Circus Lion Tamer (Newsome/Cardona)

[nelmit]

I was hoping you'd be scouting around for news articles Alan.

Interesting that Selina's middle name was Bridg(e)man.

name: Selina Bridgeman Mccallum
gender: Female

birth date: 27 Nov 1823
birthplace: , GLASGOW, LANARK, SCOTLAND

father's name: Malcolm Mccallum
mother's name: Joanna Douglas

Regards,
Annette

[JanetM]

Hello and thanks to everyone who's posted here.

Just popped in to have a look - trying not to do any more at the moment, as family life has suffered through my neglect since Saturday (do they have a Family Historian's Anonymous?), when I was given several leads to follow up, not least the reiteration of the lion tamer story which seems to have captured your interest . Just to let you know I am also following up my (still alive) cousin, who is apparently an emminent surgeon in Canada and apparently mentioned in Who's Who and was at one point headhunted to be the personal physician to an Abu Dhabi Prince. As I can't find him in the British versions locally available to me, I have a friend from school, who lives in Canada and is currently on a fishing trip in the Canadian mountains, looking into this when he gets back to civilisation . I am also apparently related to Sir Robert McAlpine (Concrete Bob), who built up the well-known company. When I have some time (ha, ha, ha, ha, ha - getting hysterical here!) I still have to verify the exact name of my great-aunt on my Mum's side who was the Mayor of West Bromwich (now Sandwell) many years' ago. There was a Janet Scott I believe - her surname would have to have been Brown and Janet is a family name as you can see by mine . When further time allows, I have to try to interview various elderly relatives before they are lost to us forever and find out if, pre-Ireland, the Stewarts really were in Skye and were actual supporters of Bonnie Prince Charlie. I would like to think he was my actual ancestor, but think it's hardly likely I will ever find out. I wonder if any other family historians share the rising sense of panic I have that there will just never be enough time? Whilst the article, for which I am indebted to Annette for providing, does not actually say how Timothy died and the jury is still presently out as to whether he just breathed his last in bed or expired whilst he had his head in a lion's mouth , in a way I would rather my ancester didn't die such a gruesome death, even though it made a good story - at least he was a SUCCESSFUL lion tamer. I think the head bitten off bit is redundant - just having ancestors (his wife too) who were lion tamers I think is story enough in itself. I will be back, but between all the papers I have found and the flood of information from yourselves, it will take me a while to go through all of it and extract every detail. Many thanks again to everyone who has contributed so positively - was beginning to get a bit jaded with family history (not finding the information I wanted), but it's all come back to llfe again .

[JanetM]

Thanks to Alan, LesleyB and MB - I did find the Aberdeen link early on and e-mailed them, but I've had no reply so far, but all this information is fantastic, so thanks again. Just a bit about the lion tamer story and how surprising it is that it's taken me (48) all this time to follow it up. My Dad told me the lion tamer story several times when I was younger and I never took much notice - just thought it was a bit odd. My Dad, even though he left school at 14, taught himself to play music and to draw and paint, he was a member of the Masons for many decades and I only found out, on his death, just how well respected he was and, although I have no proof, am told by many that he was "high up" in the Lodge, he was very politically knowledgeable and could discuss without ever being argumentative, he was a gentleman in the true sense of the word, was a quiet man, but had a keen sense of humour. One thing he absolutely did not do was lie or make up stories. I keep telling people to find out as much as they can about their families as they can, but it seems we wait until everyone has gone before we actually do anything about it.

[LesleyB]

Hi Janet

for which I am indebted to Annette for providing, does not actually say how Timothy died

If you obtained his death cert it should tell you the cause of death.

Best wishes
Lesley

[MaryMH]

Interesting to see research which includes Selina Bridgeman McCallum much of which I had traced even though I have been researching her sister - Ann Clare McCallum. The name Newsome appears in later generations in that branch of the family, obviously named after her sister's husband Timothy Newsome. Don't know if you have further information on Selina and Ann's parents - Malcolm McCallum and Johanna Douglas who married 24 Jan 1823 in Glasgow - that's where I'm hitting a brick wall.

Marriage ...

McCallum - Malcolm McCallum servant in Glasgow and Joanna Douglas residing there married 24th January by Mr William Anderson - Relief Minister in Glasgow.

Regards
Mary

[SarahND]

Hello Mary and

Janet was last on the forum at the beginning of November, but I hope she will get a notification of your post and come back to respond.

I take it you have hit the proverbial wall trying to find the parents of Malcolm McCallum and Johanna Douglas? I hope someone here can be of help.

All the best,
Sarah

[JanetM]

Hello Mary

I haven't been on in a while, as you know, and I didn't get any notification you had posted until my equally genealogy obsessed friend, Caroline, FBed me to tell me. I can't give you the information you're looking for right now, but I can maybe have a look at Peter Newsome (a distant relative)'s tree on Ancestry.co.uk if he doesn't mind to see if he has taken it in this direction. His tree is massive and the chances are good. My e-mail address (very trusting, I am ) is janet.mcarthurATbtinternet.com - keep in touch. Bit busy at the moment as I am very behind with Christmas prep, but will catch up with you as soon as. My tree is a disaster at the moment, as it is on Genes Reunited (I don't yet have the people you're looking for). They are tied up in knots and I have decided to move it to Ancestry.co.uk asap, but can't until I have printed out each person's details (100s), which I am having difficulty with, even though my husband has downloaded MWSnap3 for this purpose, in case I lose them all. A lot of work, but which also will keep me tied up for a while, whilst I panic about the state of GR. I do have a lot of info about the Newsomes, Weatherleys, etc - they are a fascinating family and will keep me going for a lifetime. It's a struggle to move on to other branches of the family, but will have to do this before too long. Hope you manage to find everything you are looking for. The people on here have been fantastic and I am still ploughing through the vast amount of info. I hope you will be equally as lucky. Take care - Janet.

Edited AT =@ (stops potential spammers) Russell

[StewL]

Hi Janet
If your tree is on Genes, you could try downloading the gedcome file, it should save you a lot of work printing individual details.

[JanetM]

As I said in my other post, I've not been on TalkingScot in quite a while, but would like to thank those who've responded very much and will look into the information they've provided. Thanks again. Janet

[alibamba]

Hi Janet.

I have been researching my family tree albeit a little sideways as backwards, as was working on my mums side.
My mum had an Uncle Albert E V Begley, and in 1911 he is in Halifax with his uncle Frederick William Hinds, Fred's wife Eliza and other residents are his nephews and nieces. Frederick's wife Eliza Hinds was widow to Cardona aka Thomas Bridgeman, i found out very recently. Eliza's maiden name Thompson. Frederick & Eliza were married in 1892 after her husbands death in 1891. Thomas Bridgeman wasnt killed as such by the Lion he was training / taming...but the attack sustained exacerbated his already ailing ill body.... i read in an online newspaper, which i think someone has already shared with you.
Frederick in 1911, living in Halifax had trained as Lion Tamer / animal trainer in Glasgow with Bostock Travelling show and his relatives noted in Southport one census year ...residing on a 'football field.'
Frederick and a couple of his nephews, worked at Halifax Zoo in Exley ( part of Halifax). I saw you note Cardona and wondered if same as Cardono.
If non of this message is relevant, please do ignore but i find the whole scenario with lion tamers/ zoo's etc very fascinating. Good luck with your search. Hoping to ask Alberts daughter if she has any photographs of any of the family when working in the Halifax Zoo, back in 1900's! Wisj there were some online!!
Frederick Hinds died in 1925 here in Halifax. His wife Eliza left Halifax and went to live with her nephew H A J Begley in Hornsey, passing later in Middlesex Hospital in 1929. I saw Fred's headstone, nothing to relate to him being a Lion Tamer, sadly.

Hayley.