This week we have added 166,508 new pages to The Archive. We have updated fifteen of our existing titles, with updates to four of our Irish titles, and titles covering the counties of Surrey, Cheshire, Devon, Dorset, Kent and Middlesex, as well as the cities of Newcastle and Liverpool.

This week also sees updates to one of our performing arts publications, The Showman. The Showman was ‘an illustrated journal for showmen and all entertainers,’ and our updates include pages from 1901.

The Showman gives a fascinating insight into the early business of cinematography, carrying adverts for early film pioneers Mitchell & Kenyon. Based in Blackburn, James Kenyon and Sagar Mitchell filmed the day to day lives of ordinary people in the industrial north of England. In 1994 a discovery of Mitchell & Kenyon negatives provided historians with the largest collection of early non-fiction actuality films in the world.

In 1901, The Showman carries advertisements of Mitchell & Kenyon’s footage of Queen Victoria’s funeral, containing images of the funeral procession and the crowds in attendance.

The Showman | 15 February 1901

Not only does The Showman give a unique glimpse into the early days of film, it also provides a wonderful view of popular entertainment during the early twentieth century. The weekly publication features in depth interviews with a range of different performers, as well as printing photographs of them.

Featured in an April 1901 edition of The Showman is ‘the Great Everhart,’ a juggler from Columbus, Ohio. His act is described as astounding and bewildering, as he bowls his hoops ‘as though they were chased by Goblins.’

The Showman | 12 April 1901

Another curious act featured within the pages of The Showman is Harry Edson and his dog Doc. Doc appears to have been a pipe smoker, the interviewer describing his encounter with the animal in the following terms:

Without removing from his mouth the pipe, of which he is an inveterate smoker, Doc simply gave an uninviting growl, and familiarly puffed a little cloud of smoke in the direction of my face. Further conversation was for the moment interrupted by Doc standing up on his hind legs, and strutting on to the stage, with the pipe still between his teeth.

Indeed, Doc appears to be the most intelligent of animals, The Showman noting that he will ‘immediately obey instructions with unfailing accuracy.’ He is even able to tell the interviewer his age, giving seven barks when asked how old he is.

The Showman | 17 May 1901

The Showman is a unique record of all types of entertainment in late Victorian and early Edwardian Britain. Not only can you discover what types of entertainment people enjoyed, you can learn from its pages magic tricks, and find out what types of shows, whether lectures or lantern shows, were taking place all across the country.

UPDATED TITLES

This week we have updated fifteen of our recently added titles.

You can learn more about each of the titles we add to every week by clicking on their names. On each paper’s title page, you can read a FREE sample issue, learn more about our current holdings, and our plans for digitisation.

Register now and explore the Archive

You can keep up to date with all the latest additions by visiting the recently added page.  You can even look ahead to see what we’re going to add tomorrow.