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:
New Opera House Programme, 24 December 1947 - 10 January 1948
Blackpool. Tom Arnold presents Mae West in ‘Diamond Lil’. Contains illustrations. Printed by Ayre & Senior Printers, Carter Street, Blackpool, 4p.p.
New Opera House Programme, Saturday 21 April 1951
Blackpool. Bob Hope, Marilyn Maxwell. Contains illustrations. Printed by Ayre & Senior Printers, Blackpool, 4p.p.
New South London Palace Poster, Week commencing 8 August 1938
Ricardo with His Costa Rica Accordian Band Featuring the San Jose Four, Gatz & Gatz Continental Clowns, Daimler & Eadie New Songs and Laughs, Allan & Gordon in Taps and Tunes, Jim Jessiman in Scotch Skits, Uke Ray The Broadcasting Bohemian, Warner Bros. Tumbling Clowns, Living Statuary, Marcell’s Porcelain Famous Works of Art, Four Dolly Girls and Ethel, Daring Rhythm Fiends. Red and blue type on off white background. Printed by John Waddington Ltd. 108 Albion Road. N16.
News Chronicle Stage and Radio Garden Party Souvenir Programme, 1951
Blackpool. Wilfred Pickles, Elsie & Doris Waters with signatures, Arthur Askey, Vic Oliver with signature. Contains illustrations and photographs of the acts, 64p.p.
Newspaper Article on Lord George Sanger and His Circus, c1832 - 1956
The greatest show on earth: Lord George Sanger and his Circus, Croft-Cooke, R. Cutting of chapter from Chambers Journal, 3p.p.
Newspaper Article on Tommy Fossett, c1980 - 1989
Photocopy of article about Tommy Fossett, 2p.p.
Newspaper Cutting, c1900 - 1910
Layton Fire Guards’ Effort. Layton Institute.
Newspaper Cutting, c1900 - 1999
How to Give a Conjuring Entertainment. Pages from Boys Own Paper. Contains illustration, 4p.p.
Newspaper Cutting, c1950 - 1999
Modern Magical Mysteries. Page from ‘Chums’. Contains illlustration, 2p.p.
Newspaper Cutting, c1900 - 1920
The Wonder Machine That Talks. Pages from unknown publication. Contains illustration, 4p.p. one page unrelated.
Newspaper Cutting, c1900 - 1999
Newspaper cutting announcing new President of the Chief of Local Grocers, Mr F. Brierley, also an entertainer, 2p.p. one page unrelated.
Newspaper Cutting, c1900 - 1999
Newspaper clipping regarding varied programme at Blackpool, 2p.p. one page unrelated.
Newspaper Cutting, 27 December 1893
Pantomime: What it was and is. Pages from ‘The Sketch’, 2p.p
Newspaper Cutting, 1897
Article from the Strand Magazine. Hand Shadows by Bernard Miller, 8p.p.
Newspaper Cutting About Stevenson's Circus, 1986
Newspaper cutting from Evening Gazette regarding Stevensons circus.
Newspaper Cutting About the Ohmy Family and Circus, c1880 - 1999
Newspaper cutting and photocopies regarding Ohmy’s circus and family.
Newspaper Cutting of Kinematograph, c1919 - 1959
Cuttings from Kinematograph – Wonders of Moving Picture Land, 4p.p.
Newspaper Cuttings and Scrapbooks, c1832 - 1999
Various newspaper cuttings and scrapbooks about variety and circus performers including the Ohmy and Sanger families.
North Pier New Pavilion Handbill, 1949
Blackpool. Promotional postcard for Lawrence Wright’s On With The Show. Silver Jubilee Edition, containing photographs. 2p.p.
North Pier New Pavilion Handbill, 1954
Blackpool. Promotional postcard for Lawrence Wright’s On With The Show containing photographs. 2p.p.
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