HANDY CIRCUS FAMILY - HANDY CIRCUS TROUPE

LAMBETH

Entrance to Astley's Theatre, in 1820.

London c1880 old antique print

Caption below picture: 'Entrance to Astley's theatre, in 1820 '​

DATE PRINTED: c1880
IMAGE SIZE: Approx 14.0 x 10.5cm, 5.5 x 4 inches (Small)
ARTIST/CARTOGRAPHER/ENGRAVER: Unsigned
PROVENANCE: "Old and new London", published by Cassell, Petter & Galpin
TYPE: Antique wood engraved print. This print was published in c1880 but please note that it may depict an earlier scene or relate to an earlier event dated 1820 and the printmaker may have drawn on an earlier original work.​

 

[smudged] (Vol. 2)

Transcription

The coalition of HANDY’s troop with ASTLEY’s was a charming hit,
and the inhabitants of London seem pleased at the event.
Every ] night the Amphitheatre at Westminster-bridge is overflowed to see,
among other things, the wonderful performances of the two Equestrian Ladies,
mounted on Yorkshire hunters
—We are led to understand that this is the last night
but one of the present entertainments;
this, we suppose, only alludes to ASTLEY’s determination
of changing his scenic amusements every week.

Item Number

[smudged]
Written Date

19 May 1797
Date

May 19, 1797
Category

Text
Source

Astley's Cuttings from Newspapers Vol. 2
Download Image

IMG_5909.jpg(1.78MB)

 

The horse trainer, 1899.
Photo by Félix Thiollier


The horse trainer, 1899.
Photo by Félix Thiollier

 

Viceroy
Wooden sailing ship; Liverpool-Dublin packet.
Crew and 45 passengers; all lost.
Foundered in gale in Irish Sea around 31st Dec 1797.
The VICEROY was a wooden sailing packet used on the Liverpool to Dublin run. In December 1797,
the packet loaded an unusual mix of passengers and cargo in the form of a troop of equestrian performers
and their horses managed by the well-known circus manager Benjamin Handy.

Benjamin Handy had taken over the Lyceum theatre in the Strand
and established his New Circus in the late winter and spring of 1795.

This comprised riders offering 'horsemanship unrivalled', and clown performers.

In all, a company of around 25 men, women and children with horses, embarked on the packet.

A further 20 or so passengers and 16 horses were also loaded,
including 2 sons of Sir John Parnell, Chancellor of the Exchequer in Ireland.

The vessel was heavily loaded nearly to gunwale height when it left Liverpool sailing into a gale
and it is presumed that the packet foundered as it was not heard from again.

Sir John Parnell was the Chancellor of the Exchequer in Ireland from 1785
and he had 6 children: John Augustus, Henry, William, Sophia and 2 others: Thomas and Arthur;
a Monody [poem of lament] for their loss was published anonymously in 1798.

Among the persons who are supposed to have perished on board the Liverpool packet (the Viceroy) are,
besides twenty-five other unfortunate passengers, the following performers belonging to Handy's equestrian troop:
Mrs. Davis and child;
Mr. and Mrs. Taylor;
Mr. Robinson and wife and four children;
Mr. and Mrs. Port;
Miss Mary Ann [the "Wonderful Child of Promise", daughter of Benjamin Hardy*]; *HARDY=HANDY
Master H. Cantello;
Masters Stent and Ackerill;
Mr. Carr;
Mrs. Sutton and two ostlers.

• Mr. Handy's seventeen horses, trained for exhibition, were on board the packet.
• Mr. Handy, himself, travelled to Dublin on a packet from Holyhead.

The Lady Fitzgibbon, Liverpool packet, which was drove into the Isle of Man
by the same tempest in which it is feared the above packet [Viceroy] foundered,
has arrived in Dublin.

The passengers in the Lady Fitzgibbon, during the heavy gale,
saw the Viceroy in great distress, running northward before the wind, gunwale deep,
and conclude that she must inevitably have upset.

It was presumed that the weight and mobility of the horses aboard
caused her to become unstable in the waves and ship water, thus foundering.


Losses of Liverpool-Dublin Sailing Packets
https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/~cmi/bo...GN2Tie0SVwe8eZ3Tqh8r9RUTjsEdYtmG7cJaiwvFk#VIC

 

the will of benjamin handy

PROB-11-2018-26-3 (1).pdf

 

London, England, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 about Benjamin
Handy
Name: Benjamin llandy
4 Jul 1766

Baptism Date:
St Mary, Hampton
Parish:
Middlesex
County:
View original
Richmond upon Thames
Anthony Handy,
Parent(c):
Janc Handy
image
Record Type:
Baptism
Parish Register
Register Type:

 

Hand, Handy?This name is the anglicised form of three Irish sept names. In the districts of Clones, Co.Monaghan, and in that of Tullamore, King's County, the names M'Lave and M'Clave (Mac L?imh) has been anglicised Hand, from l?mh, hand. Also to Handy and Maglave, the latter in Gaelic Mag L?imh.
In North Connacht the name Lavin (O'L?imhin) is changed to Hand, and the sept name O'Hand (O' h-Aodh-?in) or as some have anglicised it as Owens, have assumed the name of Hands. The latter sept was located in Co. Meath.
A good online source for Irish names, etc. is http://www.libraryireland.com/Names.php