Articles – The Davenport Collection

The Pentacle Club: 100 Years of Cambridge Magic

The Cambridge Pentacle Club was founded in 1919. Michael Colley has written the story of its first 100 years, making extensive use of the Pentacle Club archive and his own research. Until the 1960s the Pentacle Club was solely a university club. In the magic world its best-known undergraduate member was Alex Elmsley.
Michael’s book covers not just members, but also the well-known magical personalities who came to lecture at the club or perform in shows. Download the PDF and join Michael on his journey through time.

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Lewis Davenport – the man

By John Davenport

What was Lewis like as a person? John Davenport paints a picture of his grandfather.

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Maskelyne and Cooke’s 1870 claim to be the Royal Illusionists

By Anne Goulden

Anne Goulden explains why Maskelyne & Cooke felt able to use this billing, despite never having performed before royalty.

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Oswald Williams at the Leicester Palace in 1914

By Anne Goulden

It is very difficult to find reliable information on the salaries paid to variety acts. In this article Anne Goulden reports on Oswald Williams’ act at the Leicester Palace and compares his salary with the other acts on the bill. These are recorded in a salaries book which belongs to the British Music Hall Society Archive.

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Summer in Aberystwyth – seaside entertainment in 1922

By Anne Goulden

Anne Goulden has used private letters from Charles Glenrose to Claude Chandler to paint a picture of the 1922 season in Aberystwyth. The letters provide an insight that would never be obtained from contemporary printed material. Despite Glenrose’s hope and optimism, it was a tough season.

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The Amazing Chang: The magic of Whittington-Wickes

By Leamington Spa Art Gallery and Museum

This article is an overview of the Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum’s exhibition The Amazing Chang: The magic of Whittington-Wickes (17 October 2009 – 10 January 2010).

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The Egyptian Hall lives on underneath Hyde Park Corner

By John Davenport

Historians of Victorian entertainment will be familiar with the Egyptian Hall on Piccadilly in London. It served as an entertainment complex until it was demolished in 1905. Less well known is the fact that the Hall has been captured on wall tiles in the Hyde Park Corner pedestrian underpass.

Click below to download the PDF containing John Davenport’s photographs.

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Variety artistes’ salaries at the Leicester Palace, 1911-24

By Anne Goulden

The British Music Hall Society archive has a salaries book from the Leicester Palace. Anne Goulden lists the salaries of magicians and top acts of the time. She also shows the effect of the First World War on salaries.

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Smilestones: Recollections of Herbert J. Collings in his own words: 1898-1946

By Herbert J. Collings

The much loved Herbert J. Collings, also known as Col Ling Soo, became a successful society entertainer and performer for royalty in the first half of the 20th century. He was awarded the Gold Medal of The Magic Circle and twice served as their President. The Magic Circle owns a typescript of Smilestones, his reminiscences covering 1898 to 1946. With the permission of David Hibberd, Archivist of The Magic Circle, his Smilestones are reproduced here. 35 illustrations have been added.

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David Devant and His Wider Family: who they were and how they lived

By Peter Brunning

Peter Brunning’s painstaking research has uncovered the most complete story yet about Devant and his family. This includes new insights into Devant’s marriage and his daughter Vida, topics which have puzzled many magic historians. Peter’s article is illustrated with seldom seen images from the Davenport Collection.

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