Richard Eachus

Other Events:

• Baptism: 25 Dec 1848, Sandbach

Notes:

Richard went into the family stationery business, But sometime between 1861 & 1864 he ran away to join the Circus. Family legend says that he was disownd and was never spoken of again. Here he met his future wife Emily Guest who was "of the circus", her father being an Equestrian Clown. They married in 1864 and by 1866 they had formed the Echasse Family and on the 2nd April 1866 were playing at the New Britannia Theatre, High St Hoxon, London. described as " The Renowend Echasse Family, 3 in number, will go through their marvellous Acrobatic Performance on stilts" By 1869 they had changed their name to the Frantz Brothers and his wife Emily Guest had become Madam Frantz the Flying Lady. In 1869 they were very busy touring the Music Halls.** Their children grew up learning the Family trade and became very sucessfull Acrobats, As a Family they became the World Famous Frantz Family and toured the world. Appearing all over Europe, America and Australia. By Christmas 1900 they were back in England playing in the Pantomine Cinderella, at the Pavilion Theatre, Mile End, London.
Census:
1851 Market Place, Sandbach. Cheshire, son. age 5 Scholar. (51-547)
1861 17 Marshall Street, Birmingham son. age 15. Printer. (61-18)
1871 57 Navigation St, Birmingham. son. age 25. Gymnastic Artist. (116)



**(Archive collection A2-10)

Richard married Emily Guest on 23 Mar 1864 in Birkenhead St Mary. Emily (daughter of James Guest and Elizabeth Powell) was born in 1845 in South Shields, Durham, Tyne & Wear, England; died in 1912 in Lambeth RD. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Baptism: 5 May 1865, St Thomas, Stockton On Tees, Durham, England

Notes:

Louisa joined an acrobatic group with her brother Richard and two sisters, Emily & Adelaide, called the Frantz Family. They were a world famous Acrobatic group, making quite a name touring all over Europe, America and Australia.
The New York Times, Aug 8th 1893; appearing at the Madison Square Roof garden, Frantz Family, of Dress Suited Acrobats.
The New York Times, Feb 17th 1895. Proctors Theatre; The Frantz Family, male & female Acrobats will make their reapperance in this Country.
The Brisbane Courier, Friday 18th September 1896; IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
Mr Harry Rickards has much pleasure in Introducing to the Amusement-loving Public of Brisbane one of his latest and greatest Sucesses, the Marvels of the Nineteenth Century.
THE FRANTZ FAMILY
THE FRANTZ FAMILY
THE FRANTZ FAMILY
Three Ladies and four Gentlemen. The Most Marvellous Acrobats ever seen. All performing in Evening Dress.
THE FRANTZ FAMILY
Who will make their First Appearance in Brisbane on Monday Next. MONDAY 21st September. (archive A2-9)

Census:
1871 57 Navigation St, Birmingham. Warwick. Granddaughter, age 6. (116)
1901 129 Fontiman Road, Lambeth, London. wife. age 34. Acrobat. (01-411) < Louisa Martinez> ( living next door to her brother Richard & family)

Louisa married Pedro Martinez on 18 Jul 1892 in Parish Church of St Mary, Lambeth.. Pedro (son of Pedro Martinez and Unknown) was born in 1867 in Spain. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Richard Thomas grew up learing the trade of an Acrobat performing with his three sisters, Louisa, Emily & Adelaide, with his Parents in their Acrobatic Group called The Frantz Family. They were a world famous Acrobatic group, making quite a name in the Music Halls. He met his wife Maria in Holland, but they always came to England so that their children would be British Citizens.
The New York Times, Aug 8th 1893; appearing at the Madison Square Roof garden, Frantz Family, of Dress Suited Acrobats.
The New York Times, Feb 17th 1895. Proctors Theatre; The Frantz Family, male & female Acrobats will make their reapperance in this Country.
The Brisbane Courier, Friday 18th September 1896; IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
Mr Harry Rickards has much pleasure in Introducing to the Amusement-loving Public of Brisbane one of his latest and greatest Sucesses, the Marvels of the Nineteenth Century.
THE FRANTZ FAMILY
THE FRANTZ FAMILY
THE FRANTZ FAMILY
Three Ladies and four Gentlemen. The Most Marvellous Acrobats ever seen. All performing in Evening Dress.
THE FRANTZ FAMILY
Who will make their First Appearance in Brisbane on Monday Next. MONDAY 21st September. (archive A2-9)
Other known venues were
1895 Streatham & Sheffield
1896 & 1900 The Paragon Pavilion, Mile End, London.
Census Listings: -
1871 57 Navigation St, Birmingham. grandson, age 4. (116)
1901, 127 Fontiman Road, Lambeth, Kensington, England. Head (m). age 34. Music Hall Artist. (01/11)
Residence;
1920 39 Richamond Street, Clapham, London.
(Archive Collection, Frantz Family A2-10)

Died:
Cause of Death Cancer.

Richard married Maria Gerardina Bongaards on 17 Oct 1890 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Maria (daughter of Andries Alidus Bongaards and Anna Ewoudina Schoutens) was born on 30 Nov 1870 in Rotterdam, South Holland, Netherlands; died in 1955 in Worthing RD. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Baptism: 7 Sep 1870, Parish Church of St Luke, Chelsea

Notes:

Census Listings;
1871 57 Navigation St, Birmingham. Granddaughter, age 7 months(116)

Notes:

Emily was born into an acrobatic group with her brother Richard and two sisters, Louisa & Adelaide, called the Frantz Family. They were a world famous Acrobatic group, making quite a name touring all over Europe, America and Australia.

Census Listings;
1901, 127 Fontiman Road, Lamberth, Kensington sister, (s). age 24 Music hall Artist. (01/11)

Other Events:

• Baptism: 5 Jun 1878, St Mary, Lamberth, Surrey,

Notes:

Adelaide along with her Brother Richard Thomas and her sister Emily, was born into the famous Frantz Family and toured the world as "Dress Suited Acrobats". Later she and her husband George A Philcox (both described as Acrobats), had a double act in the Music Hall, called "Donald & Doone".
Donald & Doone performed at:
1906 Nouveau Cirque, Ghent, Belgium 13th December 1906.
1906 Charleroi, 14th December for 3 days, then Ghent untill the 27th December 1906
1907 Madrid
1909 Kowno, Russia, as the Delson Trio
1910 Victoria Theatre, Breslau, Germany, untill 31st October.
year unknown; 11th January "went big at our opening in Empire, Camberwell (Frank Postlewaite made it for me). next week we open at Paragon, more money, Everybody delighted and so am I and Frank. Have fixed standard after that. so you see we are not so bad"

Census Listings;
1901, 127 Fontiman Road, Lamberth, Kensington sister, (s). age 22 Music hall Artist. (01/11)
Residence;
1908 2 Rue Fontain, Paris, France.
1922 39 Richmond Terraec, Clapham Road, London.

(Archive collection A2-10)

Baptism:
(Copy of Entry; London Collection MR 3/7)

Died:
Adelaide developed an Incurable Illness, and commited suicide by putting her head in a gas oven. This is confirmed on her death certificate " Death by Coal gas poisoning. Self administerd suicide. Unsound mind"

Death Certificate CD1-37

Adelaide married George Alfred Philcox on 2 Sep 1908 in The British Consulate, Paris, France.. George (son of George Thomas Philcox and Mary Powell) was born in 1875 in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland; died on 22 Aug 1942 in Dulwich Hospital, Camberwell, London. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Census Listings;
1901 129 Fontiman Road, Lambeth, London. daughter age 15. Acrobat. (01-411)

Notes:

Census Listings;
1901 129 Fontiman Road, Lambeth, London. son. age 14, Acrobat. (01-411)

Notes:

Little Lucians Fatal Sport
Not Allowed to Perform in Public, he turns a Handspring Through a Window.
Little Lucian Martinez has been so zealously guarded from physical and moral harm by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children that he is now dying at Roosevelt Hospital.
Lucian is only seven years old, but he cpild do more things on a trapeze and crossbar than would turn an ordinary mortal dizzy to think of. Four weeks ago he came over from Spain as a member of the Frantz family of acrobats. with his parents he had been engaged by manager T. Henry French to appear at the nightly roof Garden performances of the American Theatre.
To his unspeakable grief Lucian was de-barred from performing by the society, while his friends and relatives were away gaining applause from the big roof garden audiences, poor little Lucian was left all alone in the apartments occupied by the family on the fourth floor of 577 Ninth Avenue.
But if he couldn't turn handsprings in public, Lucien could't be prevented from going through his dearly belovid performances at home. In Europe he had won plaudits night after night from admiring crowds, and he had learned to love handsprings and tumbling as ordinary children love hoop-rollinh and tag.
So he whiled away the long evening hours at home by going through his performances just as if he was behind the footlights.
On Saterday evening Lucian was lonelier than ever, and he threw himself into his sport with more than usual ardor. His little body seemed fairly made of steel springs, it bounded so about the room. Over bed, across tables and chairs he flew like a rubber ball.
Suddenly there was a smotherd cry, A dark object shot down past the lower windows of ninth avenue house. With a crashing noise it landed on the awning stretched across the front of the building, and then a quivering, moaning little body lay still as deasth on the sidewalk.
Poor little Lucian, in the enthusiasm of his sport had forgotten all about ther open window in his room, A particulary high bound had carried him right through the aperture.
The Fall of four stories ha dbeen broken somewhat by the awning, but the surgeons at Roosevelt Hospital, where he was taken at once in an ambulance, found that the little acrobats skull had been fractured. In addition he had both arms broken and no hope is entertained of his recovery.
The New York Times
published July 24th 1893.

(Archive copy of original article A2-10)

Notes:

Census Listings;
1901, 127 Fontiman Road, Lamberth, Kensington. daughter, age 3. (01/11)
Residence:
1934 47 Carholme Road, Lewisham, London [electoral register]
1935 13 Niederwald Road, Lewisham, London. [electoral register]
1937 72 London Road, Lewisham, London [electoral register]
1938 37 Woodcombe Crescent, Lewisham, London [electoral register]
1939 45a London Road, Lewisham West, London [electorial register]

Annie married Harold A Thompson in 1917 in Lambeth. Harold was born in 1895 in (in/of) Lamberth, London, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Census Listings:
1939 24 Thorn Road, Uxbridge, Middlesex. (s) born 16 Jan 1908. Shorthand Typist, Bookkeepers, Cashire. (P 86)
Residence:
1934 47 Carholme Road, Lewisham, London [electoral register]
1935 13 Niederwald Road, Lewisham, London. [electoral register]
1937 72 London Road, Lewisham, London [electoral register]
1938 37 Woodcombe Crescent, Lewisham, London [electoral register]
1939 45a London Road, Lewisham West, London [electorial register]

Notes:

Census Listings:
1939 24 Thorn Road, Uxbridge, Middlesex. (mar). born 8 feb 1913, Shorthand Typist < Marie V Browne> (P 86)
Residence:
1934 47 Carholme Road, Lewisham, London [electoral register]
1935 13 Niederwald Road, Lewisham, London. [electoral register]
1937 72 London Road, Lewisham, London [electoral register]
1938 37 Woodcombe Crescent, Lewisham, London [electoral register]
1939 45a London Road, Lewisham West, London [electorial register]

Violet married David H Browne in 1939 in Uxbridge RD (4th Qtr). David was born about 1910. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

living - details excluded