Critchlow, Cyril, 1923 - 2008
Dates
- Existence: 1923 - 2008
Biography
Cyril Critchlow was born in Staffordshire in 1923 and moved to Blackpool with his family as a teenager in the late 1930s.
Cyril developed an interest in magic from an early age and became known as a magician during the Second World War under the stage name of Reval.
Throughout his life in Blackpool, Critchlow became an avid collector of ephemera relating to Blackpool’s entertainment heritage from the 1860s to the present day and wrote several books on the subject. He was also a passionate heritage campaigner and in 1977 he fulfilled a lifelong dream when he opened The Museum of Entertainment on Coronation Street, where he displayed his personal collection of entertainment ephemera.
Critchlow presented magic shows and gave talks on Blackpool history of entertainment at the ‘Witches Café’ which he also ran. In 1980 he became the proprietor of a small theatre of variety and he even worked as a spotlight operator at the Winter Gardens Theatre for a while. In the mid-sixties he was elected town Councillor. Additionally, he was a founder member of the Blackpool Magicians’ club, becoming at one point President and Honorary Life Member. He was a member of Equity, The Magic Circle, Blackpool Heritage Forum and he was President of the North West Music Hall and Variety Friendship Society.
He was still entertaining with his magic act in his 80s performing as Wizardo, Harry Potter's grandfather and took part in Sheffield University’s Cabinet of Curiosities held at Blackpool in 2008.
Cyril Critchlow died after a short illness in 2008.
Found in 620 Collections and/or Records:
Letter from Edward Vernon, 13 October 1946
Letter to Mr Baumforth from Edward Vernon, magical entertainer on letterhead paper, 1p.
Letter from Emile L. Swann, c1950 - 1959
Letter from Emile Swann, Ireland's Greatest Illusionist, thanking for the return of certificates and books, on letterheaded paper, 2p.p.
Letter from Karl Baroni, c1930 - 1999
Letter from Karl Bartoni promoting essence of Antiquity Kit. There are remains of a wax seal on the back. Typescript.
Letter from Kay Sapienza, 1994
Letter and family tree to Mrs J Huntingdon from Kay Sapienza, contains information about Ohmy circus. Typescript, 2p.p.
Letter from Nick Janson, 1993
Letter to Cyril from Nick Janson, featuring a cartoon of the Royal Easter Show in New Zealand.
Letter from the Deputy City Clerk of Winnipeg, 1 February 1966
Letter to Gwenda Sanger from Deputy City Clerk of Winnipeg, Canada, sending sympathy and condolences regarding the death of Mr John William Sanger. Typescript, original & Photocopy.
Letter from the General Manager of Crystal Palace, 26 November 1930
Letter to Lily Sanger Ohmy from General Manager of Crystal Palace. Typescript.
Letter from Thos. V. Woodhouse, 9 October 1905
Letter to Ohmy from Thos. V. Woodhouse, Architect, 2p.p.
Letter from Yogi the Magician, 27 March 1958
Letter to Frank, 1p.
Letter Headed Envelope, c1900 - 1949
Lord John Sanger & Sons headed envelope addressed to Claude Ohmy. Typescript and manuscript.
Letter Headed Paper, 24 January 1935
Joe Hodson’s Comical marionettes. Handwritten letter giving details given of provenance of marionette.
Lily Ohmy and Herbert Sanger's Marriage Certificate, 6 March 1916
Certificate of the marriage of Lily Ohmy and herbert Sanger.
Lily Ohmy's Birth Certificate, 2 February 1891
Lily Ohmy's birth certificate dated 13 March 1914.
Lily Ohmy's Business Card, c1910 - 1940
Business card with black type on off white card.
List of Songs, c1960 - 1969
Lawrence Wright Music Co. Ltd. 12p.p.
Liverpool Empire Poster, c1980 - 1989
Aladdin, Mr T from the ‘A’ Team and others. Contains photographs.
London Great Magic Show Poster, 1975
Japan. Faust. Colour photograph.
London Palladium Poster, Commencing 23 December 1957
Robinson Crusoe, Arthur Askey, David Whitefield, Tommy Cooper and others. Contains colour illustrations and photographs.
London Palladium Poster, Commencing 17 January 1975
Peter Pan, Lulu, Ron Moody, Rachel Gurney and others. Contains illustration. Printed by electric (Modern) Printing Co. Ltd., Manchester.
London Palladium Poster, December 1974
Tommy Steele in Hans Anderson. Colour poster and black and white photos.
Additional filters:
- Type
- Archival Object 619
- Collection 1
- Subject
- Acrobats 15
- Aerialists 3
- Animal trainers 3
- Animals 40
- Business 52
- Circus 126
- Clowning 37
- Comedians 49
- Dance 36
- Equestrians 4
- Fairs 4
- Fakirs 3
- Family 9
- Fire eating 3
- Freak shows 3
- Gymnasts 1
- Jugglers 8
- Magic 104
- Male impersonators 3
- Menageries 2
- Mimes 3
- Minstrel shows 4
- Motion pictures 8
- Music 3
- Music-halls 12
- Musical performances 42
- Pantomime 31
- Performers 357
- Pierrot 9
- Puppets 24
- Showman 26
- Showwoman 12
- Singing 29
- Skating 3
- Stunt performers 3
- Travel 9
- Variety 267
- Ventriloquists 9
- Wild west 3
- World War, 1914-1918 5
- World War, 1939-1945 8
- Wrestling 4
- Zoos 3 + ∧ less