where the circus was at the time of the 1841 census will help locate young Pablo then?).

An advertisement for Batty's Circus in Jackson's Oxford Journal of 31 July 1841 names the 'Conductor of the Circle', as Mr. Pablo Fanque. The circus had been in Oxford for nearly three weeks: Jackson's Oxford Journal of Saturday 10 July 1841 announced that 'performances of Batty's Circus will commence on Monday evening next'.

Unfortunately it looks as if we may be foiled again on the 1841 census (taken in June) as Batty's Circus was in Dublin in June 1841. So if young Pablo was travelling with them, we won't be able to find him in 1841 either.

[janbooth]

To confirm the marriage on Family Search that Coromandel found for you, Ancestry have the Irish Civil Registration Marriage Index and this shows a marriage taking place in 1850 at Cork Registration District, vol 4, page 544 with the names of William BANHAM & Jane HOPE appearing on the same page.

Janet

[Coromandel]

'Mr Pablo' played a woodman, Mr Batty the forester and 'La Petit Pablo' a sprite in a fairy ballet in Leeds in July 1838 - there's a playbill in the fascinating Leeds Play Bills collection here:

https://www.
leodis.net/playbills/enlarge.asp?ri=20031016_15899294

NB near the bottom it refers to 'The ORCHESTRA conducted by Mr. HOPE'.

The same collection includes some Pablo Fanque playbills. I can't see any that mention William Banham or Young Pablo, but perhaps there would be some in other archives.

A Google search brings up a tantalising reference on Pipl to 'William Banham, nephew of Pablo Fanque, son of Mary Elizabeth Banham'. The original source appears to have been the Fairground Heritage Trust Forum. There is still a Fairground Heritage Trust website but I can't see a forum. It might be worth e-mailing the Trust in case the old forum messages are archived somewhere.