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Testo, William, 1840 - 1899

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1840 - 1899

Biography

William was the son of Felix Testo senior. William's descendants entertaining the masses in the travelling fairground with a diversity of acts and shows such as melodramas, marionettes, bioscopes, roundabouts and the famous flea circus.

William Testot married Susannah McPherson and had nine children, who also followed his father’s footsteps into the fairground. Felix the eldest of William’s children took his father’s marionette act upon his death and travelled it around Wales, eventually settling in Swansea, while Henry and Alfred married two sisters, Louise and Emily Chipperfield of the famed circus family.

Susannah took over the family business upon her husband William’s death and was quick to react to changes and embrace new technological developments. Susannah set to compete with the bioscope pioneers in the fairground by modifying the travelling theatre previously used for the marionette show and travelling an early moving picture show. The new show was a success and soon developed into a lavish show front made by W.G. Walford of Hull, called ‘Testo’s Electric Biograph’.

Up to this point the shows were travelled on horse and carriages, until the next technological wonder revolutionised the fairground, the steam engine, towing equipment, trucks and living wagons as well as generating electricity.

In 1906 the Testos presented the first films to be shown in Newcastle, including titles such as ‘Lens Colliery Disaster’, ‘The Life of Charles Peace’ and ‘Too Late to Turn Back’, with commentaries by Alfred, the youngest son of William and the only one to attend school and be able to read.

The success of moving pictures in the travelling fairground made it difficult to present an original show for a prolonged period of time with picture shows springing everywhere. The Testo moving picture show declined and the family acquired a large roundabout they travelled around the North East and which they christened ‘The Durham Riding School’.

At this point all of William’s and Susannah’s children were married; Henty to Louise Chipperfield, Alfred to Emily Chipperfield, William to Kate Buchanan, Alexander to Winifred Merrick, Mary to Mr Berry, Susan to George Biddall of the renowned Biddall family famous for their Ghost Shows and accomplishments as circus performers and finally Harriette to William Noble, the founder of the Noble Organisation.

Gradually the family broke up until only Henry and his mother remained travelling ‘The Durham Riding School’, which eventually was substituted by a Scenic Railway. At this point WWI broke and the Scenic Railway proved a failure and Susannah and son Henry moved onto their next business venture at Witton Park, where the rented a hall which they converted into a permanent cinema.

The family also continued the puppeteering tradition which they passed onto Henry’s children and which allowed them to run several businesses at the same time. His eldest son, also called Henry, joined the army in 1915, in spite of being under age and was sent to the battle fields from which he returned in 1918 shell-shocked and suffering from the effect of poison gas.

Marialouise, Henry’s eldest daughter, developed into an excellent puppeteer and pianist and regularly accompanied the silent film shows.

Susannah died in 1924 and was buried with her husband at Shildon. Henry then moved to Hartlepool, where he purchased a large piece of land, now known as Crimdon Dene caravan Holiday Park.

Found in 10 Collections and/or Records:

British Roundabout Proprietors Rules, 1902 - 1903

 File
Reference code: 178H9.2
Scope and Contents

Photocopies of The British Roundabout Proprietors and Showmen’s Union Rules. Typescript.

Dates: 1902 - 1903

Business Records, 1902 - 1903, 12 December 1932

 Series
Reference code: 178H9
Scope and Contents

Various items of business related to the Testo family.

Dates: 1902 - 1903; 12 December 1932

Funeral Cards, c1899

 Item
Reference code: 178Z22.3
Scope and Contents

A sympathy card for William Testo, who died at Shildon August 20th 1899 and a sympathy card with a message. Black type on white card with silver and black borders and ivy and flower decorations on one card.

Dates: c1899

Monographs and Research Material, c1851 - 1999

 Series
Reference code: 178B16
Scope and Contents

Various items of family history and an excerpt from a book on fortune telling.

Dates: c1851 - 1999

Newspaper Cuttings, c1959 - 1979

 File
Reference code: 178G19
Scope and Contents

Newspaper cuttings including general stories about fairgrounds and coverage of murder of Miriam Culine.

Dates: c1959 - 1979

Photographs, c1900 - 1968

 Series
Reference code: 178C79
Scope and Contents Black and white photographs, postcards and negatives of the Testo family, performers, side shows, animals, fairgrounds and circuses including Angela Rabbets ‘Jungle Girl’ female snake act, Sonya Alan ‘Lady of Lions’, men and women in WWI and WWII uniforms, Golga Testo snake act with Bertram Mills Circus, Pauline Testo, Alf Testo, Nora and Billy Kayes, Jack Lemm and his Troupe at Testo’s show, members of the Chipperfield family, members of the Dobson family, members of the Pinder family...
Dates: c1900 - 1968

Testo Family Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0032
Scope and Contents

This collection comprises photographs, business records, articles, correspondence, newspaper cuttings, advertising material, family research and items of personal archive related to the Testo family history in the fairground and circus

Dates: 1898 - 1999

Testo Family History Monographs, c1960 - 1989

 File
Reference code: 178B16.2
Scope and Contents

The story of Felix Testot, Magician, and founder of the Testo family in England (with a brief history of his descendants up to 1993). A portion of the Testo Family History. Alfred Testo’s Career by ‘Golga’ Jeffreys (his daughter). The Chipperfields’ Story: being a summary of items in the history of the Chipperfield family from 1803 and the connections with the Testo family (Harriet Sophia Jeffreys and Vic Jeffreys). Typescript.

Dates: c1960 - 1989

Testo Family Research Material, c1851 - 1900

 File
Reference code: 178B16.3
Scope and Contents

Copy of 1851 census from Batheaston Parish, Somerset containing a list of people with the surname Jones and their birth details, some hand written notes about the Tudors family trees and a story about Ruth Pierce in 1753, also very faded photocopies of Felix Testo posters and a newspaper cutting. Typescript and manuscript.

Dates: c1851 - 1900

Your Fortune in the Cards, c1900 - 1999

 Item
Reference code: 178B16.1
Scope and Contents

Extract from book on fortune telling using cards by Donalie Fitzgerald. Black type on off white background with black and white illustrations of cards and symbols of planets on reverse of first page, 24p.p.

Dates: c1900 - 1999