Information on Culeen's circus 1880 onwards

[jane_macara]

Hi all,

I'm researching my family and would be interested in anything anyone might know about Tom Culeen's circus. Thomas McEwen (Culeen was a name adopted by the family as their 'circus name')  was born in Manchester and in the 1880's had circuses in the North of England. It's said he was a pioneer of the wooden circus buildings. Tom eventually settled in Burnley, Lancashire with his own circus but travelled all over the North with tented circuses at the same time. He was my Great Great Grandfather and it would be wonderful to find out more about him.

Many thanks in advance,
Jane

[Nick B]

Hi Jane

Thomas McEwan Culeen has an entry in John Turner's 'Victorian Arena' published 1995. This is an extract:

Born 1844 in Manchester of Irish extraction, apparently the son of Garrett McEwan, Performed as an acrobat in the 1870s, performed in Russia, France & Spain.  Sister Betsy Eliza Culeen & son Thomas Henry Culleen (note spelling) were also performers, his only daughter was Gladys Culeen, his second son Edward died in 1909. He died  22 December 1901 of pneumonia andis buried in the family vault in Burnley Cenetary. Culeen appears to be a 'nom de cirque', the family name being McEwan.

John Turner has a website at http://www.circusbiography.co.uk/index.html

The dictionary was a limited edition print run, but this and similar books may be available from the Circus Friends' Association http://www.circusfriends.co.uk

But let me know if you'd like me to copy the full entries for you.

Regards

Nick

[trellisick]

hi jane, if you google culeens circus you will come up with three sites regarding the culeen family, one has been posted by jane culeen, if this happens to be you, forgive me, kali.

[jane_macara]

Hi - sorry for the delay in replying - but I only just saw the messages!

Firstly - Nick - Thanks so much for the reply. I have had some info from John Turner - but it would be lovely to have the complete  entries if that's OK with you.  I do know that Culeen is the correct spelling of the 'nom de cirque' as my grandmother (another Gladys!) had that name.  If you have any info on Julian's circus too that would be wonderful as Thomas' son Thomas Henry married John Julian's daughter! Thanks again for your help.

Kali - thanks too for your reply - you are right I am one and the same person as Jane Culeen! I thought the name might bring me luck - not much so far though lol. Here's hoping!!!

Thanks again - take care both,

Best wishes

Jane

[Nick B]

Hi Jane

These are the full entries for Culleen - sorry it's taken me a while.

regards

Nick

Images removed because of possible copyright violation.

[bearkat]

Oh, how I wish I could find information like that about my ancestors.

[jane_macara]

Hi Nick,

Many thanks for the copies of the entries on the Culeens. I will add the information on them to my file. I'm very fortunate that the family were featured regularly in the local papers of the time and I am slowly accumulating various mentions of them. Thanks again for going to the trouble of copying them for me.
Best wishes,

Jane


Bearkat, - I'm just so lucky that they had a circus and that the various events were mentioned here and there in the local newspaper. Finding some of those articles has led me to other mentions as the circus travelled around the country. My file is slowly increasing in size which is wonderful. Tom's father was born in Ireland and I'm now trying to discover exactly where the family came from over there. It would be great to know for sure but researching from a distance isn't easy!
Best regards,
Jane

[cdrinkhall]

Hi Jane,
Ive just seen your reply regarding Atrato/Culeens Circus, Ive tried to contact you I hope that you can still let me have some informaton.
Many thanks.