1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:03,800 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff You Missed in History Class from house 2 00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:13,720 Speaker 1: stuff Works dot com. Hello, and welcome to the podcast. 3 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:17,600 Speaker 1: I'm Sarah Dowdy. And and it is Black History Month, 4 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:22,440 Speaker 1: so always important to mark and take a look at 5 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:24,880 Speaker 1: the very rich history available in that arena. It does, 6 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:27,760 Speaker 1: and UM, you know, people will write in sometimes with 7 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:30,319 Speaker 1: topic suggestions and say, I know I miss Black History Month. 8 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 1: Don't ever feel like you have to write that because 9 00:00:33,479 --> 00:00:39,360 Speaker 1: we cover African American Caribbean and does not always have 10 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:41,920 Speaker 1: to be during Black History any time of year. But 11 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:46,040 Speaker 1: I do always like to mark the month in part because, um, 12 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:48,240 Speaker 1: for a lot of people I know, especially if they're 13 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:52,400 Speaker 1: in school, this is the time when they're gonna, um 14 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:56,680 Speaker 1: study people of color in their curriculum, and I feel like, 15 00:00:56,920 --> 00:01:00,560 Speaker 1: you know, important to contribute to provide some new topics 16 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:04,759 Speaker 1: on that. UM. Today's subject though, is just so cool 17 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 1: for um a lot of reasons. He's a really fabulous entertainer, 18 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:17,000 Speaker 1: essentially a notable horseman, very prominent black victorian UM and 19 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:22,440 Speaker 1: Britain's first circus owner of color, which is that's like 20 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:27,520 Speaker 1: a full package, Like I mean, just from a historical standpoint, 21 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:31,399 Speaker 1: that is such a rich like assortment of things to 22 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 1: look at and to have it all in one person 23 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:38,120 Speaker 1: is really fabulous. One guy Pablo Funk. So I came 24 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:41,560 Speaker 1: across him. I had never heard about him, uh, or 25 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 1: at least the name didn't immediately ring a bell for 26 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:47,279 Speaker 1: me either. I came across him in a Smithsonian article 27 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:50,800 Speaker 1: by one of my favorite historians, Mike Dash, who writes 28 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:55,400 Speaker 1: frequently about these sort of little known historical figures. But 29 00:01:56,320 --> 00:01:59,080 Speaker 1: the name might sound familiar to a few of you 30 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 1: out there. For one particular reason, We're going to stop 31 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 1: for a minute and play a little clip and Lati 32 00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:24,960 Speaker 1: so the Beatles fans in the crowd probably recognize that clip. 33 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:28,320 Speaker 1: You know, what we're talking about being for the benefit 34 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:33,880 Speaker 1: of Mr Kite off of the Beatles Sergeant Pepper album 35 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,400 Speaker 1: and um, A lot of the figures in the song 36 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:40,760 Speaker 1: are real Victorian circuit stars. I know, probably most people 37 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:44,120 Speaker 1: just assume John Lennon made him up. There's a lot 38 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 1: of things going on during supper make up. Some circus 39 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:51,119 Speaker 1: stars makeup the acts that they do, but a lot 40 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 1: of those figures are real people. And the way John Lennon, Uh, 41 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:00,440 Speaker 1: she really stumbled across these hid It's like the most 42 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:05,200 Speaker 1: awesome songwriting story. He was outside of kent in January 43 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 1: nine seven um filming video and he wandered into this 44 00:03:11,919 --> 00:03:16,000 Speaker 1: antique shop like you do when you're just on break 45 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:19,839 Speaker 1: and you're John Lennon, and he spotted a playbill that 46 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:24,080 Speaker 1: was advertising a circus. It was a February eighteen fifty 47 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:27,000 Speaker 1: three show and it was being for the Benefit of 48 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:29,920 Speaker 1: Mr Kite. And you can look up this playbill online. 49 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 1: It has I mean, if we wanted to read it, 50 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:34,840 Speaker 1: that could be probably a thirty minute podcast on its 51 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 1: own busy. It's got a lot of text, a lot 52 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:42,080 Speaker 1: of names, a lot of descriptions about what the performers do. 53 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 1: But you'll see you'll see the Henderson's, you'll see Pablo 54 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:52,040 Speaker 1: there and uh, Lennon was struck by this poster. It 55 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:54,840 Speaker 1: also has some cool illustrations to it shows Mr Kite 56 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: balancing on his head on a pole playing the trump 57 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 1: it if you can visualize that. Um but he he 58 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:05,920 Speaker 1: bought the poster, took it home, hung it up in 59 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 1: his music room and started looking at it, started mussing 60 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:13,680 Speaker 1: around with the song, and came up with being for 61 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:19,280 Speaker 1: the Benefit of Mr Kite. Shortly after, Um but who 62 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 1: is Pablo because he kind of has a bit part 63 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:27,160 Speaker 1: in the song, but he was running the show. He 64 00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:30,920 Speaker 1: was running the show literally. Uh. But he didn't start 65 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:33,520 Speaker 1: out as Pablo Funk, No, he didn't. He was actually 66 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:37,599 Speaker 1: born William Darby in in Norwich to a black father 67 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:40,799 Speaker 1: and a white mother. Uh. And there's a great deal 68 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 1: of variant information about where his father came from and 69 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:48,560 Speaker 1: what he did and when he died, but the general 70 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:53,279 Speaker 1: opinion is that Darby was orphaned fairly young, and somehow 71 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 1: or another he found his way into the circus and then, 72 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 1: like a child like you do, um, he ended up 73 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:05,240 Speaker 1: working with William Batty, who was a successful circus owner. 74 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 1: He trained him in acrobatics and tightrope walking, and he 75 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:13,640 Speaker 1: originally had the stage name Young Darby eventually took the 76 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:18,720 Speaker 1: stage name Pablo Funk and ultimately became known. Even though 77 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 1: he was good at acrobatics and tight rope all that 78 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 1: sort of stuff, he became known for his equestrian tricks. 79 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:30,520 Speaker 1: And it's likely that he learned the tricks of that 80 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:34,239 Speaker 1: trade with during a stint with Andrew duck Row. And 81 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:38,680 Speaker 1: this sent me off on a really interesting research tangent 82 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:43,039 Speaker 1: of circus history, because I mean he's establishing himself and 83 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 1: it it just sounds like, okay, he hooked up with 84 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 1: another talented equestrian performing in Great Britain at the time, 85 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:53,080 Speaker 1: but by connecting to Andrew duck Row, he really set 86 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 1: himself in a direct line from the owner of the 87 00:05:56,960 --> 00:06:00,599 Speaker 1: first British circus, who was Philip Astley. He's almost like 88 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:05,560 Speaker 1: circus royalty he has. He's like the grandson of the 89 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:09,800 Speaker 1: King of Circus is essentially um according to the Victorian, 90 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:14,080 Speaker 1: Albert Astley didn't coin the name circus, but he did 91 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:18,039 Speaker 1: establish the first show that we would recognize as a 92 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 1: modern circus. And it all came about because he was 93 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:24,800 Speaker 1: an ex cavalry man, opened up a riding school and 94 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:28,919 Speaker 1: would do lessons in the morning and performances in the 95 00:06:28,960 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 1: afternoon with tricks and music. Yeah, so that kind of 96 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 1: do you wonder where he first got that idea of like, 97 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:39,400 Speaker 1: you know, what, these horses need good, that we're really 98 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:41,720 Speaker 1: going to have something. I'm imagining the first show too, 99 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:44,240 Speaker 1: you know, maybe a couple a couple of students who 100 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:46,640 Speaker 1: are sticking around after their lessons and they're like, that 101 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:51,480 Speaker 1: was really cool. I'm sure it went down exactly practically 102 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:57,920 Speaker 1: had done a factual reenaction. Over time, though he did 103 00:06:57,960 --> 00:07:01,400 Speaker 1: develop these performances. He started to include his wife her 104 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:05,280 Speaker 1: signature act just because I could not go without mentioning 105 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:09,280 Speaker 1: this was riding on a horse in the ring covered 106 00:07:09,279 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 1: in bees, which that makes me think of Eddie Arn't 107 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:20,440 Speaker 1: but and um By seventeen eighty Philip Astley had a 108 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:25,600 Speaker 1: real circus, a real arena with a roof, diverse circus acts, 109 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:29,560 Speaker 1: no longer just equestrian tricks. Um so. So he was 110 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:32,880 Speaker 1: the guy who started this all, and his troop was 111 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 1: ultimately taken over by Andrew duck Row in four and 112 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:41,600 Speaker 1: expanded to include not just horse tricks, not just running 113 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 1: around in the ring, but things like equestrian drama. So horse, 114 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 1: I'm obsessed with the idea of news performed on horse 115 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:54,680 Speaker 1: have to I think we should bring it back. Frankly, Yeah, 116 00:07:55,320 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 1: the Napoleonic Wars reenacted on horseback. I mean, this is 117 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:03,720 Speaker 1: before you two before before. That was probably a pretty 118 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 1: spectacular way to learn what was going on in the world. 119 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 1: You know, I'm sure there'd be a pretty good time delay, 120 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:12,760 Speaker 1: but it would be really amazing it by the time 121 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 1: they had to stage it. Horses, the tricks reading accounts 122 00:08:17,160 --> 00:08:19,760 Speaker 1: of some of it, a little Napoleon costume for a horse. 123 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:25,480 Speaker 1: There's injuries and stuff from from staging these these mock battles, 124 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:29,080 Speaker 1: but it's kind of a it's kind of a fun 125 00:08:29,120 --> 00:08:32,240 Speaker 1: little science right there. And and really does I think 126 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:39,160 Speaker 1: establish though that um darby Pablo he was training with 127 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 1: the best of the best, uh, but he didn't stick 128 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:44,680 Speaker 1: around with him. That was like a brief stint in 129 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:48,839 Speaker 1: his career. He did return to Batty in four and 130 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:51,720 Speaker 1: he had at that point developed really a fine reputation 131 00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:55,720 Speaker 1: as a horseman on his own. But his signature act, 132 00:08:56,160 --> 00:09:01,160 Speaker 1: according to your favorite historian, well, one of them was 133 00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:04,520 Speaker 1: leaping on horseback over a coach hitched to a pair 134 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:07,640 Speaker 1: of horses, and through a military drum. And this is 135 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:10,600 Speaker 1: one where I need a visualizing. I want someone to 136 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:12,800 Speaker 1: build me a working model of how this whole thing 137 00:09:12,840 --> 00:09:18,360 Speaker 1: worked out when the drum is involved. Particularly, yeah, that 138 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:23,320 Speaker 1: ah and the pair of horses, Like there I did 139 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 1: he land with a foot on each one? Like how 140 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:29,240 Speaker 1: did this work? I mean, I'm well, he was jumping 141 00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:32,240 Speaker 1: over the pair of horses. He was on his horse 142 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:37,800 Speaker 1: up over a hitch to a pair I see, was 143 00:09:37,880 --> 00:09:40,000 Speaker 1: totally off, like, so did he land on the horse 144 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:43,120 Speaker 1: and I'm just kind of imagining the monster trucks jumping 145 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:48,920 Speaker 1: over twenty cars or something. Um, except still I can't 146 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:52,360 Speaker 1: figure out where that drum. The drum is tricky. The 147 00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:57,200 Speaker 1: point is, though he was an amazingly talented equestrian performer, 148 00:09:57,360 --> 00:10:00,240 Speaker 1: a showman. I mean, you don't come up with that 149 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:04,120 Speaker 1: kind of like multi level trick unless you really just 150 00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:06,600 Speaker 1: want to wow work out. Yeah. Uh. It was not 151 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 1: terribly unique though that he was a black circus performer 152 00:10:10,520 --> 00:10:13,679 Speaker 1: in this time though, because that was that was not 153 00:10:13,840 --> 00:10:17,760 Speaker 1: an uncommon site at least according to Deirdre Osborne in 154 00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:21,960 Speaker 1: Studies and Theater and Performance. But the next move that 155 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 1: Pablo made was shockingly unique one for the time. That 156 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:30,440 Speaker 1: was deciding to go out on his own and start 157 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:34,400 Speaker 1: his own circus. That's a pretty big step to go 158 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:37,440 Speaker 1: from performer to entrepreneur, it is. It's a huge step 159 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:40,600 Speaker 1: for for anybody, but especially in the age he was 160 00:10:40,640 --> 00:10:44,800 Speaker 1: living in a black man owning his own business, managing 161 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:47,959 Speaker 1: all of the people he ended up managing. But in 162 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:52,600 Speaker 1: one he did go for it, struck out on his own. Uh. 163 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:55,840 Speaker 1: Located in the north of England and didn't have much too, 164 00:10:55,920 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 1: you know. I mean he had been a circus performer 165 00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:01,360 Speaker 1: for quite some time by the point, but he was 166 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:06,520 Speaker 1: only able to leave with two horses, and his acts 167 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:11,520 Speaker 1: were very limited. He had the Hemmings family, um family 168 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:16,120 Speaker 1: that performed diverse circus, ax tightrope walking. There was apparently 169 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:19,080 Speaker 1: a clown who did tricks with a dog, and then 170 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:22,960 Speaker 1: sort of his star performer aside from his own equestrian work, 171 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:25,920 Speaker 1: I guess was his good friend W. F. Wallett, who 172 00:11:25,960 --> 00:11:29,440 Speaker 1: was also a clown. They were a team together. So 173 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:33,640 Speaker 1: a premier clown, a family of diverse act and two 174 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:37,520 Speaker 1: all you got to start your business with. Yeah, it's um. 175 00:11:37,559 --> 00:11:39,880 Speaker 1: That's not very much for a circus. No, it doesn't 176 00:11:39,880 --> 00:11:46,120 Speaker 1: sound like it's going to be promising. But fortunately things 177 00:11:46,120 --> 00:11:49,240 Speaker 1: worked out for Pablo Um in part because he had 178 00:11:49,280 --> 00:11:52,800 Speaker 1: such a good reputation as a boss. It attracted performers 179 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:56,839 Speaker 1: uh well, and his crew was very talented, so word 180 00:11:56,880 --> 00:12:01,400 Speaker 1: of their you know, impressive skills spread very quickly. And 181 00:12:01,640 --> 00:12:04,280 Speaker 1: as you said, because he was he had this great reputation, 182 00:12:05,840 --> 00:12:08,520 Speaker 1: good things attract more good things. That reminded me, I know, 183 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:13,960 Speaker 1: I think maybe the last episode our Taxidermist friend I 184 00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:17,680 Speaker 1: was saying, reminded me a little bit of Barnum p T. Barnum. 185 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:20,839 Speaker 1: But this clearly does too in in this point, in 186 00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:23,040 Speaker 1: particular that he was a good boss. That was something 187 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:28,480 Speaker 1: I remember reading of Barnum that his performers felt he 188 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:34,880 Speaker 1: treated them fairly. Um. But eventually Pablo had thirty horses. 189 00:12:35,120 --> 00:12:38,560 Speaker 1: It was a fifteen fold increase, grew significantly, can start 190 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:42,240 Speaker 1: doing tricks where you jump over carriages at that point. Um. 191 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:45,880 Speaker 1: Supposedly one was from Queen Victoria's stables too, so he 192 00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:53,920 Speaker 1: was not buying. He had a band, And this sounds 193 00:12:54,160 --> 00:12:56,880 Speaker 1: very random, but it kind of makes sense when it's 194 00:12:56,960 --> 00:13:01,360 Speaker 1: explained he had a personal architect, which most people don't have. 195 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:05,200 Speaker 1: I would, yeah, we would maybe claim this person an 196 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:07,960 Speaker 1: engineer today I think, yeah, I think you're right. But 197 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:13,000 Speaker 1: somebody who would supervise the construction of the little pop 198 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:18,440 Speaker 1: up amphitheaters so fre thinking of traveling circuses, um, I 199 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:23,160 Speaker 1: guarantee you circus has someone that fills this role. To 200 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:26,840 Speaker 1: anybody that does a traveling show, theatrical performances that tour, 201 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:28,920 Speaker 1: like Broadway shows that tour have someone that does this, 202 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:31,280 Speaker 1: But I don't. They're just not called architects anymore. Make 203 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:34,680 Speaker 1: sure that everything is safe and um, we'll get into 204 00:13:34,720 --> 00:13:37,319 Speaker 1: that a little more later. Yeah, that that those words 205 00:13:37,360 --> 00:13:40,920 Speaker 1: play a part in the story. This is the nineteenth century. 206 00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:43,439 Speaker 1: He also has a ring master, to which I'd say 207 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:46,920 Speaker 1: that's the mark of a real circus at that point. UM. 208 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:51,400 Speaker 1: Most important, though, he had a really talented advanced man. 209 00:13:51,559 --> 00:13:54,720 Speaker 1: And this plays in a lot to the John Lennon 210 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:58,040 Speaker 1: story in the song composition story. If you think of 211 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:04,439 Speaker 1: a um this play bill catching Lennon's attention, Uh, Pablo's 212 00:14:04,480 --> 00:14:08,720 Speaker 1: advanced man for a time. Edward Sheldon was a really 213 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:13,840 Speaker 1: talented designer of these of these posters and also just 214 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:17,000 Speaker 1: knew what he was about. But you'd send your advance 215 00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 1: man into the next town on your on your roster, 216 00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:25,840 Speaker 1: he'd publicize it, get everybody worked up. He's your marketing division. Yeah, 217 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:30,840 Speaker 1: one man marketing group essentially. And Sheldon went on to 218 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:34,880 Speaker 1: start his own ad agency around nineteen hundred. He was 219 00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:38,040 Speaker 1: very young at this time, which makes perfect sense, it does. 220 00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:40,320 Speaker 1: He was he was ready to adapt for the new 221 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 1: new era. Um. But Paplo was really good at at 222 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:46,520 Speaker 1: pr himself. I mean, he knew how to promote his 223 00:14:46,640 --> 00:14:50,600 Speaker 1: own tricks, usually by showing them to the public. So 224 00:14:50,640 --> 00:14:55,120 Speaker 1: he would whip through a town twelve in hand. Can 225 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:57,800 Speaker 1: you describe what that is? Yeah, I mean if you've 226 00:14:57,800 --> 00:15:01,640 Speaker 1: ever been too. I went to Jalia last year, which 227 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:05,920 Speaker 1: is the horse focused circus, and they have lots of 228 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:08,640 Speaker 1: things along these lines. But do you just think of 229 00:15:08,640 --> 00:15:14,880 Speaker 1: a classic circus rider with multiple horses, no carriage or something, 230 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:18,520 Speaker 1: rider with multiple horses holding them all and where is 231 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:23,720 Speaker 1: the rider's place trying to provent questions? I'm missing that 232 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:27,600 Speaker 1: point in my visualization. But like I've seen riders stand 233 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:30,400 Speaker 1: on one horse while they have several others in hand. Yeah, 234 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:32,320 Speaker 1: but with twelve, we just don't know where all the 235 00:15:32,360 --> 00:15:35,200 Speaker 1: horses go. It's another one where because maybe it's an 236 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:38,920 Speaker 1: illustration for it. Where did the extra horses go? Because 237 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:41,520 Speaker 1: that's a lot of animals to have close together under 238 00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:45,280 Speaker 1: the command of one human riding down a small English street. Yeah. 239 00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 1: Those are not really known for their um wide open spaces. 240 00:15:50,240 --> 00:15:55,480 Speaker 1: Yeah forgiving um breath in case better. If you saw 241 00:15:56,160 --> 00:15:57,800 Speaker 1: I would really want to see the rest of the show. 242 00:15:57,960 --> 00:16:00,800 Speaker 1: You would probably want to go to the show. Um 243 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:04,280 Speaker 1: And so yeah, things were things were going well for 244 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:08,480 Speaker 1: for Pablo for his show, and six years after starting 245 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:12,720 Speaker 1: his own show, he debuted in London, which was very successful, 246 00:16:13,360 --> 00:16:15,960 Speaker 1: and we'll get into that a little later. How tough 247 00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:19,880 Speaker 1: the London critics could be. According to John Turner, who 248 00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:24,560 Speaker 1: is a circus historian, Pablo performed on his famous horse, Beta, 249 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:29,040 Speaker 1: who was a black mayor and the London Illustrated News 250 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:33,880 Speaker 1: was particularly struck by Pablo and his horse and just 251 00:16:33,920 --> 00:16:37,760 Speaker 1: how impressive they both were and wrote, Mr Pablo Funk 252 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:41,320 Speaker 1: is an artist of color, or rather an artiste of color, 253 00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:44,040 Speaker 1: that's how they put it. And his steed we have 254 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:48,040 Speaker 1: not only never seen surpassed, but never equalled. Mr Pablo 255 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:51,600 Speaker 1: Funk was the hit of the evening. That's how I 256 00:16:51,640 --> 00:16:56,440 Speaker 1: praise it is. You know, when you consider that this 257 00:16:56,520 --> 00:16:59,080 Speaker 1: is a circus performer and they're being held in regard 258 00:16:59,080 --> 00:17:03,000 Speaker 1: as an artist, that's really really indicative of the level 259 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:06,560 Speaker 1: of his abilities and his horsemanship but also his showmanship 260 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:11,680 Speaker 1: and uh and as a black man in Victorian England. 261 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:16,560 Speaker 1: And we will be discussing that again more later as well. 262 00:17:16,600 --> 00:17:22,400 Speaker 1: But unfortunately, yeah, things don't always stay sweet. Um. And 263 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:24,399 Speaker 1: you know, in the eighteen forties you could be a 264 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:27,600 Speaker 1: circus success, but that didn't always mean that your fame 265 00:17:27,680 --> 00:17:30,800 Speaker 1: was assured or that you would, you know, stay on top. 266 00:17:30,880 --> 00:17:35,960 Speaker 1: I mean, as any celebrity knows, sometimes it's fleeting. Uh. 267 00:17:35,960 --> 00:17:38,760 Speaker 1: And it's a difficult business with there's so much risk 268 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:41,800 Speaker 1: in it, there's so much competition. Uh. And then there 269 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:47,520 Speaker 1: was tragedy. Yes, the worst story, the worst thing that 270 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:52,399 Speaker 1: happened to Pablo is when his wife Susannah was killed. 271 00:17:52,800 --> 00:17:58,320 Speaker 1: The amphitheater floor collapsed. Um. They had just moved into it. 272 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:02,840 Speaker 1: Another circus had vacant, did it and the floorboards struck 273 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:05,320 Speaker 1: her as she was working in the box office below. 274 00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:10,359 Speaker 1: It was time to think about that architect again. The 275 00:18:10,520 --> 00:18:13,080 Speaker 1: architect clearly dropped the ball. He did drop the ball. 276 00:18:13,119 --> 00:18:17,119 Speaker 1: He failed to notice that the structure had been partially 277 00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:20,760 Speaker 1: taken down before they moved into it. Um. Nobody was 278 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:24,160 Speaker 1: ever held accountable for it. But the really tragic thing 279 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:27,119 Speaker 1: here too is that she was killed in the box office. 280 00:18:27,160 --> 00:18:34,200 Speaker 1: Someone stole the ticket box near her body. Um. From 281 00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:38,080 Speaker 1: it's like sad and troubling, and it is time it 282 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:39,960 Speaker 1: is and I mean you have to imagine there. It 283 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:43,280 Speaker 1: would be many many accidents in a in a circus, 284 00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:50,640 Speaker 1: a touring provincial circus, but this would not theaters exactly. Um. 285 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:55,080 Speaker 1: Sometimes though, his troubles were business based. Um he had 286 00:18:55,119 --> 00:18:58,720 Speaker 1: to downsize the show at times. He sued a former 287 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:02,359 Speaker 1: employee at one point because the fellow had um not 288 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:05,200 Speaker 1: paid back some debts and it borrowed morrises. And then 289 00:19:05,480 --> 00:19:09,600 Speaker 1: probably the lowest blow on the business side was when 290 00:19:09,640 --> 00:19:13,080 Speaker 1: a creditor sold his debts to William Baddy's old boss. 291 00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:17,600 Speaker 1: So his embarrassment on top of the stress of what 292 00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:22,240 Speaker 1: he was dealing with, but he kept performing and he 293 00:19:22,359 --> 00:19:25,879 Speaker 1: had children at this point. Um. He actually had two marriages, 294 00:19:27,240 --> 00:19:31,480 Speaker 1: his first marriage and then his second marriage to Elizabeth Corker, 295 00:19:32,040 --> 00:19:34,040 Speaker 1: and he had a son, Ted Pablo, who went on 296 00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:35,720 Speaker 1: to be a star in his own right and actually 297 00:19:35,720 --> 00:19:43,000 Speaker 1: performed before Queen Victoria. So Pablo Senior died in eighteen 298 00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:45,879 Speaker 1: seventy one, and he was poor at that point. I 299 00:19:45,880 --> 00:19:49,240 Speaker 1: think he was living in a rented room. But it's 300 00:19:49,400 --> 00:19:53,560 Speaker 1: not the horribly tragic down and out ending that you 301 00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:59,280 Speaker 1: might be expecting. It's these shows normally head in this direction. 302 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:04,400 Speaker 1: He celebrated with an elaborate funeral procession. He was still 303 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:07,879 Speaker 1: so mentally popular. It's not wealthy, but he was loved for. 304 00:20:10,440 --> 00:20:13,080 Speaker 1: It was led by a band playing the Dead March, 305 00:20:13,280 --> 00:20:17,840 Speaker 1: followed by coaches. His favorite horse was there packed crowds, so, 306 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:21,400 Speaker 1: you know, one one last big show for for this 307 00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:29,919 Speaker 1: lifelong performer. So that brings us to sort of the 308 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:32,480 Speaker 1: side of the story. A lot of you have been 309 00:20:32,520 --> 00:20:37,399 Speaker 1: wondering about considering our subject, considering his race, considering the time. 310 00:20:38,040 --> 00:20:41,960 Speaker 1: He's obviously a talented performer, somebody was well liked. He 311 00:20:42,119 --> 00:20:46,280 Speaker 1: was a successful businessman when the circus was an incredibly 312 00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:51,160 Speaker 1: competitive business to be in. And it's easy to look 313 00:20:51,200 --> 00:20:56,119 Speaker 1: at his story just as um as not a racial 314 00:20:56,119 --> 00:20:58,359 Speaker 1: story at all exactly. I mean, it is sort of 315 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:01,320 Speaker 1: your classic like rhymes to fame, and then it kind 316 00:21:01,359 --> 00:21:04,160 Speaker 1: of peters out after a while, an entertainer strikes out 317 00:21:04,200 --> 00:21:07,679 Speaker 1: on his own. I mean, the from the way we've 318 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:10,520 Speaker 1: we've just told it clearly, the greatest hardships in his 319 00:21:10,600 --> 00:21:15,919 Speaker 1: life are ones that could befall anyone business troubles, a 320 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:19,240 Speaker 1: freak accident. Those have nothing to do with his race. 321 00:21:19,640 --> 00:21:23,480 Speaker 1: They're just the dangerous that befall anybody going out in 322 00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:26,159 Speaker 1: the world and doing the things he did. Yeah, and 323 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:28,560 Speaker 1: and that is actually the opinion of Turner, who he 324 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:33,840 Speaker 1: mentioned earlier Funk's most thorough researcher, the guy who's who 325 00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:38,280 Speaker 1: studied him most thoroughly. Um. He wrote of his subject quote, 326 00:21:38,560 --> 00:21:40,720 Speaker 1: it was possible for a black man to be born 327 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:44,040 Speaker 1: and live his entire life in Victorian England without apparently 328 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:51,080 Speaker 1: encountering the sort of racism modern readers expect um. That expectation, 329 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:54,040 Speaker 1: I guess is that he never would have been able 330 00:21:54,080 --> 00:21:59,800 Speaker 1: to do what he did without tremendous um, without having 331 00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:04,320 Speaker 1: to overcome a lot of like discriminatory Yeah, but it 332 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:08,000 Speaker 1: just was not the same, for example, as what was 333 00:22:08,040 --> 00:22:10,359 Speaker 1: going on in the United States at the time, and 334 00:22:10,720 --> 00:22:15,320 Speaker 1: even in many other countries well and even his own country, 335 00:22:15,359 --> 00:22:18,280 Speaker 1: as as we're going to see with other performers of 336 00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:24,399 Speaker 1: different genres. But he occupied this unique, completely unique I 337 00:22:24,440 --> 00:22:29,760 Speaker 1: think he's like the only guy who managed to operate 338 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:35,320 Speaker 1: in this space too um fulfill all his potential. Well, 339 00:22:35,359 --> 00:22:39,000 Speaker 1: he struck out in an area where there weren't really 340 00:22:39,080 --> 00:22:41,440 Speaker 1: rules about who could and couldn't do that, So it 341 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:44,840 Speaker 1: wasn't like he was breaking any societal laws. There was 342 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:46,760 Speaker 1: nothing taboo to him stepping into that role. And it 343 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:48,520 Speaker 1: has just never been done before. And and we have 344 00:22:48,520 --> 00:22:51,320 Speaker 1: a quote that speaks to that too, which is so 345 00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:56,000 Speaker 1: surprising for the time it was spoken. Um. It was 346 00:22:56,080 --> 00:23:00,440 Speaker 1: from the chaplain of the Showman's Guild, and Uh, after 347 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:04,600 Speaker 1: Pablo's death, this man noted quote in the Great Brotherhood 348 00:23:04,640 --> 00:23:07,600 Speaker 1: of the Equestrian world. There is no color line, for 349 00:23:07,680 --> 00:23:11,399 Speaker 1: although Pablo was of African extraction, he speedily made his 350 00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:14,480 Speaker 1: way to the top of his profession. The camaraderie of 351 00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:18,359 Speaker 1: the ring has but one test ability. So this is 352 00:23:19,160 --> 00:23:24,480 Speaker 1: from the eighteen seventies. It's pretty cool. It's very cool 353 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:31,440 Speaker 1: that there could be this little sub world where where 354 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:35,159 Speaker 1: ability was the trump to all other considerations when you 355 00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:39,240 Speaker 1: were dealing with a person. We can't really assume, though, 356 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:45,480 Speaker 1: that this man experience no sailed through uh, you know, 357 00:23:45,720 --> 00:23:47,480 Speaker 1: having to deal with the fact that he was different 358 00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:51,240 Speaker 1: from the majority. The clearest account we can get of that, though, 359 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:54,520 Speaker 1: is from his friend Wallet the Clown, who wrote about 360 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:57,280 Speaker 1: a visit they took to Oxford where a student blackened 361 00:23:57,359 --> 00:24:03,280 Speaker 1: his face imitating Pablo. Um. But it doesn't seem I'm 362 00:24:03,280 --> 00:24:05,760 Speaker 1: sure there were many incidents like that, and probably things 363 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:08,880 Speaker 1: even nastier than that that he experienced, but it didn't 364 00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:11,480 Speaker 1: seem to define his career, and it didn't. Most importantly, 365 00:24:11,520 --> 00:24:18,280 Speaker 1: it didn't seem to stop him from So that's pretty 366 00:24:18,280 --> 00:24:21,280 Speaker 1: surprising when you just take a quick look at the 367 00:24:21,359 --> 00:24:26,040 Speaker 1: state of most Black Britain's in the Victorian era, and um, 368 00:24:26,080 --> 00:24:30,600 Speaker 1: I've read lots of accounts of of African Americans in 369 00:24:30,640 --> 00:24:36,440 Speaker 1: this time and there's so much, Um, there's so many 370 00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:40,520 Speaker 1: cultural items produced from that time to art and books, 371 00:24:40,560 --> 00:24:47,320 Speaker 1: and and that African Americans were producing themselves philosophical works, novels, plays, poetry. 372 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:50,280 Speaker 1: Um that when you take a look at Great Britain 373 00:24:50,680 --> 00:24:55,000 Speaker 1: at the same period, you might expect it would be uh, 374 00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:58,920 Speaker 1: even greater than that, since there's not slavery to contend with, 375 00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:05,240 Speaker 1: more opportunities for a lot of people. But according to 376 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:10,480 Speaker 1: Osborne's article, even though Great Britain's black population really boomed 377 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:14,280 Speaker 1: in the eighteenth century, by the Victorian era, they were 378 00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:18,200 Speaker 1: pretty much invisible in cultural life, which is so bizarre 379 00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:23,400 Speaker 1: to try to piece that together in your head. How 380 00:25:24,119 --> 00:25:26,480 Speaker 1: you think of the abolitionist moves, like they just kind 381 00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:28,679 Speaker 1: of vanished from the page for a little while. It 382 00:25:28,840 --> 00:25:30,840 Speaker 1: is so bizarre. But when you start thinking about your 383 00:25:30,880 --> 00:25:34,400 Speaker 1: own impressions of the Victorian era, you realize, oh, yes, 384 00:25:35,440 --> 00:25:39,560 Speaker 1: you know, nobody comes to mind. Um, And that hadn't 385 00:25:39,560 --> 00:25:41,520 Speaker 1: always been the case too. I think that's an important 386 00:25:41,520 --> 00:25:44,199 Speaker 1: thing to note too. It's not just like this was 387 00:25:44,280 --> 00:25:50,399 Speaker 1: the tradition of how black people in Britain were presented 388 00:25:50,520 --> 00:25:54,160 Speaker 1: in cultural life. Henry the Seventh and Henry the eighth 389 00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:58,560 Speaker 1: had employed black trumpeter in their courts. Elizabeth the First 390 00:25:58,680 --> 00:26:03,280 Speaker 1: had an African page an entertainer in her court. Um. 391 00:26:03,359 --> 00:26:08,800 Speaker 1: So fairly high profile positions for a person, any person 392 00:26:08,840 --> 00:26:13,040 Speaker 1: at the time. And then um, black characters were frequently 393 00:26:13,119 --> 00:26:18,680 Speaker 1: represented on stage, although as a side note here, they 394 00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:23,320 Speaker 1: were not played by black people, um. And they were 395 00:26:23,400 --> 00:26:26,680 Speaker 1: usually presented in a villainous black more sort of way, 396 00:26:27,720 --> 00:26:31,760 Speaker 1: one that Shakespeare said on its head with with othello, 397 00:26:31,880 --> 00:26:35,520 Speaker 1: I suppose. Um. By the nineteenth century there were a 398 00:26:35,640 --> 00:26:39,920 Speaker 1: few high profile black figures and entertainment though, um, but 399 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:44,800 Speaker 1: not very many, which is why Pablo stands out so much. 400 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:48,560 Speaker 1: He's one of a very small crowd. And I think 401 00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:52,680 Speaker 1: too because his his skill set was so unique and 402 00:26:52,800 --> 00:26:55,720 Speaker 1: he was so respected. It really just he's kind of 403 00:26:55,720 --> 00:26:58,000 Speaker 1: the shining star of that era. When you look at 404 00:26:58,040 --> 00:27:01,359 Speaker 1: the black community of artists in Britain, and he's really 405 00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:05,879 Speaker 1: the shining British star because probably the only the only 406 00:27:05,920 --> 00:27:09,840 Speaker 1: figures that were equal to him in fame were actually 407 00:27:09,840 --> 00:27:16,920 Speaker 1: Americans who had moved to England um to escape well 408 00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:21,280 Speaker 1: for the earlier ones Um a country where slavery was 409 00:27:21,320 --> 00:27:25,119 Speaker 1: still in place, Um, but just have more opportunities to 410 00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:27,680 Speaker 1: Ira Aldrich, who was a figure I'd like to learn 411 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:31,000 Speaker 1: more about. He moved to Great Britain in eighteen four, 412 00:27:31,080 --> 00:27:35,720 Speaker 1: and he was a really successful theater actor and started 413 00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:41,600 Speaker 1: off with parts that Um might potentially be played by. 414 00:27:41,760 --> 00:27:43,800 Speaker 1: So he replaced the white actors that were appearing in 415 00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:47,359 Speaker 1: black face. So he played Othello for instance, he played 416 00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:52,600 Speaker 1: or Noco. He performed in plays that featured a black character, 417 00:27:52,760 --> 00:27:56,639 Speaker 1: like The Revenge, the Slave, the Padlock, plays that we 418 00:27:56,720 --> 00:28:06,760 Speaker 1: don't see anymore, just those conjured recognition, Revenge, the Castle Specter, 419 00:28:06,920 --> 00:28:11,320 Speaker 1: that one Castle Specter, Yeah, I'm curious about that one. 420 00:28:12,040 --> 00:28:15,440 Speaker 1: He ran out of parts though, pretty soon, and ultimately 421 00:28:15,480 --> 00:28:19,480 Speaker 1: became the first black man to play white roles in Shakespeare. 422 00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:24,920 Speaker 1: He played Macbeth and Hamlet and King Lear. Just pretty impressive, 423 00:28:25,160 --> 00:28:29,439 Speaker 1: very impressive, and he was for any actor, for any actor, 424 00:28:29,680 --> 00:28:34,440 Speaker 1: certainly Um and you know, I noted earlier how remarkable 425 00:28:34,480 --> 00:28:38,760 Speaker 1: it was that Pablo was well received in London because Aldrich, 426 00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:43,720 Speaker 1: even though he ultimately became internationally famous as a Shakespearean actor, 427 00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:47,680 Speaker 1: still couldn't get a good review in London because of 428 00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:51,880 Speaker 1: his race. Um. He was followed by a few other, 429 00:28:52,960 --> 00:28:59,200 Speaker 1: ironically again American actors, American Shakespearean black actor Samuel Morgan, Smith, 430 00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:06,720 Speaker 1: Paul Molino, Hewlett. Hewlett was instantly the last black man 431 00:29:06,880 --> 00:29:09,680 Speaker 1: to play the part of Othello on a West End 432 00:29:09,760 --> 00:29:14,160 Speaker 1: stage until ns. Yeah, that's a cool little bit of trivia. 433 00:29:14,320 --> 00:29:16,400 Speaker 1: So I think it was right around the turn of 434 00:29:16,440 --> 00:29:19,880 Speaker 1: the century, and then there's a thirty year stretch where 435 00:29:19,880 --> 00:29:25,560 Speaker 1: they go back to white guys playing Othello. Um, so 436 00:29:25,920 --> 00:29:30,640 Speaker 1: one step forward, two steps by just I mean, learning 437 00:29:30,680 --> 00:29:36,400 Speaker 1: a little bit more about the state of black entertainment 438 00:29:36,680 --> 00:29:42,040 Speaker 1: in um Victorian England. Was really even that phrase? I mean, 439 00:29:42,080 --> 00:29:43,800 Speaker 1: I think a lot of people haven't put those words 440 00:29:43,800 --> 00:29:46,760 Speaker 1: together very often. It's not something that comes up in 441 00:29:46,880 --> 00:29:49,360 Speaker 1: history books. It's certainly not even something that comes up 442 00:29:49,360 --> 00:29:52,800 Speaker 1: in historical films that I can think of. Uh, it's 443 00:29:53,120 --> 00:29:56,720 Speaker 1: a unique sphere of culture to study. I think it's 444 00:29:56,760 --> 00:30:01,239 Speaker 1: good to know it's there. And and to know that 445 00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:06,000 Speaker 1: there was more than minstrel shows, more than um, white 446 00:30:06,080 --> 00:30:11,600 Speaker 1: actors performing in black face. Um, that there were these few, 447 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:16,800 Speaker 1: at least high profile black stars of the day. Um. 448 00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:20,760 Speaker 1: And just on the creation side too, I mean we're 449 00:30:20,760 --> 00:30:25,560 Speaker 1: talking about performers. Um. According to Osborne, there is no 450 00:30:25,680 --> 00:30:29,240 Speaker 1: evidence of any drama being penned or devised by black 451 00:30:29,240 --> 00:30:32,520 Speaker 1: people in Britain until the twentieth century, which, again going 452 00:30:32,560 --> 00:30:36,040 Speaker 1: back to what I was saying about all of the 453 00:30:36,120 --> 00:30:40,720 Speaker 1: nineteenth century American works, I mean, such a huge movement 454 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:45,680 Speaker 1: in literature. Yeah, it's that is very strange. It's shocking, 455 00:30:45,800 --> 00:30:49,200 Speaker 1: so hopefully all I mean, it's almost suspicious, it is 456 00:30:49,280 --> 00:30:52,320 Speaker 1: that is I mean, really nothing was going on, aren't 457 00:30:52,320 --> 00:30:56,000 Speaker 1: you sure? But where where the storians are not funny 458 00:30:56,040 --> 00:30:58,480 Speaker 1: able to dig anything out? Where was everyone? How could 459 00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:04,080 Speaker 1: a race of people be so invisible? Um? Yeah, for 460 00:31:04,120 --> 00:31:10,640 Speaker 1: so long? But I guess it does further emphasize the 461 00:31:10,680 --> 00:31:16,280 Speaker 1: impressiveness of Pablo's fame and acceptance during this Yeah, he 462 00:31:16,320 --> 00:31:20,760 Speaker 1: really seemed to transcend any such issues. And Um, um, 463 00:31:20,840 --> 00:31:23,560 Speaker 1: like the odd mystery of not a lot of creative 464 00:31:23,600 --> 00:31:28,320 Speaker 1: things happening in the black community. Yeah, he managed to 465 00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:31,560 Speaker 1: rise through all of that and really be a public figure, 466 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:35,240 Speaker 1: which is pretty cool. It is so he was fun 467 00:31:35,320 --> 00:31:37,920 Speaker 1: to learn about. I'm glad I stumbled upon him well. 468 00:31:37,920 --> 00:31:40,760 Speaker 1: And there are so many like connections to his story 469 00:31:40,840 --> 00:31:44,160 Speaker 1: that are also potential rich avenues of exploration. Oh my gosh, 470 00:31:44,200 --> 00:31:49,680 Speaker 1: so many circus history, circus history and again al Dritch too. 471 00:31:50,040 --> 00:31:54,440 Speaker 1: He seems like a really interesting figure. And um, just 472 00:31:54,560 --> 00:31:59,560 Speaker 1: in general too from topics we've covered in the past, 473 00:32:00,680 --> 00:32:04,600 Speaker 1: African American subjects who have moved during the nineteenth century. 474 00:32:04,600 --> 00:32:06,880 Speaker 1: I think the Crafts one of my favorite episodes. Ellen 475 00:32:06,920 --> 00:32:10,440 Speaker 1: and William Kraft. They escaped slavery. They ended up in 476 00:32:10,480 --> 00:32:15,040 Speaker 1: England for a time because they could have safe life there, 477 00:32:15,640 --> 00:32:19,920 Speaker 1: um which they could not as runaways even in in 478 00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:23,520 Speaker 1: the Northern States, there was a risk of recapture. It 479 00:32:23,600 --> 00:32:25,880 Speaker 1: makes me wonder now, I always just sort of assumed 480 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:28,600 Speaker 1: these people went off to England and they're strolling arm 481 00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:32,600 Speaker 1: in arm with abolitionists at the Great Exhibition. What uh 482 00:32:33,080 --> 00:32:40,280 Speaker 1: what for Black Britain's during that time. So something to 483 00:32:40,320 --> 00:32:48,880 Speaker 1: explore later, I spose, Pablo, thank you for your awesome story. Okay, 484 00:32:48,960 --> 00:32:52,120 Speaker 1: so we're gonna do a little non traditional listener mail today, 485 00:32:52,800 --> 00:32:55,880 Speaker 1: but one of my favorite segments because we don't do 486 00:32:55,960 --> 00:32:57,800 Speaker 1: these very often because we kind of have to collect 487 00:32:57,840 --> 00:32:59,720 Speaker 1: them for a while if they're really going to be fun. 488 00:33:00,160 --> 00:33:04,040 Speaker 1: It's our old segment I listen Wow, And we promised 489 00:33:04,040 --> 00:33:08,840 Speaker 1: we would be delivering this pretty soon. Um. Just we 490 00:33:08,880 --> 00:33:12,000 Speaker 1: hear so many neat things that listeners do while they're 491 00:33:12,000 --> 00:33:15,240 Speaker 1: also taken in the podcast, we thought we would share 492 00:33:15,280 --> 00:33:18,120 Speaker 1: some of them, so I'm gonna kick it off. Holly Okay. 493 00:33:18,280 --> 00:33:24,080 Speaker 1: Willie from San Jose listens while building robots. A lot 494 00:33:24,120 --> 00:33:27,240 Speaker 1: of these are really cool. Uh. Naya listens while feeding 495 00:33:27,240 --> 00:33:30,520 Speaker 1: her parents Shetland sheep. Awesome. I love that. I love 496 00:33:30,560 --> 00:33:35,040 Speaker 1: the image of her just strolling through listening to history. Um. 497 00:33:35,120 --> 00:33:38,640 Speaker 1: Liz listens while driving, so a lot of you do that. 498 00:33:38,720 --> 00:33:42,000 Speaker 1: But she goes on to say that at one point 499 00:33:42,040 --> 00:33:45,280 Speaker 1: she was so engrossed in the Romanovs episode she didn't 500 00:33:45,320 --> 00:33:48,520 Speaker 1: realize that a police officer was behind her, and she 501 00:33:48,560 --> 00:33:54,280 Speaker 1: wound up with a speeding ticket. Sorry Liz, whoop. See. Uh. 502 00:33:54,360 --> 00:33:56,960 Speaker 1: Kristen listens while she works as a Patriot pastry chef. 503 00:33:57,080 --> 00:34:00,160 Speaker 1: I love her already rolling out dough portioning cookie. He's 504 00:34:00,200 --> 00:34:03,160 Speaker 1: even making ravioli. She also listened last year while she 505 00:34:03,240 --> 00:34:05,360 Speaker 1: built her own backyard pizza oven with her own two 506 00:34:05,440 --> 00:34:08,359 Speaker 1: lady hands. We need to be friends with her. I'm 507 00:34:08,400 --> 00:34:11,000 Speaker 1: for sure on that, because that sounds delicious and delightful 508 00:34:11,000 --> 00:34:14,839 Speaker 1: to me. Listener Jenny and her husband listened while they 509 00:34:14,840 --> 00:34:20,200 Speaker 1: were honeymooning in Iceland. Set congrats you guys. Uh. Christie 510 00:34:20,280 --> 00:34:23,279 Speaker 1: from Calgary listens while she pattern makes cutsows and test 511 00:34:23,280 --> 00:34:26,000 Speaker 1: samples for Rioko, her urban bike core company. Another one 512 00:34:26,040 --> 00:34:29,239 Speaker 1: after my Heart, Yeah and love active wear. This one's 513 00:34:29,280 --> 00:34:32,640 Speaker 1: kind of similar to that to Catherine and Phoenix listens. Well, 514 00:34:32,800 --> 00:34:37,880 Speaker 1: she crochets, and last Christmas she crocheted twenty scarves her Christmas. 515 00:34:38,239 --> 00:34:41,120 Speaker 1: That's very cool. Those are twenty very happy recipients. I 516 00:34:41,200 --> 00:34:44,680 Speaker 1: bet Brandy Anne listens while she runs so often. She 517 00:34:44,760 --> 00:34:46,960 Speaker 1: says that whenever I hear your intro music, I now 518 00:34:47,000 --> 00:34:49,840 Speaker 1: have an uncontrollable Pavlovian desire to run. I think I 519 00:34:49,920 --> 00:34:53,080 Speaker 1: might understand that completely. I've bedn't share that one on 520 00:34:53,080 --> 00:34:58,680 Speaker 1: on Facebook at one point because I love um. This 521 00:34:58,760 --> 00:35:03,880 Speaker 1: is another one movie we should make friends. Listener. Valerie 522 00:35:04,239 --> 00:35:08,440 Speaker 1: listens in Austin, Texas, where she works at a local bakery. 523 00:35:08,600 --> 00:35:12,799 Speaker 1: She says she bakes hundreds of breakfast pastries, including croissants, danishes, 524 00:35:13,080 --> 00:35:15,479 Speaker 1: and cinnamon rolls, along with a bit of bread. While 525 00:35:15,560 --> 00:35:18,680 Speaker 1: she listens cinnamon roll, I had to clean up the 526 00:35:18,760 --> 00:35:21,800 Speaker 1: drool before I go home. That sounds so good. Glenn 527 00:35:21,920 --> 00:35:24,640 Speaker 1: is a professional hand quilter and listens while creating tiny 528 00:35:24,680 --> 00:35:27,200 Speaker 1: stitching over yards of fabric because he makes sandwich quilts. 529 00:35:27,239 --> 00:35:28,640 Speaker 1: My hand is off to him. I have done that 530 00:35:28,719 --> 00:35:31,960 Speaker 1: and it's extremely time consuming and takes a very special 531 00:35:32,000 --> 00:35:36,960 Speaker 1: person work to It's very impressive. Um, this one is 532 00:35:36,960 --> 00:35:41,040 Speaker 1: is episode specific. She was listening to our blood Work 533 00:35:41,080 --> 00:35:44,920 Speaker 1: interview with Holly Tucker and this is Kate from Australia. 534 00:35:45,040 --> 00:35:47,880 Speaker 1: She listened to that episode while she was waiting to 535 00:35:48,040 --> 00:35:50,839 Speaker 1: give blood. I think I would have chickened out if 536 00:35:50,840 --> 00:35:53,200 Speaker 1: I was listening to that episode. I mean to fill 537 00:35:53,239 --> 00:35:58,160 Speaker 1: you in, Holly. It's about uh lamb's blood being transfused 538 00:35:58,200 --> 00:36:02,640 Speaker 1: to a boy. Things like that, just stuff gets you 539 00:36:02,640 --> 00:36:05,759 Speaker 1: on the mood for blood donation. Oh my goodness. Joe 540 00:36:05,840 --> 00:36:08,719 Speaker 1: and Philadelphia listens while volunteering at the local Animal care 541 00:36:08,760 --> 00:36:11,960 Speaker 1: and Control shelter. Another person after my heart. He transports 542 00:36:11,960 --> 00:36:14,800 Speaker 1: animals to safe rescues throughout the Reason region and listens 543 00:36:14,840 --> 00:36:17,960 Speaker 1: to podcast while he's driving cats, dogs or even birds, turtles, 544 00:36:17,960 --> 00:36:20,640 Speaker 1: hamsters and squirrels to new facilities and homes. I love 545 00:36:20,680 --> 00:36:23,399 Speaker 1: that so much. That one is so sweet and love 546 00:36:23,480 --> 00:36:27,400 Speaker 1: it crazy animal lady, So I love it great. We 547 00:36:27,440 --> 00:36:30,839 Speaker 1: have a transport group fan and we also have a listener, Paul, 548 00:36:30,880 --> 00:36:34,040 Speaker 1: who listens while training bumblebees to forage on artificial flowers 549 00:36:34,080 --> 00:36:36,680 Speaker 1: in the lamb. He says, I shall look forward to 550 00:36:36,680 --> 00:36:39,440 Speaker 1: more install installments as well my queen and her workers. 551 00:36:40,160 --> 00:36:43,120 Speaker 1: I love it. Hopefully we'll keep the Queen happy and 552 00:36:43,160 --> 00:36:45,880 Speaker 1: they will be very productive little busy bees. Well, they 553 00:36:45,880 --> 00:36:51,240 Speaker 1: would have loved this episode because of Philip Astley's wife 554 00:36:51,560 --> 00:36:59,120 Speaker 1: writing yea, now they have circus aspirations. Mrs Queen Bee 555 00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:01,839 Speaker 1: of Paul, get ready for your queen to come to 556 00:37:01,840 --> 00:37:04,200 Speaker 1: you with a requests that she would like to get 557 00:37:04,239 --> 00:37:06,440 Speaker 1: into the show business. A little needs an e quest 558 00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:12,440 Speaker 1: and companion. So thank you, um and thanks to folks 559 00:37:12,480 --> 00:37:17,040 Speaker 1: to who listen while you're entering work into an excelled 560 00:37:17,120 --> 00:37:20,240 Speaker 1: document and driving. We appreciate you too. But it's always 561 00:37:20,239 --> 00:37:24,040 Speaker 1: fun to hear from some of the folks doing surprising, 562 00:37:24,280 --> 00:37:28,600 Speaker 1: unique activities and they have unique jobs. Yeah, so if 563 00:37:28,640 --> 00:37:30,920 Speaker 1: you want to pass on any of those to us, 564 00:37:30,960 --> 00:37:35,440 Speaker 1: also suggestions for other topics, um, all sorts of things. 565 00:37:35,640 --> 00:37:38,279 Speaker 1: We are at History Podcast at Discovery dot com. We're 566 00:37:38,280 --> 00:37:41,319 Speaker 1: also on Twitter and missed in History, and we are 567 00:37:41,320 --> 00:37:44,640 Speaker 1: on Facebook. We have some circus content too, don't we. 568 00:37:44,640 --> 00:37:46,400 Speaker 1: We have a bunch. If you go to our website 569 00:37:46,400 --> 00:37:48,520 Speaker 1: and type in the word circus in the search bar, 570 00:37:48,760 --> 00:37:51,399 Speaker 1: we have a whole section on circus arts, including how 571 00:37:51,400 --> 00:37:55,520 Speaker 1: a human cannonball works. We have quizzes about circus behaviors 572 00:37:55,520 --> 00:37:58,000 Speaker 1: where it's well, yeah, we have virable. We have a 573 00:37:58,000 --> 00:38:01,200 Speaker 1: lot of cool stuff. Uh. If you like circuses, you'll 574 00:38:01,200 --> 00:38:03,279 Speaker 1: be busy for a while. Uh. And if you want 575 00:38:03,280 --> 00:38:05,399 Speaker 1: to research anything else your mind can conjure, you can 576 00:38:05,440 --> 00:38:07,680 Speaker 1: also do that at our website. And that website is 577 00:38:07,680 --> 00:38:14,160 Speaker 1: how stuff works dot com. For more on this and 578 00:38:14,239 --> 00:38:40,920 Speaker 1: thousands of other topics, is it how staff works dot com.