Dates

• Existence: 22 February 1874 - 11 January 1953

Biography

Violet Bartram nee Mynn was born on 22 February 1874 in England in a theatrical family. She made her first public appearance in the Corps Ballet at Drury Lane as a child and soon got involved in pantomime and other types of performance working for prestigioud circus proprietor Lord George Sanger. In her teens, Violet started to performe on the tightrope with Georgina Sanger at Astley's Amphitheatre. Violet married fellow performer, clown Henrique 'Harry' La Place aka August on 19 September 1889. The couple toured South America with Frank Brown Circus in the 1890s, by this time Violet was already performing as La Belle Atalanta on the tightrope and snake charmer. Violet and Harry had a son, Harry La Place junior, who was killed on active service in 1918. Henrique La Place died in the early 1900s and Violet returned to England and travelled around Europe and America on her own until 1905. Violet married Claude Carrol Bartram, a theatrical agent, showground proprietor and Editor of 'The Performer' on 10 March 1917. Claude become Secretary of the newly formed Showmen's Guild of Great Britain and Violet entered the fairgrounds through marriage. Violet eventually retired to Brixton as a widow and died on 11 January 1953 aged 78.

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