The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-24

as proprietOrs of booths, OF actors therein.
/, Henry Fielding, the celebrated novelist, com.
menCed his career as part proprietor in one
OF these establishments, continuing IN the busi-
ness for nine years. One of the most famous
performers at the fair, in the time of Charles III,
was Faux, the cOnjurOr, whose exploits in
sleght OF hand approached, If they did not
equal, those OF our latter-day wizards. He left
behind him a fortune of $50, 900, ali of which he
acquired by his jugglery and legerdemain.
Among the other attractions OF this period
were all sorts of natural monstrosties and pro-
digies such as dwaris, giants, and learned pigs,
IN general; and "a prodlgious monster, with
one head and two distinct bodies" "an admira-
BILE work of nature" in the shape of "a woman
having three breasts and "a live child with
three legs" in particular. In later days the
'mermaid"-not the one of Barnum's deyising-
was leading attraction.
The Fair was characterized by so much dis
order and roting that the civIl authorities at
length made an effort to check the disturbances
growing out of it. In l70S by a resolution
OF the Common Council, the duration of the
reYelry was again restricted to three days,
although the authorities did not succeed in
accomplishing this without repeated failures
and breaches of the peace. Again, in l769 the
the Mayor interposed by appointing seventy
TWO special officers, who were charged with the
duty Of preserving the peace, preventing gam
ping, and bindering the performance of
plays and puppet shows About this
time "a deputy marshal lost his
life while endeavoring to enforce order in the
fair. In 1776 great deal OF rioting was occa-
stoned by the refusal of the Mayor to permit
the erection of booths at all. For a long time
t me 1alr was the occasion OF the most disgrace
ful proceedings on the part of a crowd of
Iutfans who assumed the title of "Lady Hol-
lands Mob,D and were accustomed to assemble
on the evening previous to the proclama9 9on of
the fair by the Lord Mayor, for the purpose of
lnauguratlDg it after a fashion which suited
their own tastee. Hone gives the folio wing
account OF their outrageous doings: -"The
year 1922 was the last year wherein
in INV oil kl,o,,
the inmates OF the houses they assailed, or
before which they paraded, were aroused and
Kept in terror by their violence. In Skinner
street, especially, they rioted undlsturbed until
between three and four in the morning. At one
period that morning their number was not less
than five thousand, but it varied as parties went
OIL or came in to and from the assault OF other
places. Their force was so overwhelming that
the patrol and watchmen feared TO interfere,
and the riot continued until they had exhausted
their fury"
Notwithstanding that the Fair was then in its
decline, we are told that in the year 1923 the
receipts of the three leading places of amuse-
ment we're as follows:-Wombwelps Menagerie
fl70O; Atkins Menagerie, $1,000; and Richard
sons Theatre, fl200. The principal admission
fee to each of these was sixpence only. The
"Pig-Faced Ladyn drew fl5O; the Fat Boy aud
Girl" fl40; the Chinese Juggler, ESQ; and the
Scotch Giant" f20; the admission fee ranging
from half-penny to twopence. During the
three days of the Fair the total receipts of the
sixteen principal menageries and side shows
amounted to about $4,000, or $25 900.
After this period the influence of all the de-.
cent people of the metropolis as we'll as the
countenance of the civil authorities, was di-
rected against Bartholomew FAIR so effectively
that 1t gradually dwindled down to nothing.
Permission to remove the stones of the pave
ments, for the purpose of placing the poles of
the booths in the earth, was refused The
showmen overCame this difficulty by fixing their
poles IN large, heavy tubs filed with earth; and
then the authorities hit upon the expedient of
| high ground-rents, which proved much more
| etiectual. Until the year 1850, no wever, the
Lord Mayor continued to resort to the arch over
| Clothfair Gate, to proclaim the opening of
the Fair as had been the custom of his predeces-
sors in Office for seven centuries. In 1850 the
worthy official found nothing on the ground of
consequence, which so disgusted HIM that the
| reading of the proclamation was thereafter COM
mitted to deputy. In 1855 Bartholomew Fair,
with all its opening ceremonies marvellous
shows, and disgraceful riots was formally abol.
ished, and it is now entirely thing of the past,
to the great delight of the peaceful denizens of
London,