The Davenport Collection
- a growing resource on magic and entertainment history

2020

William Morton Remembers: A Chapter in the History of Maskelyne and Cooke

William Morton Remembers: A Chapter in the History of Maskelyne and Cooke

William Morton spotted Maskelyne and Cooke in their early years when they were touring the provinces and at the same time improving their show. He stayed with them as their manager until well into their long tenure at the Egyptian Hall in London. Drawing on Morton’s autobiography, Dr Dawes is able to throw light on this period, including information on the business relationship between Morton and Maskelyne and Cooke.

William Morton continued to work in the world of entertainment and eventually had several theatres and cinemas in Hull. His story tells us much about the entertainment industry.

Marking My Territory – The Bookplate Story

Marking My Territory – The Bookplate Story

Have you ever thought about having your own bookplate? Steve did, for a long time. Then he decided he would make it happen. He now has 6 bookplates (or 8, depending on how you count). His article tells you about his experience and then what you need to know to avoid false starts. Even if the desire to have your own bookplate has not yet overwhelmed you, you’ll like Steve’s quirky insight into the strange, driven world of collecting.

A Mine of Maskelyne Information

A Mine of Maskelyne Information

Many of the Maskelyne items in the Davenport Collection were made for public consumption: programmes, publicity material, printed books, and so on. One of our shelves is occupied by books which were always intended to be private. They are the surviving business records of the Maskelynes at St George’s Hall.
The purpose of this article is to record the scope of these business records and provide examples of their content.