YOUR WAR CIRCUS STORY YOUR WAR CIRCUS STORY Name : Nationality: Name: Nationality: FRED BRADNA Alsatian/German/ ROMAN PROSKE Austrian American Date of birth: Born: Date of Birth: Born: 21/9/1898 Vienna 28/5/1871 Strasbourg Alsace, France In the ring: At the age of 14 run away from home to work with animals Married: BRADNA, ELLA in Africa. You become a Lion Tamer in East Africa. In the Ring: Show director & agent for Ringling Brothers Circus, USA 1914: Aged 16, set off to Europe to join the Army 1913: Seeing the war on the horizon, went to Europe to scout for acts 1915: there is no news of you - you are making your way to fight. to bring over to America, inc. the Konyot family from Hungary 1916: Arrived in Austria joined the Austrian Infantry in September. 1915: Many of the best acts have gone to Europe, called to fight. Fought Russians in Poland. 1916: It’s a difficult task keeping peace among the 18 nationalities that 1917 ish: Found Russian’s under your bed whils slacking off on a works in the Circus, rivalry & discontent. march to battle. Later in an abandoned farm house you found a dead 1917: American Army spurned you, as had been a German soldier. woman in a wooden chest, then the Cossacks arrived on horsebox and 1918: Ringling’s folded their Big Top a month before the end of the you hid in a dung heap. season and sent everything to Bridgeport, home of Barnum and Bailey. 1918: Wounded and discharged, returned to Circus. Then Merged. YOUR WAR CIRCUS STORY YOUR WAR CIRCUS STORY Name : Nationality: Name : Nationality: EDWARD HENRY British ARTHUR DOUGLAS British BOSTOCK BOSTOCK Date of Birth: Born: Date of Birth: Born: 19/10/1858 Stony Stradford 13/8/1887 Edinburgh Married: ELIZABETH BOSTOCK Married: VIOLET SELINA In the Ring: Circus & Menagerie proprietor, Zoo in Glasgow. 1913: Put in charge of your father’s Bostock’s Royal Italian Circus. 1914: Bostock's Zoo building requisitioned for mobilization and storage 1914: Took the Circus to tour in South Africa in November, place of aeroplanes in crates. Send a circus on a World tour with a son. 1915: Found it difficult to get transport for circus to go to Australia as 1915: 2 of your 4 sons are now in the Army: Alexander, who has been there were no ships, and animals would have to go back via England. in charge of the Ipswich Hippodrome, and Augustus, your assistant and Found a ship to take circus to Calcutta, Bombay. right-hand man 1916 - 18: The Circus travelled on to Burma, Singapore, Japan and in 1916: After an hour closing time, The Paisley Hippodrome caught fire Java. and you did not have it adequately insured, artists lost props 1922: Finally was able to return with The Circus return to UK. 1917: The youngest of your sons joined the Army, you have been left with all your business to manage. 1918: Re open half of Zoo building as a Roller Skating Rink. Muitionettes YOUR WAR CIRCUS STORY YOUR WAR CIRCUS STORY Name: Nationality: Name: Nationality: ALEXANDER British REUBEN CASTANG British GORDON BOSTOCK Date of birth: Born: Date of birth: Born: 1870 London 22/2/1885 “In a van in Glasgow” In the ring: Animal trainer, his Chimpanzee Max & Moritz act was Married: Elvyn Margaret, 1918 really famous. You were presented to Arch Duke Ferdinand a week In the ring: Manager of Ipswich Hippodrome before assassination. 1914: Managed your father EH Bosotck’s business in Ipswich 1914: In Europe at beginning of hostilities. Got back to Hengenbeck 1915: Enlisted as gunner Circus in Berlin, didn’t keep quiet. Imprissoned at Ruhleben race 1916: Commissioned to Essex & Suffolk Regiment R.G.A. course now prison camp for Aliens, live in stables with other 5000 men 1917: Promoted Lieutenant 1915: Ruhleben is run like a socialist town. Laws were set by prisoners 1919: Died of pneumonia in the Military Hospital, 3 days before to make sure that no one was more advantaged than the next. You run demobilisation. as a suffragist and have been elected Prime Minister of the camp. 1917: Food is short even with Red Cross parcels. Hagenbeck your gives you ferrets to catch rats. You get piano full of whisky into the camp 1918: Finally you’re released. You were put to work in charge of Hagenbeck’s five scraggy elephants, caring for them before they died. 1919: You are ready for a trip to West Africa, looking for chimpanzee. YOUR WAR CIRCUS STORY YOUR WAR CIRCUS STORY Name: Nationality: Name: Nationality: LORENZ HANGENBECK German ADRIEN WETTACH Swiss Date of birth: Born: Date of birth: Born: 10/1/1880 Bern : Animal Importer, was in charge of family business in In the ring Married: twice, Louise and Ines Northern Europe and America. In the ring: Also know as “GROCK, King of Clowns”, Composer and : While your brother signed up, you were in charge of business 1914 Musician. and worked in Circus. 1914: In Russia at out break of war, in Paris for 1st aerial bombing, : Jenny, one of your elephant taken by Army put in service for the 1915 performing with Lolé his brother-in-law. Attested by medically unfit to German war effort, is doing her job well, felling trees. serve with Swiss Army. 1916: You opened a Circus in Oslo. Riding in the outskirts of the city, a 1915: London Coliseum show made you feel on top of the world as you loud burst of machine-gun fire leaves you prostate on the soft moss and and your partner left the theatre. your black horse bolted thought the trees. It was trained in a Wild West 1916: Hayem, your partner, has been called to join the Army. You find act and was to bolt out of the ring at the sound of gun shot. a new partner named Max van Emden. 1917: Circus is now mostly Danes & Swedes. The rest joined up. 1917: The new number you are doing with Max in Paris, brought the Women of Amsterdam complained to Queen “Circus eating all food”. house down. A Grock epidemic has broken out. VERY FAMOUS. 1918: Jenny war elephant returned home unwounded, ready to work. 1918: Took Perezoff to court for copyright infringement of your act. YOUR WAR CIRCUS STORY YOUR WAR CIRCUS STORY Name: Nationality: Name: Nationality: PEREZOFF French FRANK FOSTER British Date of birth: Born: Date of birth: Born: 1892 In the ring: Comedy Juggler, also known as Seven Pezeroffs In the ring: Equestrian, Juggler, Animal man (later Ring Master) with 1915: Worked at Tower Circus, Blackpool George Sanger’s Circus 1918: Called in court for alleged infringement of Grock’s music hall 1914: You, Jimmy Freeman and Tom Ethardo had to bring the whole sketch, with a sketch known as “Noni & Partner”. George Sanger’s Circus to the other side of a tidal river mouth, ended up swimming with the horses and wagons. For the winter season, you travelled to Glasgow to Hengler’s Circus. Elephants don’t like trains. 1915: Went to Preston to enlist the 5Th Dragoon Guards. Having taken the King’s shilling, you were sent to Aldershot. 1916: Transferred to the Royal Scots, you are now dressed in a Kilt. 1917: you were blown up on the battlefield in France. After a few weeks in Hospital for frost bite, head wounds and twisted leg, you have been transferred to a convalescent camp. 1918:You started a concert party called “The Electric Sparks” with George Doonan. Then when war ends return to George Sangars Circus. YOUR WAR CIRCUS STORY Name: Nationality: HANNEFORD ELIZABETH Date of birth: Born: 10/3/1870 In the ring: Hanneford’s Royal Canadian Circus proprietor, Equestrienne. 1914: Toured Britain and Ireland. In charge of the family circus following the death of your husband. You have a large talented family. 1915: The Hanneford’s tour Spain. Sailed to America in November to join Ringling’s. 1916-1917: Performed in Cuban seasons. Dodge the Cuban Revolution, return to USA to work. Your son is challenged for not signing up. 1918: The Circus became very famous, especially your son Poodles. YOUR WAR CIRCUS STORY YOUR WAR CIRCUS STORY Name: Nationality: Name: Nationality: ELIZABETH KAYES British TIMOTHY KAYES British Date of birth: Born: Date of birth: Born: 1878 Penzance Married: William Kayes Married: Nancy Buckley Related to: Thomas Baker, Father Related to: Kayes Elizabeth, Mother In the ring: Circus proprietor. Have to manage the circus more and In the ring: Lion Tamer. more as husband is elderly. 1916: Arrested twice on circus show ground for avoiding mobilisation, 1914: Various sons get summonsed to court, saying that they are was in to Leeds court, then taken to join up. needed by the circus they delay their mobilization. 1917: Served with distinction. 1916: Finally all of your lion tamer sons are called up 1918: Injured in May & lost left leg. you had to enter the Lion’s Cage, wearing your son’s clothes. There is a 1919: Returned to the lion’s cage with a crutch. lot of press interest. 1918: Gave birth to your last son, James, 14/6/1918, in a travelling wagon under a cherry tree at Lidbrook, Monmouthshire. YOUR WAR CIRCUS STORY YOUR WAR CIRCUS STORY Name: Nationality: Name: Nationality: WALTER McDONALD Canadian/British CLAUDE OHMY ( SMITH) British Date of birth: Born: Date of birth: Born: 1897 1897 Southport Related to: Mother was Canadian Native American, father from the Related to: John Smith (King Ohmy) Father. Fossett circus family. In the ring: Equestrian. In the ring: American Indian Wild West Performer.