Program: Royal Aquarium Entertainments for July 14, 1888
July 14 1888 (Date manufactured/created)
Decorative program of entertainments printed on a textured paper. The program lists performances at the Royal Aquarium, Summer and Winter Garden Society, in Westminster, S.W. London, for the week ending July 14, 1888. The unusual paper, now very fragile, may have been selected because the program was scented, according to a statement on the back, which notes it was perfumed "by the Proprietors of Cherry Blossom." (The scent has long since evaporated.) The decorative border features Japanese figures and a red fox character in costume. Like the name of the perfume, the border design speaks to the popular interest in Japanese culture and art during the Victorian era, and oriental styles in general. The paper is folded as if to be opened, but there are no pages within. One side of the program describes the afternoon performances and the other side describes the evening performances. The "Afternoon" side lists the acts starting at 1:30 p.m. and running until 5:15 p.m. Performances include the grand organ, a phrenology expert, the Olympian Quintet, Little Mdelle. Bertoto, Sam Redfern, Lauck and Hurley on the horizontal bars, the Pylades, M’dlle. Dallo, the Rossbach Troupe, the flying Sisters Ongar, and Professor Beckwith's Swimming Entertainment.
The evening listings at the Royal Aquarium start at 6:30 p.m., running until 11:15 p.m. Performances include the grand organ recital, a phrenologist, the Royal Aquarium Orchestra, the Olympian Quintet, Little Mdelle. Bertoto, the Pleiades, the Two Macs, Miss Lillie Western, G.H. MacDermott, Professor Beckwith's Swimming Entertainment, the Flying Sisters Ongar, Sam Redfern, lauck and Hurley, and Madlle Dallo. The program also includes information about refreshments available on site. No printer's name is included on the item.
The program was collected by W. C. Hoefler, a trick cyclist performer who worked for P. T. Barnum and traveled to England with the Barnum & Bailey circus in 1888. He probably attended a show while on the trip, and kept the scented program as a souvenir. It was donated to the Barnum Museum by his granddaughter.
The evening listings at the Royal Aquarium start at 6:30 p.m., running until 11:15 p.m. Performances include the grand organ recital, a phrenologist, the Royal Aquarium Orchestra, the Olympian Quintet, Little Mdelle. Bertoto, the Pleiades, the Two Macs, Miss Lillie Western, G.H. MacDermott, Professor Beckwith's Swimming Entertainment, the Flying Sisters Ongar, Sam Redfern, lauck and Hurley, and Madlle Dallo. The program also includes information about refreshments available on site. No printer's name is included on the item.
The program was collected by W. C. Hoefler, a trick cyclist performer who worked for P. T. Barnum and traveled to England with the Barnum & Bailey circus in 1888. He probably attended a show while on the trip, and kept the scented program as a souvenir. It was donated to the Barnum Museum by his granddaughter.
2012.011.007