Monday, December 27, 2010
People A Memphis Circus Family from the late 1800s
Posted by Vance Lauderdale on Mon, Dec 27, 2010 at 9:00 PM
Nothing more is known — not yet, anyway — about this interesting family (if they indeed are a family — where is their mother??). What was their act? Trapeze artists? Jugglers? Strong man, with assistants? It's hard to say from their outfits.
I really like the smaller boy's crazy-striped costume, and if you look closely, you'll see that the dapper man (the father?) is wearing a shirt with a rather curious design on the front, which is similar to (but not exactly the same as) the shirt worn by the older boy.
If anyone has any information about these performers, I'm sure you'll let me know.
Comments (6)
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Just wondering if the "Day" photographer was any relation to the family that now owns the Hunt-Phelan Home.
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I have looked through the Library of Congress and can't find anything in the internet domain...
I don't have a clue about this cool photograph, but the kids look like they're about to punch the man. The way he's looking at the older boy says, "C'mon — give it your best shot!"
Hi, Vance,
Was there a theatre in this block perhaps when this photo was taken? My Dad played for vaudeville shows at the Orpheum in the 1930s and told me all kinds of stories about traveling acts. Maybe they were just passing through on the vaudeville circuit?? It's a neat photo, just makes you wonder....
Jan Stone, Point Clear, AL
I think that the photographer may have been Y Day (Yearly Day, born Ohio, 1821?). He is listed in Memphis City Directories from 1865 through 1874. 1880 census shows a Y Day, artist, living in Jackson, MS. At least, this narrows the timeframe for the search.
