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:
Ashton's Circus Poster, Wednesday 8 - Saturday 11 March 1967
Wellington, New Zealand. List of acts, red and black type on white background. Printed by Fairfield Printery.
Austen Brothers London Festival Circus Poster, c1980 - 1989
Nottingham the Forest. Black type and colour banner and footer. Printed by W.E. Berry Ltd. Bradford.
Austen Brothers London Festival Circus Poster, c1980 - 1989
Banstead. Black type and colour banner and footer on white background. Printed by W.E. Berry Ltd. Bradford.
Bal Moulin Rouge Poster, 11 - 24 July 1951
Paris, France. Red and blue type on white background.
Barrow Civic Hall Poster, Commencing 27 December 1976
Babes in the Wood, Ken Platt. Contains colour illustration.
Bertram Mill's Circus Programme, 21 December 1925 - 23 January 1926
Olympia London. Insert programme for the day with photographic illustrations of the acts. Printed by Fleetway Press Ltd., Dane Street, High Holborn, London Circus, 8p.p.
Bertram Mill's Circus Programme, 21 December 1927 - 24 January 1928
Olympia London. Includes and eight page lose insert programme for the day with photographic illustrations of the acts. Printed by Fleetway Press Ltd., Dane Street, High Holborn, London Circus, 40p.p.
Bertram Mill's Circus Programme, 22 December 1931 - 27 January 1932
Olympia London. Includes a twelve page insert programme for the day and contains photographic illustrations of the acts. Printed by Fleetway Press Ltd., Dane Street, High Holborn, London Circus 44p.p.
Bertram Mill's Circus Programme, 20 December 1934 - 24 January 1935
Olympia London, contains photographic illustrations of the acts. Printed by Fleetway Press Ltd., Dane Street, High Holborn, London Circus, 60p.p.
Bertram Mill's Circus Programme, 20 December 1935 - 25 January 1936
Olympia London, contains photographic illustrations of the acts. Printed by Fleetway Press Ltd., Dane Street, High Holborn, London Circus, 56p.p.
Bertram Mill's Circus Programme, 22 December 1938 - 26 January 1939
Olympia London, contains photographic illustrations of the acts. Printed by Fleetway Press Ltd., Dane Street, High Holborn, London Circus, 60p.p.
Bertram Mill's Circus Programme, 20 December 1946 - 1 February 1947
Olympia London, contains photographic illustrations of the acts. Printed by Programme Publications Ltd., London Circus, 44p.p.
Bertram Mill's Circus Programme, 19 December 1947 - 4 February 1948
Olympia London, contains photographic illustrations of the acts. Printed by Welbecson Press Ltd., London Circus, 44p.p.
Bertram Mill's Circus Programme, 17 December 1948 - 3 February 1949
Olympia London, contains photographic illustrations of the acts. Printed by Welbecson Press Ltd., London Circus, 44p.p.
Bertram Mill's Circus Programme, 1952 - 1953
Olympia London, contains photographic illustrations of the acts. Printed by Welbecson Press Ltd., London Circus, 44p.p.
Bertram Mill's Circus Programme, 1961 - 1962
Olympia London, contains photographic illustrations of the acts. Printed by Welbecson Press Ltd., London Circus, 28p.p.
Bertram Mill's Circus Programme, 1962 - 1963
Olympia London, contains photographic illustrations of the acts. Printed by Welbecson Press Ltd., London Circus, 28p.p.
Birth Certificates, Marriage Certificates and Obituaries, 1891 - 1964
Personal legal documents related to Lily Ohmy, Herbert Sanger, John Everton Sanger and an order of memorial for Lawrence Wright (Horation Nicholls).
Blackpool Annual, 1926
First year of publication. Colour illustrated cover of Pierrot and Dancer, 76p.p.
Blackpool Bookshop Advert for Book List, c1950 - 1959
Advertisement for book list from Blackpool bookshop for Recipe for A Good Magician by Professor Lipka book.
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- Archival Object 619
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- Acrobats 15
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- Comedians 49
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- Musical performances 42
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