Travelling Showmen - Cullen and McFadden (plus Hudsons)

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Sduddy
Posts: 1819
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2010 10:07 am

Travelling Showmen - Cullen and McFadden (plus Hudsons)

Post by Sduddy » Wed Aug 25, 2021 8:47 am

The Cullen family and the McFadden family were among the Travelling Showmen families who visited Clare in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Cullens appear in the civil registration records for a sad event in Whitegate and then for a happy event in Parteen. The McFaddens appear in the 1911 census for Killanena.

5 Mar 1919, Whitegate: Death of Martin Cullin, Whitegate, aged 9, Circus Man’s son; informant: Patrick Keane, Undertaker, Mountshannon.
5 Mar 1919, Whitegate: Death of James Cullen, aged 2, Circus Man’s son; informant: Patrick Keane, Undertaker, Mountshannon: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 419140.pdf

28 Jan 1924: Marriage of John Cullen, Showman, Kilkishen, son of John Cullen, Showman, to Sara Kate Tolton, Variety Artist, Kilkishen, daughter of John Tolton, occupation not given, in Parteen Church; witnesses: Denis Kieran Hannon(?), Emily Cullen: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 311848.pdf

Sara Kate Tolton was born in Belfast, in 1899, to John Tolton, Musician, and Julia Newcombe: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 775609.pdf
The 1911 census shows Sarah, aged 11, in Killanena (Killanena D.E.D.), as niece of Showman, James McFadden: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/r ... 001806774/

Another, earlier Sarah Tolton was married in Tulla in 1874:
16 Feb 1874: Marriage of Edward Mullins, aged 18, Musician, Tulla, son of James Mullins, Musician, to Sarah Jane Tolton, aged 16, Actress, Tulla, daughter of Robert Tolton, Musician, in Tulla chapel; witnesses: John O’Shaughnessy, Catherine Shaw: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 117941.pdf

These travelling showmen and variety artists visited small villages all over Clare in the late 19th and early 20th century. The addresses they give are temporary. The McFaddens and the Cullens remained among the best known Showmen families in Ireland right through the 20th century and are mentioned in this Wikipedia article on Showmen (scroll down for Ireland): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Showman.

Sheila
Last edited by Sduddy on Thu Aug 26, 2021 10:24 am, edited 1 time in total.

Sduddy
Posts: 1819
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2010 10:07 am

Re: Travelling Showmen - Cullen and McFadden (plus Hudsons)

Post by Sduddy » Thu Aug 26, 2021 10:23 am

I found three more Cullen records:
11 Nov 1913, Feakle: Birth of Joseph Cullen to Joseph Cullen, Travelling Showman, and Jane Tombinson, Feakle: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 585797.pdf

25 Sep 1868: Marriage of Michael Cullen, aged 18, Actor, vagrant, son of John Cullen, Clerk, to Anne Dunphy, aged 17, Actor, vagrant, daughter of William Dunphy, Dancing Master, in Killaloe chapel; witnesses: Michael Dunphy, Elizabeth St George Hussey(Hassey?): https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 215686.pdf

11 Jan 1919, Crusheen: Birth of Charles Cullen to Martin Cullen, Travelling Showman of no fixed abode, and Mary Reilly: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 520612.pdf

Since I started this thread I found a William Hudson and his wife Theresa, Travelling Musicians, staying in Ennis in 1911. I think William may be related to the Hudson Circus family, who were originally from Manchester, it seems, so I've added "plus Hudsons" to the title.

1911 census for Westby’s Lane (Ennis No. 2 Urban) shows a William Hudhson and Theresa Hudhson lodging at McGloskey’s house: William Hudhson, aged 30, and Theresa Hudhson aged 17, Lodgers, Itinerant Musicians, born in Co. Limerick: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/r ... 001754174/.
They may be related to William Hudson, Circus Proprietor, from Manchester, and his family, who are (temporarily) in Freemount (Knocktemple DED), County Cork, in 1901: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/r ... 000581478/

Although Teresa Hudhson is described as another lodger, she is the wife of William Hudson. They were married on 27 Jan 1908: Marriage of William Hudson, Circus Performer, Ballyclough, son of Samuel Hudson, living, Circus Performer, to Teresa Rose, aged 18, Circus Singer, Ballyclough, daughter of Patrick Rose, Piper, in St John the Baptist Chapel, Ballyclough, Co. Cork; witnesses: Frank McCormack, Eliza McCormack: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 655416.pdf

I think Theresa (in the 1911 census) is a daughter of Kate Rose, Musician, who is also lodging at McGloskey’s: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/r ... 001754174/.
In that cenus Kate Rose’s birthplace is Co. Limerick, but in the 1901 census her birthplace is Co. Clare: 1901 census for Cattle Lane, part of Cork Urban No. 4, Co. Cork: Kate Rose, aged 40, widow, Musician, from Co. Clare: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/r ... 000517826/

I found this death of a Patrick Rose in 1899, but he is only 27, so he can hardly be the husband of Kate, or the father of Teresa, but may be a relative of theirs: 2 Feb 1899, Cork Workhouse: Death of Patrick Rose, from Cattle Lane, married, aged 27, Piper: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 641428.pdf

This birth of Anne McGlynn, in Ennis, in 1903, gives her father’s occupation as Musician and her mother as Mary Anne Rose, who I think might be another daughter of Kate Rose: 23 Oct 1903, Turnpike, Ennis: Birth of Anne to John McGlynn, Musician, and Mary Anne Rose: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ ... 719887.pdf

Here is a piece on Hudsons circus: https://censusconnections.ie/the-circus ... g-to-town/

Sheila

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