Featured The Newsome's - Acrobat Group - Photos/ Ephemera

Hello all,

I'd love to share with you one of the pride and joys of my Circus collection, which is an Acrobat group called "The Newsome's"

I was lucky enough to stumble upon a person selling a trunk full of their stuff. Even got a pair of their performing shoes with their name signed in them!

I've been able to find a few old newspaper articles on them, but not too much else.

If anyone can help find out a little more on them it would be appreciated!
I'd love to keep the info with them so they never get lost to history!

Thanks in advance!

 

Neat!

 

Thank You! It's one of my favorite groups!

 

Great collection

 

Scantic - Have you ever used fultonhistory dot com? I got lots of hits there, not just ads, but also a mention in The Billboard Nov 28, 1908 in the San Francisco Letter feature that says "Mr. Bert Newsome, manager of The Newsomes, was a Billboard visitor this week. This is the first season in America of The Newsomes, who are making a lasting impression in every house that they have played. The act is the only one of its kind in existence."

They seem to have gone through a variety of changes - The Four Newsomes, The Famous Newsomes, The Three Newsomes, etc. In a Variety issue in 1918(? no date on the page) there is also an ad for "Lady Catcher and acrobat wishes to join act. Late of Four Newsomes. Communicate Miss Newsomes (and a NYC address.)"

 

I did not see that! I've never used fultonhistory, I will definitely check it out! Thank you for the info! That's so interesting how the act changed. I've always assumed the children grew up to be the adults. I wasn't sure about changes.

 

Glad I made the suggestion! You might find other "entertainments" from your collection there since so many of the industry publications have been based in NY.

 

Here is a cabinet card offered. Check out that price! Woo hoo for you!
http://cwfp.biz/cgi-bin/gallery/tm.pl?itm&id943&8_deJongh~Francis

Also sometimes I find neat references in Google Books for subjects I research, and most books are searchable by keyword. Sometimes they're ebooks, and you can download them free, or buy them if you have an interest.

 

Haha Wow! I guess I scored, as I paid about 10-12$ per piece. But I shall never sell them. Heck I got her shoes for 12.99$

The scary thing is, the lady told me her father was going to throw it all out. And she was like "no someone will want some of this"

At the time I didn't have much knowledge, it was some of the first circus stuff I purchased about a year and a half ago!

 

Nice collection! I don't have time now, but if I think of some other lines of research besides what has already been suggested I will post here.

 

Oops! I left out one of the pages!

The fellow on the left, with the horse was the "leader" so to speak. Or so we read in one of the newspaper articles.

 

These are brilliant . Although they were billed as a "European novelty" I have a feeling they were better known outside of Europe, since I couldn't find them on the British Newspaper Archive... not even in Blackpool, which is on one of the bill posters. Of course, I might not have looked properly! But I did come across the following from 1913: Caracas, Venezuela, Jan. 2. Peter W. Barlow and his newly organized circus, which left New York Oct. 23 last, opened with Circo Tatali at San Juan, Nov. 1. Barlow remained on the island three weeks and then came to this place. In the company are Ouika Meers, Melrose and Meers, the Newsomes, Blush Family, Loretta Twins, George Novikoff, George Meers, Ben and Josie Dunham, Mr. Tyler, Luciana Trio, Anita and Joseph Mansanero and the Barlows. Variety, January 17, 1913, p. 5. (http://www.circushistory.org/History/BriefS.htm)

 

Awww Thank You!

I really enjoy them! They are one of my favorite parts of the album. I'm glad she didn't throw them away!


Thank you again for the help! And link!

 

Here’s something interesting. It’s seemingly the same telegram about the Newsomes, but this one is signed by John Ringling.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/233417988521
But note that the “B.L. Peer” looks to have been manually erased on this one (to hide the author). Since the Newsomes obviously received the telegram with the B.L. Peer typed on it, does that mean the Ringling signed one is a forgery?

 

The Library at the Circus World Museum in Baraboo, WI, has a search feature that turned up 3 advertisements including "Newsome":
https://circus.pastperfectonline.com/search?utf8=✓&search_criteria=Newsome&searchButton=Search
You might try contacting them to see if they have any additional information on the group.
https://www.circusworldbaraboo.org/our-treasures/library-research-center/

 

postcard
https://oldthing.de/Ak-The-Newsoms-Zirkusartisten-Zirkusakrobaten-0031308257

I wonder if the left flag is one of the many versions of Britanny.

 

another two.
https://www.delcampe.net/fr/collect...seurs-acrobates-precurseur-tbe-888474910.html

https://www.delcampe.net/fr/collect...seurs-acrobates-precurseur-tbe-888474928.html

 

Be interesting to know if this family is related to our Governor Newsome.
Better known as Governor Nuisance.

 

not too sure if it isn't a stage name. seems rather to prove that the artists were not English speakers; the apostrophe used in Newsome's is a typical sign for it. called "idiot apostrophe" in German.