Rayner, Eleanor, Born 1938
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 6 Collections and/or Records:
Eleanor Rayner Collection
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.
Miscellaneous Newspaper Cuttings, c1995 - 2005
Newspaper Cuttings, 1960 - 2005
Newspaper cuttings on the history of the Rayner family and the Goose Fair, compiled by Eleanor Rayner.
Rayner Family Tree, c1995 - 2005
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.
Various Items, c1994 - 2005
Family trees and miscellaneous items, compiled by Eleanor Rayner.
Wright Family Tree, c1995 - 2005
Photocopy of the family tree of Arthur Wright, a descendent of Samuel Rayner, who was the father of James Rayner, actor, born in 1849, 1p.
Filtered By
- Subject: Family X
Additional filters:
- Type
- Archival Object 5
- Collection 1
- Subject
- Showman 5
- Showwoman 5
- Wild west 1