Blondin, Charles, 1824 - 1897
Dates
- Existence: 28 February 1824 - 22 February 1897
Biography
Jean François Gravelet aka Charles Blondin was the most famous tightrope walker of all time.
Blondin was born in Hesdin, Pas-de-Calais, France in 1824. He started to train in gymnastics at the age of five and such was his natural skill that he became a child wonder and started to give performances soon after.
Blondin started to travel around America in 1855. Here he achieved international fame when he famously crossed the Niagara Gorge on the tightrope in 1859.
In the 1860s Blondin returned to Europe and started travelling around Britain performing in some of its most iconic locations including the Crystal Palace in London, The Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh and the Royal Portobello Gardens in Dublin. Blondin settled his permanent residence in London, from where he continued travelling around the UK and Europe. In 1873 he mimicked his Niagara triumph by crossing Edgbaston Reservoir in Birmingham.
Blondin performed many feats of dexterity on the tightrope during his career including crossing with a man on his back, rolling a wheelbarrow, blindfolded, in a sack, on stilts, sitting down halfway to cook and eat an omelette and on a bicycle, all of which was captured in the press of the day and multiple illustrations.
Between 1880 and 1896 after retiring from rope walking, Blondin starred in pantomimes in England and Ireland.
Blondin died at his house in Ealing, London, on 22 February 1897 aged 72.
Found in 5 Collections and/or Records:
Circus Friends Association Collection
This collection consists of a large library of books and journals, as well as archival material including posters, programmes, photographs, films, handbills, research material, scrapbooks, original artwork and many other items of ephemera relating to British, Irish and European circuses
Circus Research Material, 1891 - 1935
Durrant's Press Cuttings, 1930 - 1955
Monographs, Articles, Manuscripts and Research Material, c1795 - 1999
Compilation of monographs, articles, manuscripts and a range of research material about circus companies and performers in the United Kingdom, Europe and other parts of the world by various authors, the research was mainly compiled by Hal Thomas.
Newspaper Cuttings and Scapbooks, 1838 - 2007
A collection of newspaper cuttings on circus, circus proprietors and performers and scrapbooks containing newspaper cuttings, posters, programmes and other items of ephemera, covering mainly British circuses and venues such as Belle Vue and also some international circuses.