The Pablo Fanque House at All Saints Green

Image: © Evelyn Simak Taken: 19 Apr 2020

There is nobody out and about at All Saints Green today despite the sunny weather. This is due to the Coronavirus pandemic lockdown, which requires people to stay home. The block of flats is known as Pablo Fanque House and provides student accommodation. It is named after Pablo Fanque, who was in his time one of the most successful circus performers and proprietors. Born William Darby in Norwich in 1796, he was orphaned at an early age and apprenticed to William Batty, the owner of a travelling circus, where he became proficient at horse riding, rope dancing and acrobatics, and soon joined the troupe of Andrew Ducrow, who ran one of the most famous circus troupes of the time. In 1841, Fanque started his own show with two horses and "by his own industry and talent, he got together as fine a stud of horses and ponies as any on England". In 1847, he made his London debut, with the 'London Illustrated News' reporting that "Mr. Pablo Fanque is an artiste of colour, and his steed … we have not only never seen surpassed, but never equalled … Mr. Pablo Fanque was the hit of the evening". The steed in question was Beda, a black mare and the fact that the horse attracted so much attention was testament to Fanque's extraordinary horse training skills. After his success in London, he established his troupe in Manchester, and continued to perform throughout the country with his children, giving open air performances and working with the biggest names in the business, including Young Hernandez (1832-1861) the great American rider, and the clown Henry Brown (1814-1902). Pablo Fanque died in Stockport in 1871. He is mentioned in the lyrics of the Beatles' song 'Being for the Benefit of Mr Kite' (on their Sergeant Pepper album): The Hendersons will all be there, Late of Pablo Fanque's fair.

Images are licensed for reuse under creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0