The Circus Blog

Posted By thecircusblog on February 29, 2016

I just revived this photo sent by Shirley Henry Atayde. Every now and then she will find old pictures of our grandfather. The Dromedary and calf were part of his menagerie and perhaps did a spec walk around. I don’t know if this calf was born on the show or not. Grandfather… J.E. was always in search to purchase exotic animals. The advance wagon behind carried all of his show billing paper. In the old days of circuses, like J.E., they papered everything . They would paint on a water base glue and slap up their show paper on barns, fences or just about anything. If the property was owned, the advance man would give the owner or farmer a few show tickets as payment. If that didn’t work they put it up anyway and square the BEEF later. More often than not the framer took the tickets. I was told by my father and uncles that in general people back then were different than they are today and became excited when a circus came to town. One story that stands out is that during the depression of the thirties, money was scarce so grandfather would barter with the towns people. He would let it be known that they would except hay, grain, canned food or whatever for the price of admission. It worked well for the Henry family, maybe too well as the wagons became so over loaded with goods that they gave much away to the poor and needy. This lasted for a few years until the country got back on it’s feet.  

Note:  A dromedary has 1 hump and a bacterium has two humps.

Categories: J. E. Henry Calliope Circus Music 1920s - 1930s
Tags: