The Sandow Family Circus Variety History – Part Six

Barbara the trainee came on leaps and bounds and enjoyed ‘having a go’, and was great fun, always laughing. Being a year older than myself she would joke how she could see ‘X’ rated films before I could! Things like that (not that they were risque in 1956). She took my sister Margaret’s place caring for our ponies along with myself and we were both paid extra by Harry to care for his as well. Usually she in Wrangler jeans with the turn-ups above the ankles that was the ‘with-it’ style then (if not shorts on a hot day)!

Three circus proprietors were touring together being; my Uncle Tom Fossett, father, and Harry. A recipe for disaster one might think.
I was of course clowning with enthusiasm and along with a good clown engaged by Harry (Sonny,) we managed some good routines. For the first time I was encouraged to learn things (or inspired to do so by watching Barbara’s enthusiasm). One day Harry and father were conversing some distance away and glanced over at me doing something constructive. They motioned me to go over to them. Father said ‘you have not done much riding have you Tom?’ Knowing full well I had done nothing! ‘Harry and I want you to do the comedy clown ride so take Harry’s horse in this afternoon, you should be able to do something in the afternoon show tomorrow.’ (!) So typical of my father.

Clowning with Harry Cody.

So comedy voltige was easy enough, if a clown falls off it is what he is supposed to do anyway. Father said about this ‘always remember, if you fall off make sure it is to the ring inside and not to the seating outside.’  However with four of the greatest riders on this show, in my parents and uncle and aunt the inevitable happened with Barbara encouraged into a bareback voltige riding act, that again she managed with great style with this horse supplied by Harry.

Harry toured two exceptional wild animal persons in Jack Smith from South Africa and Albert Kean who was known to us from the past show days. Albert’s son Clive was just 14 years but tall with it and a good friend. Barbara would wind us up a lot, we being the three teenagers (the word came alive then). We three managed the whole stable unit duties and collected the sawdust for the ring from a local wood yard. That was it, no build ups or pull downs. Of course all were available in a crisis should one occur.

I do so like this press photo from the 1950s. The two fellows look so much like Clive and myself in those days, coffee bars, Rock and Roll, and records.

This was the happiest of tenting seasons with Harry being most generous and a fine artiste himself from the days of Variety when he presented a comedy musical act. We toured South Wales for some weeks and at that time no pubs or cinemas were allowed to open on a Sunday so he would squeeze as many persons as possible into his car and landrover and drive across the English border to find leisure – all good fun.

The brother of Elizabeth Fossett – Artie Yelding – was the tent master, a Will Hay lookalike with a string around an old raincoat. The music of the show was a classic vision with two musicians and Artie on drums plus Harry on occasions playing his accordion to create a laidback atmosphere. The business takings were exceptional but Harry’s wife Doris Yelding kept complaining to him about the heat and the dust on the dry grounds and the many children playing noisily around the big top so the route was changed to green pastures along the South Coast and the South West. The poster is for Bude. The old and famous elephant Salt closed the programme with the slowest routine and the slowest marshal music possible which was was so well received by the public.

This photo shows the elephant Salt with no visible restriction bathing at a riverside running alongside the showground with the groom to the front. Standing around are children of the town! So much for health and safety. The elephant was a soft old thing.

Memorial tribute to Harry Cody

I have deliberately tried to avoid personal issues and negativity with this historical account because the reader may not be altogether interested in private relationships even so Harry Cody is a special subject. He was a dear friend to me on more than one occasion, a thoughtful generous honest great human being proud and totally professional. Not one ounce of self-ego beyond being a perfectionist and dedicated stage performer. I am sure my story for the year 1956 will show what a good man he was. The following years were not so kind to him and I am not sure to comment the reasons. His quality circus declined and I met with him again in 1963 that may have been close to its closure. Other circuses were not helpful, they never are. It is documented that he had family problems and became a solo entertainer when we last met with him early in 1971. He was touring with a small circus run by a Dane called Hans Vogalbein who was well known on the old Variety circuits touring a chimpanzee act called Gilbert and Partner. It is true to say that at this later time of 1971 he would not be the best of persons to work for. We called in to see Harry (and other friend artistes) to find him extremely depressed and futureless we told him of our pending season in Paignton for the summer (see part fifteen) and he asked us about the booking agency clearly hopeful of moving on.

We commenced the season and within a few days we received a rather desperate letter from Harry pleading with us to be of help and perhaps we could form an entertainment partnership. We had only just commenced the first engagement ourselves so were not in any position to be of help (he was secure financially) not really understanding how emotionally desperate he was. Within a short time we learned that Harry had taken his own life. This shocked us totally and personally exceptionally so because he was like a second father to me. This business can be very cruel. Three years later we were far better known and even able to start Circus Funtime (see part sixteen) so in 1975 we could have been so much help to him and would have been proud to have had Harry touring with us. He found no support from anywhere as far as history shows. I still feel grieved about this now.

R.I.P Harry.

I only have a small snapshot of Babs. I did take many photos if not of quality in my teens, unfortunately events conspired for me to lose them in difficult circumstances. Some were classic. I have managed this water colour likeness from the one snap. There were others.

Following the season with Harry there were a fine number of Variety engagements including this one at the Winter Gardens theatre Morecambe for the 22nd April 1957.

The wonderful acrobatic Seven Volants appeared with the family at the old Rhyl Pavilion 1957.

the Seven Volants

Violet’s young partner was now brilliantly up to standard and many bookings followed but then, during the winter, my father became very ill with serious heart problems so the need to find a resident summer season once again was needed. It must be clear that his intention by going with Harry was to recreate the old Sandow family again in the still strong area that was circus by getting Barbara and myself to be multi-talented. This must have been his dream. But in the circumstances a return to the Pavilion Theatre Rhyl and the Prince Cox Circus was offered for the final summer of 1957. Margaret and Bob Jones now possessed their house and Bob was still the stage manager. This was a very easy beautiful building to work, with excellent stabling on the premises.

It transpired that Violet was forming a relationship, at a distance, with Marius Freeman of that well known circus family (obviously she had known him for years) and sometime during the season she decided to join with him and the Freeman family at the close of the Rhyl season and so it would mean the conclusion of the Sandow family as a bookable unit, also the conclusion of the Sandow Sisters because either Barbara did not wish to go or she was not asked.

This kind of thing is very traumatic and the story of film scripts. My father had no negative feelings to Violet only sadness and decided to retire at the season’s close (most wise in the circumstances) so made approaches for the sale of the two acts – the Shetlands and the comedy dogs.

Artistes and acts must be able to move.

Father was no longer really fit to drive and I had not passed any test, neither had Babs. The cards were well stacked against continuing with the two acts (perhaps Babs doing the single trapeze act to make it three). Circuses do not like towing acts around and, in any case, it is not a wise thing for the act to be dependent in this way. For Variety and Galas the situation is worse with long journeys between engagements.

Barbara had grown from the fun loving tomboy with Harry Cody the previous season into a fine young woman. Barbara was most upset with the proceedings that were out of her (and my own) control. If I had been a couple of years older and able to drive, things might have been different perhaps allowing two vehicles and trailers. But, with just one vehicle and one driver in my father, who was becoming unfit to drive, and with Barbara and I being too young there seemed no alternative. As it was, my parents could not offer anything specific for her and this was a great tragedy. She was a bright girl and knew her future was equally bright.
It must be said, when Violet chose her she was chosen to suit but with the short time available she could have chosen badly a dozen times? But she was exceptionally good. Excellent artistes are hard to find, I mean willing to be dedicated. It does not matter whether they are of ‘josser’ background or circus background it must be the result that counts. I do not know, really, what makes a great talent, hard work surely but it needs more. Very few are outstanding, it must be more than just work and enthusiasm, it must be something from within that drives. Of course both my sisters had this drive.

It is a constant and regrettable thought to me that we were unable to carry on. She could have done a fine solo trapeze – with thanks it must be said to Violet who I would not criticise in any way, she was the main strength of the family, she had replaced Richard and worked so hard for so long. As for Barbara she could have been a huge addition to any circus but by luck and good fortune – or choice – and it must be said, development by the Sandow family,  she  managed to choose a fine continental hand balancer who brought the very best out of her. For some time we did correspond and she sent me some photos of the act that must be rated one of the best with hand to hand balancing and adagio. She toured all over Europe and the Middle East in top night clubs and hotels. I did not see Barbara again for ten years.

Ten years later I was touring with Gandey’s Circus and playing Twickenham near London. She was then resident in London and by a conversation on the telephone I arranged to have lunch with her in the West End. She entered looking great and exceptionally trim in twin piece suit and very French – a Leslie Caron lookalike! Very stylish and with no trace of the ‘swinging 60s’ look at that time, what a change from the girl that used to clean the ponies and get stuck in. She replied to my welcome in a strong French accent quite different from the strong Lancashire accent she had ten years previously. My references to ‘the old days’ thinking those would inspire conversation failed, it was long gone from her mind, circus to her was a past issue. She had totally changed. I returned to Gandey rather depressed that day but with happy thoughts.

Robert Brothers buy our ponies and dogs.

A very sad unit arrived at the Robert Brothers Circus during October 1957, for the Roberts family had decided to purchase the animals from my parents. The Robert Brothers were helpful in allowing us to tour the final few weeks. At the season’s close we returned to a comfortable winter quarters but my father died a short time later in December 1957. It is clear now that my father had worried and worked himself to a shorter life.
We received this thoughtful letter of condolence from our very long standing Variety agent and close friend, Don Ross on the 2nd January 1958. True sentiments that were felt throughout the circus-variety world for every body liked my father. Many show people came to his funeral.

 

He was indeed the rock of my life. I then realised that the carefree days of the past were gone and I was thrown into the deep end of life’s pool and I floundered around for some time. This was the end of ‘the Sandow family’ as such and the loss of my father all within twelve short weeks. My father was a complete perfectionist in performance and out, costumes or harness must be right. His old tenting circus was a model, he would wear immaculate ring-master guise be it a full house or a sparse house. He would expect acts and people to do the same performance in a provincial town as if on a Moss Empire stage. They are the same audience he would say. To him, the words ‘can’t be done’ would get him annoyed and the word ‘impossible’ would need to be explained to him! Second best was never an option.

I was forced to consider a solo career at 17 years. But doing what? I thought equally of leaving show-business altogether and even joining the Navy which appealed greatly. Many jobs were available. However, a letter arrived from Mr. George Sanger who may have been at the funeral. It was sent to my mother with fond condolences and memories with the invite to join him for the 1958 Sanger’s circus season so this guided me into a certain direction and fate took a hand as it usually does.