Updated August 6th to add this find by Lee Asher:
- James Rannie performed in Canada as early as 1804.
UPDATE: New contender for #Canada's 1st western conjurer.@David_Acer @mullins_bill @canadasmagic @joeculpepper (I x2 checked!)
— Lee Asher (@LeeAsherMagic) August 5, 2020
James Rannie performed in Canada as early as 1804. (Source: Richard Potter: By John A. Hodgson)https://t.co/z0PqnBwUMd and https://t.co/pHx2kks3lS pic.twitter.com/Nb3F6MMWPD
Updated at 8:45am to add this find by Joe Culpepper:
- Falconi, one of Canada's earliest stage conjuring shows: https://t.co/l5aQpsNSfj @LeeAsherMagic @mullins_bill @canadasmagic— Joe Culpepper (@joeculpepper) July 29, 2020
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Lee Asher asked an interesting question on Twitter Monday morning.
What is the name of the first magician to perform in Canada?
Was it Maginnis (circa 1875) as reported in The Canadian Encyclopedia?
Technically it could be yes, as The Dominion of Canada was officially born on July 1, 1867. But lets expand the question to the first magician to perform in what is now considered Canada.
Was it MacAlister performing in Montreal in 1854 as shown by this clipping in the Ottawa Daily Citizen?
Trying to unearth the name of the 1st #magician to #perform in #Canada.— Lee Asher (@LeeAsherMagic) July 27, 2020
Some believe it's Maginnis (circa 1875). This isn't correct.
Here's a clipping from the Ottawa Daily Citizen (Sep. 16th, 1854) talking about an Irishman performing in #Montreal named Magician MacAlister. pic.twitter.com/qd9a78tLLW
No.
How about Philippe in Quebec City September 30th in 1846?
Mes amis . . . they were preceded by Philippe in Quebec City, 1846 pic.twitter.com/rqtU1qsHiG— Joe Culpepper (@joeculpepper) July 27, 2020
Wrong again.
From an Ottawa Daily Citizen article published on May 22nd in 1852, discussion a performance by a Signor Blitz:
He was preceded by Signor Blitz: Ottawa Daily Citizen, 5/22/1852 pic.twitter.com/PAMwdJa8V3— Bill Mullins (@mullins_bill) July 27, 2020
Based on your find, I went back to reference your Blitz credit in the Ottawa Daily Citizen. While I have access to that issue, I cannot find it. Would you be kind enough to share a link with me? Thank U, in advance. :)— Lee Asher (@LeeAsherMagic) July 27, 2020
BTW, I found this. Blitz's official announcement. 1wk later. pic.twitter.com/e8pq25CW27
— Bill Mullins (@mullins_bill) July 27, 2020
So far the earliest named and documented magic performance in what is now Canada, goes to Mons. Desage, as referenced in the Kingston Chronicle and Gazette December 30 1835.
And finally (and I don't think I'll antedate this one, so maybe he will end up with credit as the earliest)— Bill Mullins (@mullins_bill) July 27, 2020
Desage, from the Kingston Chronicle and Gazette Dec 30 1835 pic.twitter.com/Kyhby00Gal
Desage, from Paris, is a great find. I'd never heard of him. Looks like he did a little Canadian tour. Here's a review from his show in Quebec City a few months after Kingston: pic.twitter.com/yR3pllgoRG— Joe Culpepper (@joeculpepper) July 28, 2020
There's evidence of an unnamed woman doing magic in Kingston in 1835!
Here's an unnamed woman doing magic in 1835, in the Kingston Chronicle and Gazette 17 Oct 1835. Wish it had more detail. pic.twitter.com/XkgP14na3p— Bill Mullins (@mullins_bill) July 27, 2020
And ventriloquists too.
Do Ventriloquists count? If so, a performance by Mr. White (Kingston Chronicle May 26 1832) may be the first. pic.twitter.com/gGezsEWD4S— Bill Mullins (@mullins_bill) July 27, 2020
People were complaining about magicians as early as the January 21st 1805 edition of the Quebec Mercury:
Here is a lovely letter to the editor of the Quebec Mercury on 21 Jan 1805 complaining about various magicians (no names) performing in Montreal: pic.twitter.com/9irkemPN2h— Joe Culpepper (@joeculpepper) July 28, 2020
A final very important note from Joe Culpepper:
We should add that earlier than 1805, we have at least 1,806 years during which we might find evidence of illusions performed by indigenous magicians in Canada: https://t.co/9GPQXTMJ5J— Joe Culpepper (@joeculpepper) July 28, 2020
With thanks to Lee Asher for asking this question and Bill Mullins and Joe Culpepper for their hard work and sharing their findings!
