Dates

• Existence: 23 January 1863 - 8 November 1946

Biography

George Williams was a showman who toured the British fairgrounds in the mid-1890s. His show consisted of a magic lantern performance, an Edison phonograph and a small film show, all of which took place in a freak show tent at Hull Fair in the North of England.

George Williams was born on 23rd January 1863 in Islington, London to William Thomas Williams, a domestic servant and Marianne Adderson. The eldest of six children George showed a talent for making things from an early age and started to make a career as a sign writer and trainee master in the shipyards at Kings Lynn.

In 1887 George married Edith Jane Daisley. Edith came from a prosperous family who owned a Bakers and Grocery shop in London. Edith's parents disapproved of her choice of husband, not only because he came from a less affluent background but also because he had a reputation as a bit of a scoundrel. George and Edith had nine children, two of which died, one at birth and another one before reaching adulthood.

It is believed that George’s career as a showman started in the late 1800s travelling the fairground scene with Pat Collins’ Fair. George started by painting the attractions and giving film and Lantern Slide Shows and by October 1896 he was travelling a Cinematograph.

George settled in Birmingham circa 1899, by that time he was already a maker of cinematography and slides. He also wrote music and hymns for the Primitive Methodist Church in Kings Lynn, of which he was a member.

George continued his trade as a sign writer while in Birmingham, where he worked on the trams as well as on small carriages and handcarts. George also worked as a photographer for Deresk photographic studios taking images of the city and its people.

Edith helped manage the family business interests by keeping the books and collecting payments. Between 1904 and 1914 she inherited money and estate from both her mother and grandmother. In both instances Edith’s family included clauses on their Wills excluding George from any rights on the inheritance both because of his reputation and his various failed financial and business ventures.

George continued to show his Lantern slide shows in church halls and other static venues around Cotteridge until the early 1900s when the family moved to the Old Lodge House at Breedon’s Cross, Stirchley where George set up a bicycle repair business with his oldest son.

George worked in the family business into his late years repairing and building trolleys for Cadbury brothers and died on 8 November 1946. He was a man of many talents amongst others poetry writing, drawing, sign writing, music playing and composing, and photography. Edith died on 1st January 1952.

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