TempoSenzaTempo: AL. F. Wheeler's Circus Band

Coatesville, Pennsylvania

Record
11 March 1916

When The Circus Arrives

How Wheeler Bros. Shows Operate

From Day to Day.

When Wheeler Brothers’ Circus, which will open the season in Coatesville on April 22, arrives, the cook tent is the first to reach the show grounds. It is the first one put up, and the circus man knows better than any other type how to enjoy substantial and plentiful food fresh from the kitchen. From the moment of arrival everyone is continuously busy. A few are eating, many working. Canvas is laid out, the boss canvas man directing the laborers, the boss hostler hurrying the grooms and horses. There are 26 bosses with this show, for all the many departments. Men with mauls form quartettes and sextettes about points, and begin a rhythmic hammering of stakes into the ground. A foreman with a keen eye superintends the jacking up of the huge center poles and hauling the canvas to the top. Sidewalls are whipped in over the quarter poles as fast as the poles can be set, and even before one can marvel at the rapidity of it, the job is done.

Then comes the parade, for no circus is a circus without a "grand street display." Schools are out, business suspended, sidewalks lined. When the parade has passed there is a rush to the circus grounds, the side show manager begins his leather lunged announcement while introducing his platform ballyhoo; the big outside, open air free act is over, the band plays until the cheeks of every musician seems inflated. On with a grand opening tournamental pageant, and the big circus program is in full swing, and the three rings filled with so many wonderfully thrilling scenes and stunts that one would become cross-eyed to even try to absorb it all at one sitting. One convincing explanation of this is the passing forever of the old-style one-ring show, because of the enormously increased railroad expense. The high cost of living and the increased salaries of union bill posters, musicians, agents; and the continuous fight for high-grade ring talent makes it absolutely necessary in protecting the financial investment to have a large enough seating capacity to clear the show, and more, because of weather conditions: all days are not sunshine.

Matinee and night, and before the night is fully ended the menagerie tent is down and the brilliant cages, now all canvas covered, are on their way to “the runs." Silently the big circus top swings itself back into the folds, and is loaded. Before the sun has even started to rub its eyes for a new day the long show trains are away down the tracks, headed for the next town, where the scene of activity is repeated. But it is worse than useless to attempt a full description of how a circus is handled. Every detail is a story in itself.

It is the daily tearing down and building up of a white city that knows no home until it goes back again to Oxford, and settles down to the business of making ready for the next season. Wheeler Brothers’ Circus, famous as the “Pennsylvania Show,” is well and favorably known throughout the East and South, and this season will make its first tour to the great Western country.

***

Twelve bandsmen pose outdoors next to a horse-drawn freight wagon. The men are are of various ages, most in their late 20s or 30s with a few aged 40+. With two clarinets and two drummers this brass band can barely pass as a concert band. Their uniforms are embellished with fancy embroidery but in a generic style that suggests they are off-the-rack mail ordered. The leader, standing third from left, holds both a baton and a cornet, but his garb is no different from his musicians. In the background we can see a few faces of onlookers, some canvas tents, and rope rigging. They are clearly a circus band, but the only clue to their identity is in a painted notice on the boxy wagon behind them.

Al. F. Wheeler's
New Model
SHOWS

Yet the best clues are in the message on the back of this postcard photo. It was never posted but sent in a letter as a gift.

Harry "Doc" Richards
Newark, NJ
With best wishes to my old
Pal " James" this is our
band I run double drums
inside & concert
yours Sincerely
H Richards
Season 1915

Next to the postcard's stamp box is another clue, an imprint of the photographer made with an embossing seal which left reversed letters. Flipping the image reveals that the photo was produced by Westphal of Vineland, N. J. That's a bit over 50 miles east, as a crow flies, from Oxford, Pennsylvania, the home of circus impresario Alson (F.) Wheeler (1873–1957) and winter quarters for his circus, the so-called "Pennsylvania Show" described in the newspaper clipping above.

Wheeler was born in Poestenkill, New York, a few miles east of Albany and the Hudson River. He was the youngest of a family of eight and saw his first circus, a wild animal menagerie, at age seven. Evidently this show inspired him to pursue a career in the world of circuses. After working in a few traveling shows he formed his own circus company in the fall of 1893. But this small one ring show did not last beyond its first season.

In 1903 Wheeler, now 30 and with more business experience after working as secretary/treasurer in his family's ice business, started a second company. He called it "Al. F. Wheeler's Circus", adding an invented middle initial (his parents never gave him one) for a bit of genteel respectability, I suppose. Acts in this show performed in a single ring and there was an animal menagerie, too. In its first season the small company traveled by four wagon through New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut and New Jersey. In 1906 the company became "Al. F. Wheeler's New Model Shows" and set up its winter quarters in a fairground at Oxford, PA where Wheeler would later move his family in 1908.

The Billboard
13 August 1910

Over the next few years, Wheeler expanded his circus by forming partnerships with other circus owners. In this era shows were constantly changing artists and often desperate to fill vacancies. Companies bought want-ads offering their employment needs in the entertainment trade weekly, The Billboard. In August 1910 Al. F. Wheeler's shows wanted an experienced "boss canvasman" to handle its tent equipment. They also wanted a "strong cornet and slide trombone", as well as a "good 'Cooch' dancer with A1 wardrobe and appearance", along with "sober workingmen in all departments."

The larger show moved into two rings with more acts which necessitated traveling by train. By 1913 it had three rings and needed 30 train cars to carry the full show. The route now included North and South Carolina and Virginia.

The following season Wheeler formed a combined circus called "Wheeler Bros. Greater Shows & Stampede Wild West". Beginning in Oxford on 18 April 1914, for six a days a week the company performed 157 dates in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, New York, Maryland, Delaware, North Carolina, and South Carolina and even 4 towns in New Brunswick, Canada.

Bernardsville NJ News
24 June 1915

In season 1915 when Harry "Doc" Richards sent his band's photo to his friend, Wheeler's circus was, possibly because of the new war in Europe, even though the United States was still a neutral bystander then, or more likely for financial economy, very much reduced. The company had returned to touring by wagon which, course, meant travel was slower and covered less distance. The circus spent hardly anything on advance publicity in the many small town newspapers on their route.

The show opened first in Oxford. on Saturday 24 April 1915, with two performances at 2:00 and 8:00 for the circus's hometown folk. The acts included "Wheeler's dancing horses; Capt. Snider's wonderful trained wild animals; the peerless European wonders, the Cowden Troupe; Flossie La Blanch, the world's champion strong woman in her great feats of strength; Wheeler's troupe of highly educated trained ponies; and a host of funny clowns." An outbreak of Foot-and-mouth disease in Pennsylvania had caused some concern after the state authorities restricted movement of livestock across state boundaries. But as it only afflicted cloven-hoofed animals like cattle, swine, and sheep, it didn't cause problems for the Wheeler show.

Vineland NJ Evening Journal
6 August 1915

By the end of July, Wheeler's circus show was in New Jersey but had changed from "Wheeler Bros. Greater Shows" back to "Al. F. Wheeler's New Model Shows." What this indicates about the business and relationships in the Wheeler family is unknown. Hyperbole and extravagant statements were a standard of show biz publicity then, just as it is now. Their 1915 tour didn't go as far as in 1914, but by mid-November somehow Wheeler's show made it to Littleton, North Carolina just below the Virginia state line. The local newspaper reported: "Though the Wheeler Brothers Show was a small affair as to tents and external paraphernalia the entertainment was good. Big shows can boast of no better actors."

The next season of the Wheeler shows was pushed as bigger than ever before. It added more extravagant acts including one with seven polar bears. They toured by train covering many states but by October 1916 things didn't look good. A want-ad in The Billboard says a lot in between the lines.

The Billboard
7 October 1916

Wheeler Bros.' New Model Shows
WANT Trap Drummer, Tuba and Slide for White Band. Assistant Boss Canvasman, Seat Man, two hustling Billposters. FOR SALE—Best Five Elephant Act in America, all large animals; anybody can handle them. Also Troupe of Trained Ponies, Bucking Donk, Untamable Lion and other property now with Tompkins Wild West. WANT TO BUY—small Trained Elephant, suitable for two-car show: Llama, Camels. Address- Al. F. Wheeler

Also (F.) Wheeler
(18 September — 14 May 1957)
Source: circusesandsideshows.com

Alson (F.) Wheeler would go on to manage several more circus shows around the country, earning a reputation as a "healer of sick circuses" after turning poor productions into successful touring shows. But no doubt he could see that sound films and radio were a growing force of entertainment in the country and the future of circus shows was in decline. Alson Wheeler retired in 1937 and went into a real estate business in Oxford, PA. where he died in 1957.

Could Alson F. Wheeler be the man in the straw hat
standing left behind the band?

What really intrigued me about this photo was the message on the back. Who in that group was Harry "Doc" Richards? Obviously he was a drummer but which one? After a lot of searching through the archives of Ancestry.com and several historic newspaper websites, I finally tracked him down. It came from his extra note next to his name at the top: "Newark, N. J."

Harry was the son of Henry and Jane Richards of 815 Ridge St. in Newark, New Jersey. According to the very useful 1900 US Census, Henry Richards. age 48, was a "silversmith", born in England in 1852, who immigrated to America in 1866. His wife Jane, age 40, was born in Wales. Together they had three children: Florence, age 4; Grace, age 18; and Harry, age 22, whose occupation was "grocer". This meant Harry would be 37 years old in 1915 which matched the younger bass drummer, not the older snare drummer in the photo.

Richards, Harry - trap drummer
1922 Newark, NJ city directory

Furthermore Harry left enough bread crumbs in his personal history for me to find him again in Newark's 1922 city directory. He was living with his parents again on Ridge St. along with his sister Grace who worked as a "music teacher". Harry's occupation was a "trap drummer" (the standard drum kit played by a percussionist in jazz or pop bands is sometimes called a "trap set".) Also helpful was to see that a second Harry, Harry E. Richards, did not play drums.

Most helpful was Harry's 1918 draft card which confirmed his address in Newark, his father's name, and his occupation: "Musician (Show), Shannon Stock Co., Wapakoneta, Ohio, Road Show en-route."

Further research connected Harry 'Doc' Richards to several circus and minstrel show bands, of which two are in my photo collection, so Harry may make a return in future stories. Harry was still working as a drummer in the 1930 census but by the 1940s seems to have retired. He kept up correspondence with reporters for The Billboard providing them with news or remembrance of old circus performers. I've been unable to find any end to his life but I think it fair to say Harry 'Doc' Richards was a true genuine trouper of the sawdust circuits.

From its inception The Billboard provided a central hub for people involved in every kind of show business ranging from big city theatres to small town opera houses. It followed the vaudeville circuits and circus routes, reported on comics to dramatic artists, promoted acrobats to animal acts, and advertised suppliers of giant tents to band uniforms.

In June 1915, as it did every month, The Billboard provided a list of the current routes and venues for every kind of entertainment group. There were 30 different professional bands on the road that month, from John Philip Sousa's Band playing in San Francisco to the Fadette Ladies Orchestra of Boston performing in Milwaukee. There were 11 minstrel show bands; 17 circuses & wild west shows; and 60 traveling carnivals. I'll skip the equally long lists of dramatic & musical variety shows, and repertoire and stock troupes that were also on the road touring the continent. With few exceptions, every group used musicians in either a band or orchestra ensemble. The little band of Al. F. Wheeler's New Model Shows was just one of thousands of groups making America come alive with music. This is what Show Biz used to be like.

One of America's lesser known great band composers was Charles E. Duble (1884–1960). He started as a trombonist in circus bands playing for the Gentry Brothers Dog and Pony Show, H. W. Campbell's United Shows, John Robinson's Big Ten Shows, Barnum & Bailey's Greatest Show on Earth, Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus, Sells-Floto Circus, Sparks, Robbins Brothers, the Miller Brothers 101 Ranch Wild West Show, Russell Bros. Circus, Downie Bros. Circus, and finally under the baton of Merle Evans, with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. He went on to compose numerous works for band, many written specifically for professional circus bands that became known as "circus screamers."

Charles Duble also once played in Wheeler's New Model Show Band. I can't confirm this yet, but from the few images I found online, he looks very like the trombonist standing behind Harry in my photo.

Here is the Rancho Bernardo High School Royal Regiment of 90 pieces performing their competition march entitled Bravura by Charles E. Duble at the 59th Annual Arcadia Festival of Bands Band Review in San Diego, CA on Saturday, November 17th 2012. They won the 1st place prize that year.