My grandfather Thomas Poole was born in 1899, the youngest of 15 children with 3 wives. He had brothers and sisters in their 40's when he was born. We have discovered that at least four of his half-brothers (astonishingly, my great uncles) were acrobats who performed in Music Halls in the U.K., and Europe. In the 1870's 3 of the brothers went to America and were arrested for having their 7 year old brother perform with them; their case went to the U.S. Supreme Court!

Their children, spouses, and, in some cases, their grandchildren also performed. Using The Stage archive we have followed some of them up to about 1930. We are now running into the usual brick wall of stage names vs. real names, and I am reduced to examining old newspapers looking for the tiniest clues to connect the stage names with the real names.

The groups included:

The Poole Pelhams (Thomas Poole, Lily Poole, Elsie Poole, Tilly Poole) (1890's)
Two Pooles (Thomas and Lily) (1880's)
The Zednas / Laurette and Laurel (Tilly Poole Elsie Poole) (1900's)
W. H. (Will) Clarkson - 1920's - 1950's
Jurat and Dene (Elsie Poole) - 1920's

The Poole Minstrels (Richard Edward (Ted) Poole, Olive Poole, Charlotte (Lottie) Poole Florrie Poole, Tom Poole) 1890's
Robert James (Bob) Poole
Sisters Poole / Sisters Lorne / Three Pooles (Florrie Poole, Olive Poole Ada Poole?) 1890's - 1900's
Jeavon and Jena (Ada Poole, husband Joseph Wardle) 1910's, 1920's
Hosk and Hoskin (Olive Poole, husband B.J. (Barney) Noble (real name Patick McCullough) 1910's - 1930's
Poole and Poole (Thomas Henry Poole, wife Florence Victoria Poole) 1900's - 1910's
T.E. Bates (Thomas Henry Poole) 1910's - 1920's
Lottie Poole 1900's - 1930's
Frank Weir (real name Frederick Willats) husband of Lottie Poole - 1900's - 1930's

Help, thoughts, suggestions, commiserations much appreciated!