Pablo Fanque - Circus owner

Pablo Fanque was born on the 30th March 1810 in Norwich, England. Not a lot is known about his parents though his dad was said to have been from Africa. Fanque’s birth name was William Darby.

Fanque was orphaned whilst still a child when he apprenticed to circus owner William Batty. His first documented appearance was on the 26th December 1821, when he performed in a sawdust ring – at the time Fanque was just eleven years of age. Initially his stage name was ‘Young Darby’ but he later adopted the name Pablo Fanque. He was also known as the ‘negro rope-dancer’.

Fanque also performed horse riding stunts and tight rope walking, however the dream was to have his own circus.

His dream materialised when he partnered with William Wallett, a renowned clown known as ‘The Queen’s Jester’  and founded his very own circus. Beginnings were modest, the circus had just two horses and although the first performances faced challenges the circus went on to perform all over the country and grew from strength to strength.

In 1847, a decade after founding his circus, Fanque achieved a triumphant review at the London show. The Illustrated London News applauded him stating -

Fanque was the UK's first Black circus owner, he set himself apart not only through performances but also by the way he advertised and marketed his shows. Fanque's circus were very popular, he'd build anticipation by announcing the show's arrival a week beforehand, which proved effective. To further enhance anticipation Fanque wouldn’t just arrive to towns, he’d parade the circus into each town, capturing the imagination of the locals. He'd also support the town's charity events and fundraisers.

Tragedy struck in March 1848 when during a performance an accident injured a number of people and took the life of his wife, Susannah Marlow, as she worked in the box office. However, Fanque continued performing with his children. Spanning more than three decades Fanque's circus performed throughout England, Scotland, and Ireland, visiting over 50 cities. However, the 1860s brought financial challenges including bankruptcy and claims of fraud. Unfortunately Fanque's ended up in poverty.

Pablo Fanque passed away on the 4th May 1871. His funeral was remarkable, there was a procession featuring a band playing the ‘Death March’ as his favourite horse followed.

‘Mr. Pablo Fanque is an artiste of colour, and his steed... we have not only never seen surpassed, but never equaled... Mr. Pablo Fanque was the hit of the evening.’

The Illustrated London News

The Beatles 1967 track ‘Being for the Benefit of Mr Kite’, written by John Lennon, was inspired by a vintage poster Lennon found advertising a ‘Pablo Fanque’s Circus Royal’ event.