ERNEST HOPE Acrobat

[haney]

Hi Neale1961
   Many thanks for that.  Very interesting.  Dianna

[haney]

Just wanted to add this as well.  From the 1891 Census in Newtown.  Looks like Ernies mum is with the Stepfather Francis B LEE.

Just the two of them no Ernie by the looks of it.  I don't know whether Hopes sister took Ernie in as she is the witness at his birth.  Mrs Douglas.

I will try and track down the brother John as well to see where he fits in!!  So was Ernie taken in by the church, doesn't seem to be on the 1891 Census with the WHITES either, Charles and Alexina.

You can't be sure 100% because it is only the head of the household that was named.

Two of the children of the sister Helen were baptised in St. Silas' church in Waterloo one Leah in 1886 and the other David Emmanuel in 1894 he died in 1895 in Petersham Church of England

I haven't given up yet finding a baptismal record for Ernie.  Thanks Dianna

[Neale1961]

I will try and track down the brother John as well to see where he fits in!! 

I had a brief look at John. He seems to have been fairly unremarkable.

John Irwin WHITE
•   1885 (age 16) ran away from his indented apprenticeship with Joseph Daveport, Newtown.
•   Married 1911 QLD Elizabeth GROROCK  (Cunnamulla)
•   His WW1 military papers are at NAA
•   Died 30/31 July 1933 Rockhampton Queensland
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/160465954/john-irwin-white
(birth information given on Find-a-Grave is wrong)

[haney]

Hi thanks for the John I WHITE information, that really helps so it doesn't look like there were any descendants from him.

One less thing to do.  Dianna

[haney]

Just reading as much as I can about WIRTHS before I make any more enquiries, it say's here that LOCAL TALENT WAS SELDOM ENGAGED.  Hmmm.  Of course this may not include children that have been "adopted" into the circus.

Fascinating reading about the circus. 

Each year they, or their trusted lieutenants, searched for fresh acts and brought such artists as the Flying Codonas from the principal circuses of Europe and North America; by contrast, local talent was seldom engaged or developed, although Philip was an excellent trainer of horses and somersault equestrians. Both brothers acted as ringmasters. Built for £40,000 by the Sydney Municipal Council and leased to the brothers, Wirth's Hippodrome opened in April 1916. Rebuilt in 1927, it became the Capitol Theatre.

[sparrett]

Just reading as much as I can about WIRTHS before I make any more enquiries, it say's here that LOCAL TALENT WAS SELDOM ENGAGED.  Hmmm.  Of course this may not include children that have been "adopted" into the circus.

This statement by the author does not realy make sense and is contradicted by newspaper reports of the times.

My reading suggests...
From the late 1880's the circus toured with local performers and when they commenced their world tour in 1893, it was with local performers included.

During this 7 year excursion, large overseas recruitment took place with artists contracted for varying periods to perform in Australia on the return in 1900.

Phillip Wirth travelled again in the early 1900's to gather fresh talent.

With the difficulty in locating Ernie in childhood, I am wondering whether he was one of the adoptees.

His reminiscences of global adventures and heyday of circus and records etc makes me think maybe he went as a younger person with the circus overseas. And as mentioned, the name Phillip has appeared as his own name more than once.
Nothing to clearly support this though

Sue

ADDING
An example of Wirth's "adoption "practice.
 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/197951638?searchTerm="phillip%20wirth%20warren%20"~15

[haney]

Wow that's amazing re the adopted boy by WIRTH.  So there was a lot of that happening by the looks of it then.

Will get my ducks in a row and try and find more.  Also I think that Fitzgeralds circus was a big deal too and the Wirths took that over.

It is interesting in the WA record for Ernie where he states he had Friends in Melbourne (or Vic).  Hmmm.

I will contact the State Records in WA also because I need to find out whe he was released from gaol.  Just to get that straightened out.  Once again Many thanks. 

[haney]

An interesting find this morning following the thought of Ernie being inducted into the circus.

This is a list of children

https://www.pennygaff.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Table_1_Children_inducted_into_circus.pdf.

[haney]

Children inducted into circus, 1851-1928
As late as the 1930s, Australian circus proprietors inducted young children to train as performers. The children were typically illegitimate, orphaned or abandoned and occasionally of mixed white and Indigenous descent. To stimulate further research, The Penny Gaff presents the following list of the children inducted into circus between the 1850s and the 1930s.

For further information, see Mark St Leon’s article, ‘Adopted apprentices: Juvenile recruitment in Australian circus, 1847-1942’, Labour History, No. 110, May 2016, pp. 97-124. ISSN: 0023-6942