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Author: Jim_Stockley
Surnames:
Classification: queries
Message Board URL:
http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.cattle/6.1.1.1/mb.ashx
Message Board Post:
a reply nine years later ;-) Good to hear from you though! I can help a bit ..... your
Grandfather performed under the name "Du Calion" (there are pictures of him
online)... I have quite a bit of information on Nellie Boswell. Her father was a famous
Victorian clown, James Clement Boswell (1826/1859) who died in a fall inside the circus
ring 2 May 1859 in Paris in Cirque d'Hiver (the circus building still exists). This is
what the late John Turner published:
Ellen (Nellie) Clara Boswell (Mrs Cattle)
Equestrienne and character act rider. Daughter of James Clements Boswell and Rebecca
Cooke. Married Frederick Cattle. First noted at Hengler's, in Hull, in 1874, but
continued to appear with Hengler's until 1892. Famous for her deliniation. on
horseback, of first a Newhaven Fishwife,, then a Jolly Young Waterrman and thirdly a
Highland Laddie, changing her costumes with great rapidity, dancing a hornpipe and a
Scottish reel with as much ease and grace as if she were on terra firma, to the music of
old airs.
When in Liverpool, in 1876, it was written that, 'The easily recognised somewhat
stolid- looking animal which is specially used for feats of ~ kind, is led to the side of
the ring. Immediately following appears a good-looking and unpretentious young lady,
appropriately clad in a tunic and trousers of crimson silk, who from the ring makes her
salute to the audience. Without further delay, she is on the broad, flat saddle, sitting
in an easy posture with the most perfect composure as the canter round the ring commences.
This quiescent state is not of long duration; soon she is standing where she sat, now on
one foot, now on the other, in a series of attitudes which, besides exhibiting her
complete mastery of the equestrian difficulties of the situation are eminently graceful in
themselves. Then she rides from the ring and there comes an interval of 'clown'
whilst a second scene is in preperation. Another scene on horseback was 'The daughter
of the regiment'
Mother of William Frederick Cattle (known as Du Calion) Walter and Claude
Died May 1938 aged 80 yrs .(Ref: Victorian Arena by Dr John Turner)
Nellie's brother (also James Clement Boswell - 1853/1926) had seven children, they
founded Boswell Brothers Circus here in South Africa in 1910. Brian Boswell's Circus
still exists. Brian is my brother in law. There is a book on the family too. Please
contact me on
gmail.com ..... ndlovu8@ ... many thanks, Jim
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