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:
Palladium Poster, c1920 - 1949
Beeston. Ronald Courtnay and his Famous Repertoire Company Plays: The Girl Whom God Forgot, A Poppy from Flanders, P.C. Pudding. Red and blue type on white background. Printed by Bailey & Sons, Printers, Derbyshire.
Palladium Poster, Commencing Monday 17 June c1961
Llandudno. Ken Platt in ‘Love Locked Out’ and ‘Glamour and Chips’. Contains colour illustration.
Paperwork Related to the Purchase of a Car, 17 September 1921
Paperwork Related to the Purchase of a Car. Order form and receipt for £10 deposit on a car, signed H.Sanger. Typescript and manuscript.
Paulo's Circus Poster, c1980 - 1989
Dover Lower Maxton Playing Fields. Colour illustration of clown and acts.
Paulo's Circus Poster, c1980 - 1989
Freshwater Stroud Field. Colour illustration of clown and acts.
Paulo's Circus Poster, c1980 - 1989
Colour illustration of clown and acts. Left blank for overprinting location and date.
Pendant, 20 September 1889
Metal pendant in star shape with raised buffalo’s head in the centre presented to Bro Ohmy by the Brethren of the Hand in Hand and Arctic Lodges Blackpool for his kindness in giving benefit at his circus on behalf of the Widow & Orphan Funds.
Personal Diaries, 1934 - 1970
Three personal diaries from 1934, 1967 and 1970, manuscript.
Peter Casson Master of Hypnotism Handbill, c1980 - 1989
The Witches kitchen Theatre Blackpool. Comedy show Hypnotic Phantasy.
Photograph from the Stage Year Book, 1914
Photo of Eugene Stratton in minstrel make-up, 2p.p. one page unrelated.
Photographs and Postcards, 1908 - 1975
Black and white photographs and postcards of the Ohmy, the Smart and the Sanger circuses and family members, including John Sanger in sailor’s uniform. Also a variety of circus performers including Mme. Morelli from the Bostock menagerie. Many of the postcards have been used for correspondence.
Pier Theatre Handbill, c1950 - 1959
St. Annes. Comedy Season Playhouse starring Ken Platt. Red curtain border and blue print. Printed by A. Taylor & Sons Ltd., Wombwell, Barnsley, Yorkshire.
Pier Theatre Poster, 29 May - 30 June 1999
Bournemouth. Seaside Special with comedian Don Reid and others. A Night At the Music Hall with Derek Yelding and others. Top West End Performers in ‘Beyond the Barricades’. Contains colour with photographs.
Pigalle Restaurant ‘Gaiety a la Carte’ Programme, c1955 - 1959
Programme for dinner dance featuring Yana, Bryan Johnson, Rose Hardaway. Contains illustrations and photographs of the acts. Printed by Progressive Press Co. ltd., London WC1, 8p.p.
Pinder Jean Richard Circus Poster, c1900 - 1999
Le Geant European. Colour illustration of clown and animals.
Play Transcript, 1982
An Escapade in Manchuria by Hermann L Webber. One act play transcript based on authors trick Targetto. Photocopy with illustrations, 4p.p.
Poetic National Theatre Poster, c1979
Colour illustration poster for magica and illusion show.
Postcard, 1940
Postcard of Gary Cooper in Cavalier du Desert. Colour illustration.
Postcard, c1900 - 1999
Colour postcard of Punch and Judy set from the Lanchester Collection.
Postcard, c1900 - 1999
Coulour postcard of French Punch and Judy liquorice firm.
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