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Introduction
Pablo Fanque was an equestrian performer and Britain’s first black circus proprietor. Born in Norwich in 1796, his real name was William Darby. His father was a butler who had probably been brought over to Britain as a slave. He began his circus career with William Batty’s travelling circus where he was apprenticed after becoming an orphan. In December 1828 he was billed at the Norwich Parthenon as ‘Young Darby’. He performed as a rider, acrobat and ropewalker. He became the proprietor of his own circus called the Circus Royal, in 1841, joined by the famous clown William Wallett. The Circus Royal toured mainly in the north of England but Pablo also appeared at Astley’s Amphitheatre in London in 1847.
Pablo Fanque continued in circus management all his life. He died in Stockport in May 1871. His body and his favourite horse ‘Wallett’ were brought from Stockport to Leeds for a spectacular funeral procession which featured Wallett and a circus band.
John Lennon’s lyrics for The Beatles’ pop song ‘For The Benefit of Mr Kite’ includes the Line:
“The Hendersons will all be there
Late of Pablo Fanque’s fair.”
John Lennon took all the names in this song from a playbill which advertised a performance of Pablo Fanque’s Circus Royal in the Town Meadows in Rochdale, 14 February 1843. This performance was a benefit performance for Mr Kite, one of the star performers, who would have received a proportion of that night’s takings.
