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Rayner, Eleanor, Born 1938

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: Born 1938

Biography

Eleanor Rayner was born in 1938. She was the daughter of William Rayner and Louise Rayner (nee Danter). William Rayner (often referred to as Billy Rayner) was the ringmaster of flea circus, which he took to fairs across the country, notably the Goose Fair. In an interview with the Nottingham Evening Post in 1957, he talked about the scarcity of human fleas: 'People are much cleaner and flea conscious these days'. The article mentions how he was trained by a German professor before the Second World War. He died in 1992.

William Rayner was the grandson of James Rayner, a play actor, who was born in 1849. James Rayner was married to fellow actor Elizabeth Rayner (nee Perkins), born in 1856. An obituary for James Rayner (also known as Jimmy Rayner) appeared in The World's Fair on his death in 1926. William Rayner's sister, Nellie Rayner married into another showman family on her wedding to Walter Chadwick.

Found in 22 Collections and/or Records:

700th Goose Fair Souvenir (Black and White), 1 October 1994

 Item — Box Eleanor Rayner Box 1: Series 178B50; Series 178G67; Series 178K57; Series 178M23; Series 178R59; Series 178V25; Series 178Z73
Reference code: 178K57.3
Scope and Contents

Two copies of a special publication by Nottingham Evening Post titled, '700th Goose Fair Souvenir'. Includes a welcome from the Lord Mayor, articles on the history of the fair, the stories of showmen involved in the fair and a map of the fairground in 1994. Illustrated with black and white photographs, 12pp.

Dates: 1 October 1994

700th Goose Fair Souvenir (Colour), 1 October 1994

 Item — Box Eleanor Rayner Box 1: Series 178B50; Series 178G67; Series 178K57; Series 178M23; Series 178R59; Series 178V25; Series 178Z73
Reference code: 178K57.2
Scope and Contents

Two copies of a special publication by Nottingham Evening Post titled, '700th Goose Fair Souvenir'. Includes a welcome from the Lord Mayor, articles on the history of the fair, the stories of showmen involved in the fair and a colour map of the fairground in 1994. Illustrated with colour photographs, 12pp.

Dates: 1 October 1994

Articles, c2005 - 2006

 Series
Reference code: 178B50
Scope and Contents

Articles on the history of the Rayner family, compiled by Eleanor Rayner.

Dates: c2005 - 2006

British Spy Fired the Shot that Killed Rasputin, 2006

 Item — Box Eleanor Rayner Box 1: Series 178B50; Series 178G67; Series 178K57; Series 178M23; Series 178R59; Series 178V25; Series 178Z73
Reference code: 178B50.2
Scope and Contents

Printed out of an article titled, 'British spy fired the shot that finished Rasputin', written by Karyn Miller, which appeared on the Telegraph Newspaper website in 2004. Includes details of new forensic evidence suggesting that Rasputin was killed by Oswald Rayner, a member of the Secret Intelligence Bureau, 2pp.

Dates: 2006

Cowboy Cartoon, c1960 - 1990

 Item — Box Eleanor Rayner Box 1: Series 178B50; Series 178G67; Series 178K57; Series 178M23; Series 178R59; Series 178V25; Series 178Z73
Reference code: 178V25.1
Scope and Contents

Pencil drawing on a grid, depicting a cartoon cowboy holding a gun. Artist unknown, 1p.

Dates: c1960 - 1990

Eleanor Rayner Collection

 Collection
Reference code: NFA0204
Content Description

Small collection of souvenir newspapers, newspaper cuttings, articles and printed ephemera, relating to the Rayner family and their involvement in the Goose Fair, compiled by Eleanor Rayner.

Dates: c1960 - 2006

Goose Fair: A Bygone Special, 24 September 2004

 Item — Box Eleanor Rayner Box 1: Series 178B50; Series 178G67; Series 178K57; Series 178M23; Series 178R59; Series 178V25; Series 178Z73
Reference code: 178K57.4
Scope and Contents

An edition of the Nottingham Post titled, 'Goose Fair: A Bygone Special'. Includes articles on the history of the Goose Fair. Illustrated with reproductions of advertisements and photographs, 31pp.

Dates: 24 September 2004

Goose Fair Newspaper Cuttings, 1960 - 1990

 File — Box Eleanor Rayner Box 1: Series 178B50; Series 178G67; Series 178K57; Series 178M23; Series 178R59; Series 178V25; Series 178Z73
Reference code: 178G67.1
Scope and Contents

Newspaper cuttings, relating to the history of the Goose Fair, compiled by Eleanor Rayner. Includes articles taken from the Nottingham Guardian (1960 and 1962), and The World's Fair (1983, 1984 and 1990).

Dates: 1960 - 1990

Goose Fair Plan, c1960 - 1990

 Item — Box Eleanor Rayner Box 1: Series 178B50; Series 178G67; Series 178K57; Series 178M23; Series 178R59; Series 178V25; Series 178Z73
Reference code: 178M23.1
Scope and Contents

Reproduction of a plan, with an enlarged photocopy, showing the layout of tents, shows and stalls at the Goose Fair in 1929.

Dates: c1960 - 1990

Goose Fair Poster, 1992

 Item — Box Eleanor Rayner Box 1: Series 178B50; Series 178G67; Series 178K57; Series 178M23; Series 178R59; Series 178V25; Series 178Z73
Reference code: 178R59.1
Scope and Contents

Poster advertising the Nottingham Goose Fair [1992]. Red and yellow text on black background, illustrated with a general view of a fairground in red, yellow and white, 1p. Accompanied by a circular letter addressed 'Dear Trader', requesting them to display the enclosed poster to promote the Goose Fair, sent from Margaret Wooding, Tourism Promotions Officer of the City of Nottingham (20 August 1992).

Dates: 1992

Miscellaneous Newspaper Cuttings, c1995 - 2005

 File — Box Eleanor Rayner Box 1: Series 178B50; Series 178G67; Series 178K57; Series 178M23; Series 178R59; Series 178V25; Series 178Z73
Reference code: 178G67.2
Scope and Contents Miscellaneous newspaper cuttings, compiled by Eleanor Rayner. Notably includes a photocopy of an article about showman, Billy Rayner and his flea circus, illustrated with a photograph of the circus tent at the Goose Fair in 1957 (n.d.), a photocopy of a newspaper article announcing the marriage if James Greenhow and Eva-Marie Chadwick (n.d.), and an article, recording the memories of showman boxer, Matt Moran (later known as Matt Watson), taken from the Manchester Evening News (1 October...
Dates: c1995 - 2005

Newspaper Cuttings, 1960 - 2005

 Series
Reference code: 178G67
Scope and Contents

Newspaper cuttings on the history of the Rayner family and the Goose Fair, compiled by Eleanor Rayner.

Dates: 1960 - 2005

Old Nottingham Goose Fair: A Story in Pictures, 1975

 Item — Box Eleanor Rayner Box 1: Series 178B50; Series 178G67; Series 178K57; Series 178M23; Series 178R59; Series 178V25; Series 178Z73
Reference code: 178K57.1
Scope and Contents

Two copies of a special publication by Nottingham Evening Post titled, 'Old Nottingham Goose Fair: A Story in Pictures'. Includes a timeline covering the history of the Goose Fair from 1284. Illustrated with reproductions of advertisements and photographs of the fair taken between 1855 and 1950 47pp.

Dates: 1975

One of the Old School, c2005 - 2006

 Item — Box Eleanor Rayner Box 1: Series 178B50; Series 178G67; Series 178K57; Series 178M23; Series 178R59; Series 178V25; Series 178Z73
Reference code: 178B50.1
Scope and Contents

Typed transcription of an article, titled 'One of the Old School', concerning the life and career of actor and acrobat, James Rayner, written by Tom Norman for The World's Fair on 1 May 1926. The article also includes details of the acting career of James Rayner's late wife, Elizabeth Rayner (nee Parkin). Accompanied by two pages of photocopied photographs of unidentified members of the Rayner family, 4pp.

Dates: c2005 - 2006

Original Artwork, c1960 - 1990

 Series
Reference code: 178V25
Scope and Contents

Original artwork, formerly belonging to Eleanor Rayner.

Dates: c1960 - 1990

Plans, c1960 - 1990

 Series
Reference code: 178M23
Scope and Contents

Plans of the Goose Fair, collected by Eleanor Rayner.

Dates: c1960 - 1990

Posters, 1992

 Series
Reference code: 178R59
Scope and Contents

Posters for the Goose Fair, collected by Eleanor Rayner

Dates: 1992

Programmes, 1975 - 2004

 Series
Reference code: 178K57
Scope and Contents

Souvenir newspapers relating to the history of the Goose Fair, compiled by Eleanor Rayner.

Dates: 1975 - 2004

Rayner Family Tree, c1995 - 2005

 Item — Box Eleanor Rayner Box 1: Series 178B50; Series 178G67; Series 178K57; Series 178M23; Series 178R59; Series 178V25; Series 178Z73
Reference code: 178Z73.1
Scope and Contents

Photocopy of the family tree of James Rayner, confectioner, and his son Samuel Rayner, confectioner and play actor, who married Sarah Stevenson in 1839. Their son, James Rayner born in 1849 was also an actor who married fellow actor, Elizabeth Perkins born in 1856. The family tree provides details of six generations of the Rayner family, and is thought to have been compiled by Eleanor Rayner, daughter of William Rayner and Louise Rayner (nee Danter), 2pp.

Dates: c1995 - 2005

Showman's Guild Subscription Payment Receipt, 13 June 1994

 Item — Box Eleanor Rayner Box 1: Series 178B50; Series 178G67; Series 178K57; Series 178M23; Series 178R59; Series 178V25; Series 178Z73
Reference code: 178Z73.3
Scope and Contents

Receipt issued to Miss Eleanor Rayner for her subscription to The Showmen's Guide, 1p.

Dates: 13 June 1994

Additional filters:

Type
Archival Object 21
Collection 1
 
Subject
Family 6
Showman 13
Showwoman 14
Wild west 3