Oswald Williams was a first class magician who flourished in the first decades of the 1900s. He was also well known as the inventor of many large illusions and smaller tricks. His name deserves to be better known today. The Harry Rickard theatre circuit in Australia owned a Tivoli theatre in more than one city. This poster could be used at all of them because only the name Tivoli, and not the city name, is given at the top of the poster.
Oswald Williams
Programmes of this type have the printer’s date at the bottom left of the third page. The date when this programme was presented to the public is not given. The pages illustrated are 1, 12 and a compilation of pages which together show the billing matter for all the acts.
The printer’s date is 9 April 1928.
The printer’s date is 23 September 1920.
The printer’s date is 21 July 1930.
The acts on the programme are spread over several pages. The second illustration shown here is a compilation of the relevant parts of each page. Note that the second half of the programme is “Hullo Maskelyne” invented, written and produced by Oswald Williams.
This was a Cambridge Pentacle Magic Club show in which John Davenport performed the Oswald Williams Noah’s Ark Illusion.
The Gala Week was from 27 March 1933 to 1 April 1933. This poster is in the Paul Kieve Collection. We are grateful for his permission in 2019 to display it on this website.
The theatre is St. George’s Hall and the printer’s date is 29-2-32, ie 29 February 1932.
The poster highlights The Uncanny Woman in a new show. This illusion makes use of a Walter Jeans invention.
This is an Edison Bell Radio record, Magical Problems Series. Side 88924 is No. 1, The Donkey & the Rope. Side 88925 is No. 2, Your Character. The Davenport Collection also has an electronic file of the content.
This crazy invention is a triumph of entertainment and design. The performer explains in a very visual, amusing way, how the contraption should be used to catch a mouse. The original patter by Oswald Williams is also in the collection. The apparatus has been designed so that it fits compactly into its travelling case which has the initials O. W. on it. The photographs show how it opens out to its full length. Inside the opening of the travelling case are Oswald Williams’ contact details: Oswald Williams, 510 Clive Court, Maida Vale, London W. 9. Phone Cunningham 2420.