Happy birthday to Pablo Fanque—the first Black circus owner in Britain
Born in Norwich 213 years ago, Pablo Fanque led an extraordinary life. He was the first recorded Black circus owner in Britain, described by one London newspaper as an 'artiste of colour' who was a master of showmanship. Fanque's circus, known as Pablo Fanque & Company, toured extensively throughout the United Kingdom and enjoyed great popularity. Fanque's legacy is immortalised in the famous Beatles song, "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!", which was inspired by an 1843 poster advertising one of his circus shows. The very poster, in fact, that Kite painstakingly recreated using traditional printing methods. Shop the limited edition "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite" print here.Also in News
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