Updates to ‘Mystery in History’ stories:-
January 29, 2025 - Additional information added to Chapters 1 & 2 of John Powell Courtier
October 16, 2024 - Significant additions to previously published William Wainwright, convict conjuror
September 4, 2024 - Update to the story of Herr Arnold
September 1, 2024 - Update to the story of Richard Bartholomew Smith detailing more family history, and the news that he built an automaton of Oscar 'Dante' Eliason.
May 25, 2024 - The Eloquence of Herr Martin Tolmaque, Conjuror, Mesmerist, Actor and Author
February 8, 2024 - Chapters Thirteen and Fourteen of the Alfred Silvester story - Alfred3 and later generations
December 28, 2023 - Chapter Twelve of the Alfred Silvester story - Alfred3 in Australia
August 24, 2023 - Chapter Eleven of the Alfred Silvester story - Alfred William Silvester in New Zealand
June 14, 2023 - Chapter Ten of the Alfred Silvester story - Alfred2 conclusion
March 23, 2023 - Chapter Eight of the Alfred Silvester story - Charles the new Fakir of Oolu and Eleanor the Entranced Lady
March 9, 2023 - Chapter Seven of the Alfred Silvester story
February 24, 2023 - Chapter Six of the Alfred Silvester story
January 28, 2023 - Chapter Five of the Alfred Silvester story, with a focus on spirit performer William M. Fay
December 30, 2022 - Chapter Three of the Alfred Silvester story
December 3, 2022 - Chapter Two of the Alfred Silvester story
November 22, 2022 - First chapter of Alfred Silvester, the Fakir of Oolu and his Family of Magic; covering from 1831-1872. Listed under date 1874 when Silvester came to Australia.
August 13, 2022 - An update to the search for our earliest performer, at Smith
August 1, 2022 - The identity of Robert Heller's mysterious mindreading partner, Haidee Heller
July 24, 2022 - Robert Heller's story has had a major update to include letters written during the tour by his promoter, George Coppin, and the background to the quarrel and breakup between Robert Heller and his performing partner, Haidee.
June 5, 2022 - Oscar Eliason - added more images
March 5, 2022 - Ada Fitzroy and Professor Perron - Continental Eldorado Entertainment and the identities behind the stage names.
January 2022 - An extensive set of photo albums from the performing life of Maurice Rooklyn
October 12, 2021 - Wizard Jacobs and the great fire at the United States Hotel
October 11, 2021 - William Maxwell Brown, actor, theatrical pioneer in Goldrush Ballarat, and the first presenter of "The Sphinx" in Australia.
May 3, 2021 - Edward B. Graveur, magic and racy literature
March 8, 2021 - Professor Ion
February 22 - Professor Fuller, illusionist
February 16 - Professor Goodhear at Ballarat
February 7, 2021 - The complete travels of Robert Heller in Australia
December 17, 2020 - Major update to the Mons. Du Pree essay, detailing his real name, convict history and family lineage
July 3, 2020 - W.A. Chapman, the sorceror's apprentice
June 7, 2020 - Herr von Kehl, Man of Miracles
June 4, 2020 - H.B. Wilton and the Somatic Conjuror
May 21, 2020 - Vertelli, Australian wire-walker and magician
April 30, 2020 - Mons. Albertine, Fire King and Wire Walker
April 21, 2020 - Rebuilt website completed. Added Abdul, Indian Juggler and Wizard of the West.
March 2020 - My entire website is being rebuilt with new software. Stories will appear gradually as they are ported across.
February 6, 2020 - Two major chapters updated in the Oscar Eliason story. Added numerous biographical details of Edmunda Eliason, and listed Frank Eliason’s Australian tour dates 1901-1905
January 12, 2020 - Robert Osborne - A Smile, a Song, and an Educated Dog
December 24, 2019 - Update on Bosco including some further clues to his family origins.
December 20, 2019 - A major update to the essay on Monsieur Du Pree, revealing his real name and many new facts about his life and travels.
December 11, 2019 - The Gun Trick - a tale from 1873.
October 10, 2019 - Charles Faucit Saville and William Henry Douglas - Theatre and Legerdemain
October 8, 2019 - Updates to the stories of Joseph Masters and Robert Corney
September 25, 2019 - Update to Berkeley Lennox’s story, filling in some missing family details and his secondary career.
September 24, 2019 - Ione, Queen of the Air. Australian clockmaker, R.B.Smith and Howard Thurston’s Floating Lady
January 23, 2019 - Joe Miller, a minor performer as the Wizard of the North, South, East and West
January 22, 2019 - The 1941 murder of Davo the Magician
January 16, 2019 - Alvera, Escape Artist in the flames
January 11, 2019 - Hosking, Davis and Barker - Spookbusters
December 15, 2019 - Tomahawk Joe - not a magician, but a fascinating character of Australian folklore.
November 19, 2018 - Bosco - Ventriloquist, Conjuror, Thief
September 5, 2018 - Samuel Walters the Wizard of the North, seen only once.
September 3, 2018 - The Darkey Wizard
August 15, 2018 - Professor William Kohler, German Necromancer.
July 3, 2018 - Rolla Rossiter, Corde Volante and Legerdemain artist.
June 30, 2018 - William Montague Murray
March 23, 2018 - Expansion of Professor Testo story.
March 19, 2018 - Update to Professor Hennicke with added family history, and the connection to author Rudyard Kipling.
January 30, 2018 - Professor Bennett Clay, a determined adventurer, 1852-1865
January 10, 2018 - Update to the details of Mr W. D. Ford’s performances in Maitland, 1852
January 9, 2018 - A significant update to the story of Horace Sidney, extending his history into 1855-1856, and concluding that he was probably also “The Fakir of Ava” in July 1854.
January 8, 2018 - The Gentleman Wizard, Berkeley James Lennox, son of a Lord.
October 20, 2017 - Update to the story of Mr. Hall, with speculation that he may have performed in 1853 as ‘Signor Blitz’
October 5, 2017 - Lu Zeera, Circassian Lady Magician and Fire-Queen
September 23, 2017 - Joseph Gardiner, actor, magician, moralist and author
September 12, 2017 - Professor Horace Sidney and his short season at the site of Australia’s most historic theatre.
September 6, 2017 - Update to Professor Hennicke with further detail on his travels in India post-1878; and short tales of Khi Kan Kruse, the Wizard of the North, and Antonio de Hesperio
September 5, 2017 - Professor James Eagle, Wizard of the Gold Rushes of the 1850s.
August 26, 2017 - A brief tale of Mr. Testoo the Spanish Wizard at the Bendigo goldfields
August 12, 2017 - Professor Thomas Rea - Ventriloquism, Magic, Balloons and Scandal
July 18, 2017 - Professor Ericksen, Scandinavian Wizard, and the appalling death of Professor Charles Rignold, Wizard of Australia.
July 14, 2017 - Mr. L. Charles, performing in 1860 some thirty years after he was last known in Europe.
July 12, 2017 - Sander, the Wizard of the East, 1857
July 11, 2017 - Professor Hennicke and Madame Stella, touring Australia and New Zealand 1866-1890. a.k.a Abda Shah
June 15, 2017 - Dr. Charles Meymott, visiting ship’s surgeon and gentleman conjurer, 1848-1858.
June 7, 2017 - Jack “Dante” Angus update, including confirmation that his father was from Britain, a probable birthdate in 1886, and a series of outrageous fabrications.
June 6, 2017 - Oscar “Dante” Eliason’s story further updated (chapters 1 and 2) with details of his early years pre-1893, and tour dates added for the period 1896-1897.
February 6, 2017 - W.C.Wainwright, briefly associated with Powell Courtier.
October 21, 2016 - Joseph Masters - Fantoccini and Legerdemain from 1839
October 18, 2016 - An addition to the report of Robert Corney, a magician out of his territory.
October 17, 2016 - Mr. Hall, another Wizard of the South, and his tours with swordsman Professor George Parker
September 9, 2016 - Carnival stories of female escapologist UDINIS and tent-show performer Rayman Bey
September 6, 2016 - Significant addition to Monsieur Du Pree, filling in many dates between 1836 - 1863.
May 6, 2016 - A small update to Oscar Dante Eliason’s story documenting the location of actress Sadie MacDonald’s gravesite.
February 8 , 2016 - The minor story of Signor Recanati leads on to a much larger examination of the history of the Royal Lyceum Theatre.
February 2016 - Continuing to add new stories, mostly focussed on performers who only appeared briefly; but many of these are previously undocumented in the standard source books. Added a few more dates concerning Frank Eliason
January 20, 2016 - Restructured the History page by date and started adding references to minor or isolated performances.
January 18, 2016 - At last, the second half of the tale of John Powell Courtier, covering his later years in the United States (1850-1876) and the brutal murder that awaited him.
January 15, 2016 - Several new items concerning Oscar Eliason’s brother, Frank, who continued to perform around the world after Dante’s death. Confirmation that his stage name was Frank Frazee.
August 23, 2015 - New story - “Theodore - Crawling Through a Keyhole”. The tale of an Australian Variety Artist lost to history.
November 2013 - No story updates, but a new site layout which will let me get on with some documentation!
July 7, 2010 - An update and likely conclusion to the William Davenport tale. Refer to the heading "Further Light Shed on the Dispute".
January 28, 2010 - The William Davenport story is done, but awaiting more research.
January 2010 - Minor updates to the Oscar "Dante" Eliason story in the "Wizard" and "After Dante" chapters, mainly concerning newly discovered tour dates.
Keep an eye out for a new tale of spiritualist William Davenport's final days alive in New Zealand and Australia; coming soon.
November 20, 2009 - Due again to the assistance of an interested reader, Janette Pelosi of State Records NSW, correspondence surrounding Powell Courtier's performing licences in 1846 has been revealed. Many thanks!
June 25, 2009 - Thanks to Mr B.Dunt of Victoria, the convict origins of Powell Courtier have been confirmed, and a significant update is made to his story.
April 29, 2009 - An update to the story of Mons.Du Pree, to incorporate a number of references to unnamed magicians or performers of allied arts, prior to 1837. The tantalising reference to a performance of sleight of hand in 1816!
April 2009 - The Mystery In History page was started in April 2009 and will be updated when time and research allows. As these stories have waited for over a hundred years to be told, we figure you won't mind waiting a little longer!
Some of these stories have been previously published in magazines such as the Geniis Magic Journal, Perennial Mystics etc, and are now updated with newer information.