Wednesday, July 22, 2009

From Harry Kingston #1


Scan11869, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Hi Buckles,

Just got another batch of photos and thought you might like them for your World's Greatest Blog.
I have no idea who some of them are and maybe your bloggers can help identify them.
Circusly,
Harry Kingston

Posted by Buckles at 7/22/2009 06:01:00 AM

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

James Francis Murphy had a "Busy City" back end operation and became a full-fledged railroad carnival proprietor about 1919. It was said he had a short-lived partnership with Morris Miller and started a gilley outfit in 1917. The show suffered a disastrous fire in early 1923 and despite being a 30-car outfit came apart and was sold at auction within the year.

The show band on a tableau and a nicely titled baggage wagon are shown in the photo ready to go out on parade. The two-horse vehicle in the center is too nondescript to presently identify.

Quite a few big railroad carnivals staged a parade with ex-circus or Wild West equipment. In this instance, the tableau featuring American Indian bas relief portraits originated with the Miller Bros. & Arlington 101 Ranch. There's a photo of it there in Bandwagon, Jan-Feb 1969 page 9. It must have survived the Ranch presentation under the Buffalo Bill and Jess Willard titles, after which the property was sold. It likely marked Murphy's acquisition.

J. F. Murphy should not be confused with Frank J. Murphy, another carnival sheik, nor D. D. Murphy, owner of another railroad carnival.

22 July, 2009 10:48
Buckles said...

Looks like a first class operation.
Horses, trappings and rolling stock are outstanding.
The artist in the foreground might indicate a free act.

22 July, 2009 12:28

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