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Poole's Myrioramas (1837 - 1937)

 Organisation

Dates

  • Existence: 1837 - 1937

Biography

The Poole family dominated the exhibition of pre-cinema shows including Panoramas, Dioramas and Myrioramas across the UK between 1837 and 1937. By 1900 the family were at the peak of their profession touring seven shows around the UK, Ireland and the Channel Isles.

The Poole family came from Malesbury in Wiltshire, where their base remained over generations.

Brothers Charles (1821-1877) and George Walter Poole (1828-1877) originally were musicians. They first adventured into Panorama shows in 1837 when they met Moses Gompertz (c1812-1893), a showman who owned a travelling Panorama. Pre-moving picture shows presented the audience with large painted narrative scenes on canvas, which often related topical news related to the conquests of the British Empire, famous battles and world travel. The scenes were accompanied by lively narrations, music and a range of variety acts, from humour to music, dancing and ventriloquism to break up the show and maintain the audience’s interest.

Initially, Gompertz employed the brothers to play music to accompany his Panoramas, however overtime Charles and George Poole became Gompertz business partners. It was not long before the brothers were travelling their own shows. Over the hundred years the Poole family operated travelling shows they founded several companies including; Poole & Young, a partnership with another one of Gompertz’s employees, Anthony Young, Wilson & Strange, Messrs Poole & Co, H. & F. Poole Myriorama (run by Henry (Harry) and Fred Poole) and a variety of shows run by Charles William Poole including; Charles W. Poole’s Myriorama, C.W. Poole’s No. 1 Myriorama, Charles W. Poole’s Imperial Myriorama, and Charles W. Poole’s Royal Myriorama. Besides showing their own panoramas, the Pooles performed moving panoramas acquired from a number of sources, such as the Hamiltons, who were the Pooles main rival at the time.

The business was so successful that most of the five sons of Charles and George’s brother John (1817-1889) and his wife Matilda (1824-1899); Joseph (1847-1906), George (1849-1929), Henry (Harry) (1850-1925), Charles William (1858-1918) and Fred (1867-c1907) got involved and eventually took over from their uncles. John and Matilda also had a daughter Ann, who will later become Mrs Bynorth and brought up Charles William's son after the break up of his marriage to Elizabeth Deborah Nott. The new generation of Poole’s took the Myriorama to new heights of popularity introducing sound and visual effects to their shows. Myriorama shows were mostly dramatic presentations of topical events and reflected the socio political spirit of the time. A reflection of this were some of their most successful shows, such as The Bombardment of Alexandria and the Loss of the Titanic.

The first use of the word ‘Myriorama’ by Messrs Poole to mean moving panorama seems to have been in 1883. They presented large painted scenes on canvas, which moved across the stage on rollers. The scenes were painted by the greatest scenic artists of the day at great cost, including Sebastian Estelos and William Telbin. It wasn’t until 1897 that the Poole brothers added actual moving image to their shows with the Cinematographie, a combined film camera, projector and developer.

By 1883 Joseph bought a house where he established a studio for the maintenance of the paraphernalia associated with the shows. In the meantime, successions of generations of the Poole family were taking over the family business and expanding it, purchasing many of the halls and theatres they hired for their shows including in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Gloucester, Stourbridge, Oxford and Ipswich, where they ran the town’s very first cinema in 1905.

The Pooles continued to be a leading company until its folding in 1937 as proven by the presentation of a sound picture show by Charles and George’s grandnephew John R. Poole to Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Kent were in residence at Holyroodhouse in 1935.

Found in 7 Collections and/or Records:

Bill Barnes Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0172
Scope and Contents

Programmes, posters and photographs mainly related to the Poole family's travelling Myriorama show.

Dates: 1881 - 2017

Messrs. Poole, The World Programme, 25 September 1882

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.1
Scope and Contents Public Hall, Smethwick, Entry of General Sir Garnet Wolseley into Cairo with British Forces, Alexandria bombarded, on fire and in ruins!, England to Malta, Turkey, Cyprus, The Holy Land, Egypt, Zululand, India, Afghanistan, Russia, Germany, Holland and Belgium, Bombardment of Alexandria, Scenes of Cairo and the Suez Canal, Mr J. Sullivan and Miss Josephine, excelsior black and white duologists and versatile artistes, Herr Blitz, magic act, Mr Horace Wilton, comic singing. Black type on...
Dates: 25 September 1882

Messrs. Poole's Gigantic Pictorial Enterprise Programme, 14 August 1882

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.18
Scope and Contents Exchange Rooms, New Street, Birmingham, Egypt and the world, Bombardment of Alexandria, Cairo, The Suez Canal, London, South Africa, Afghanistan, India, Assassination of the Szar, Miss Ada Violet Poole, singing act, Prince of Wales Minstrels, Mr Charles Ernest, singing act, Mr J. Richards, musical act, Mr Horace Wilton, comedy musical act, Mr Felix Somers, ventriloquist act, Herr Blitz, magic act, Mr Oscar Hartwell, The orchestra conducted by Mr B. Simpson. Black type on pink background with...
Dates: 14 August 1882

Poole's World Diorama Programme, 14 May 1883

 Item
Reference code: 178K53.12
Scope and Contents Victoria Amphitheatre and Grand Circus, Boar Lane, Leeds, War in Egypt, Bormbardment of Alexandria, Tel-El-Kebir, London, British Fleet, Turkey, Russia, Berlin, The Holy Land, Egypt, Alexandria, South Africa, India, Afghanistan, Poole's Excelsior Concert Company, Henderson and Stanley, comedy act, Wilton and Audley, singing and dancing act, J. Sullivan and Miss Josephine, comedy act, Herr Blitz, magic act, Horace Wilton, comedy singing act, Poole's band conducted by Mr Alfred Horton. Black...
Dates: 14 May 1883

Posters, c1880 - 1899

 Series
Reference code: 178R53
Scope and Contents

Poster related to the Poole family film shows, Gompertz's diorama and other early cinema travelling shows and venues.

Dates: c1880 - 1899

Programmes , 1881 - 2016

 Series
Reference code: 178K53
Scope and Contents

Pre-Film and variety and music hall programmes mainly related to the travelling shows of Joseph Poole and Harry Poole, Harry H. Hamilton, Mapleston Brothers and Adams but it also includes other showmen.

Dates: 1881 - 2016

The Grand Circus Poster, c1880 - 1899

 Item
Reference code: 178R53.10
Scope and Contents Boar Lane, Leeds. Benefit of Henderson and Stanley, Poole's World Diorama, A wringing machine, magic act, A Purse of Silver for the best imitation of Henderson and Stanley marionettes, A Purse of Silver for the best lady vocalist, The Misses Wilton and Audley, musical act, J. Sullivan and Miss Josephine, Herr Blitz, magic act, Messrs. Henderson and Stanley, marionette act, Mr H. Wilton, musical act. Black type on light brown background. Printed by The Misses Wilton and Audley, musical act,...
Dates: c1880 - 1899