Artistes of the Golden Age of Music Hall

Jessie: 1923-29 in Oz & NZ

Following Jessie, Carmelo & their daughters, their Egochaga friends and the dogs across Australia and New Zealand with Wirth's Circus

In Mark St Leon's 1986 interview, Jessica Georgina recalled the following about her father, Carmelo Palomar:

MARK: What encouraged your parents to come?

JESSICA: To Australia? Well, my father had been out to Australia when he was a very

young man with an acrobatic troupe.

MARK: What was their name?

JESSICA: I can’t remember. He told me. I used to know but I just can’t remember. I’ve

tried to remember.

MARK: Did they come out with the circus, or ...

JESSICA: No, they came out I think for Wirth’s. That’s the only show we were ever with in

Australia.

MARK: But when your father came out earlier?

JESSICA: With Wirth’s.

MARK: He came out earlier for Wirth’s Circus?

JESSICA: I can’t remember what the name was. Anyway, he always said that when he went back to

Europe, when he got married and had a family, [that] he would come back to Australia.

So he did. He came out to Wirth’s. [In] 1923 we came out to Australia.

We left [Australia towards] the end of 1929.

The name she just can't remember must have been "Gamon" (as in The 3 Gamons acrobats, and on the 1911 passenger list from Le Havre to New York), and here is the name on the bill with Wirth's Circus in Adelaide on 19 December 1908:

and in Ashburton, New Zealand, on 12 February 1909:

o thanks to internet, I've been able to validate Jessica Georgina's memories of what her father told her!

Below are various references found for Jessie and Carmelo, taken from passenger lists and newspaper clippings.

1923

August 11

Sailed from Havana (Cuba) to New York, with the Egochagas. Shown as in transit for 10 days with Australia as final destination, on S.S. Makura due to sail from Vancouver on August 31.

August 31

The S.S. Makura is reported as having docked in Sydney on September 22, but no Palomars or Egochagas are listed as having disembarked. Either they stopped in Honolulu for a break, or they continued to Aukland, NZ, the ship's last stop. Or perhaps they never left North America from Vancouver, but from a different port such as San Francisco

November 17 Burnie (Tasmania)

Arrived from Melbourne on S.S. Oonali

December 6 Hobart (Tasmania)

Sailed for NZ on S.S. Moeraki

1924

January 12 Wellington (NZ)

Egochago Troupe of bull-fights from South America, Big Alfredo, a Spanish clown and trained dogs from Cuba, the Carmelle Duo, jugglers extraordinary, These are a few of the new artists who will make their first appearance in NZ, "Jessie the baby elephant" (Comment: This cannot be a coincidence!)

January 19 Wellington (NZ) - ditto -

February 27 Taranaki (NZ) - ditto -

April 5 Sydney

The Carmelle Duo, expert jugglers, Signor Palomar and his trained dogs, from Cuba

June 25 & 28 Rockhampton (Queensland)

July 5 Charters Tower (Queensland)

Palomar and Egochago

July 14 - ditto -

July 26 Brisbane

Carmelle Duo, Egochago Troup, Senor Palomar Spanish musical clown

September 13 Singleton (NSW)

Senor Palomar (the Spanish musical clown), Carmelle Duo (acrobatic juggling, something to remember), Egochago comic bull-fighters

December 1 Gippsland (Victoria)

Interview of Mr Wirth bringing to Australia acts from Europe and America following his recent tour, Advertisement with Palomar and Egochago

December 19 Horsham (Victoria)

Egochago Troupe of Bull fighters, Signor Palomar Spanish clown and trained dogs

1925

February 20 Dubbo (NSW)

Acrobatic juggling of the Carmelle Duo is something to remember, Senor Palomar, the Spanish musical clown

June 4 Kilmore (Victoria)

Egochago Troupe of Bull fighters, Signor Palomar Spanish clown and trained dogs

June 24 Adelaide

Senor Palomar, the Spanish musical clown

July 1 Adelaide

The Palomar troupe of jugglers from England

October 19 Melbourne

Among the new clowns are the Alfredo Egochago troupe from South America, who stage burlesque Spanish bullfight in which small dogs fitted with horns take the place of bulls. A musical "turn" by Egochago and Carmella is entertaining, and Williams and Palomar also provide amusing interludes. / The Carmella Trio, another of the new "acts," are sensational jugglers of a high order.

November 13 Burnie (Tasmania)

In Signor Palomar, Spanish clown, Wirth possess an entertainer of no mean order

1926

July 23 Townsville

Palomar Spanish clown

July 31 Brisbane

Danny and his dogs, Palomar Spanish clown

August 5 Brisbane

Jessie with a tiny fox terrier, The Carmella Trio of jugglers, Danny Palomar and Melo with their performing dogs.

December 8 Hobart (Tasmania)

Sailing to Wellington NZ with Egochago

1927

April 5 Sydney ZANETTOS

June 25 Adelaide ZANETTOS

June 27 Adelaide ZANETTOS

June 29 Adelaide ZANETTOS

August 22 Perth ZANETTOS

August 29 Perth ZANETTOS

Sept 27 Adelaide ZANETTOS

1928

January 6 Wellington (NZ) ZANETTOS

July 14 Cairns ZANETTOS

August 2 Brisbane ZANETTOS

December 19 Burnie (Tasmania)

The four Palomars wonderful acrobats Risley* act.

* Wikipedia definiton: Risley is any circus acrobalance posture where the base is lying down on their back, supporting one or more flyers with their hands, feet and/or other parts of the body. In her letter to her cousin in 1946, Jessie mentions this, and the fact that it was a rare act for women.