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Tomlin Prof Len- Flea Circus
- Thread starter patsy
- Start date
T
theillusionist
Guest
Re: Prof Len Tomlin - Flea Circus
hi im replying in regard to your enquiry about a man called tomlin and his flea circus, i am the owner/operator of one of only five fully functional and working flea circuses left and i have in my travels come across this name which has a connection to the great bertolloti, i know its not a lot of information but it may help you by following up the life of the man himselfwishing you the best of luck in your search.
berny (aka the illusionist)
hi im replying in regard to your enquiry about a man called tomlin and his flea circus, i am the owner/operator of one of only five fully functional and working flea circuses left and i have in my travels come across this name which has a connection to the great bertolloti, i know its not a lot of information but it may help you by following up the life of the man himselfwishing you the best of luck in your search.
berny (aka the illusionist)
Re: Prof Len Tomlin - Flea Circus
Hi berny the illusionist
Thanks for the reply, I have managed to track down the flea circus director, Flea circus research library, his name is Andy and he has sent me some fab newspaper cuttings about Len Tomlin and his wife Evelyn really interesting reading.
Thanks again for reading my post
Patricia
Hi berny the illusionist
Thanks for the reply, I have managed to track down the flea circus director, Flea circus research library, his name is Andy and he has sent me some fab newspaper cuttings about Len Tomlin and his wife Evelyn really interesting reading.
Thanks again for reading my post
Patricia
Joekitchen
New Member
Hello I am related to your father through my grandfather his mother was lily Tomlin which was len Tomlin sister.
Welcome JoeKitchen. What an interesting piece of history. Hope your relations make contact.
Can anyone tell us yet what connection this has with Birmingham please ? Thanks. Viv.
Can anyone tell us yet what connection this has with Birmingham please ? Thanks. Viv.
Radiorails
master brummie
I wondered about this, as only home town was mentioned.
This is from the Flea Circus web site:
Professor Len Tomlin in Manchester had to close down his Bellevue flea circus due to lack of fleas. His show was sold to a local museum and then sold again when the museum closed down. Professor Tomlin also performed in Blackpool.
As it will be seen his base was Belle Vue, Manchester, so - unless proven wrong
- there is little or no connection with Birmingham. However, maybe he was born in Birmingham?
This is a BBC interview, in 1962, with the man himself.
If there is no Birmingham connection maybe the thread could be re-located inn the Films. tv, theatre thread?
This is from the Flea Circus web site:
Professor Len Tomlin in Manchester had to close down his Bellevue flea circus due to lack of fleas. His show was sold to a local museum and then sold again when the museum closed down. Professor Tomlin also performed in Blackpool.
As it will be seen his base was Belle Vue, Manchester, so - unless proven wrong
- there is little or no connection with Birmingham. However, maybe he was born in Birmingham?
Prints of Tomlins Flea Circus
Professor Tomlin feeding the fleas on blood from his own arm; they perform on the miniature pieces of equipment in the foreground Date: 1960s. Our beautiful Wall Art and Photo Gifts include Framed Prints, Photo Prints, Poster Prints, Canvas Prints, Jigsaw Puzzles, Metal Prints and so much more...
www.mediastorehouse.com
Last edited:
Joekitchen
New Member
I am really not sure but if "Flyboy" is his son i would like to make contact. My father and grandfather are both from Birmingham,They would visit Len Tomlin in the 60s. I mean we dont even know when he died
michellebeever
Chellebelle
Len Tomlin was my Great Grandmother May Tomlins youngest brother, 12 children born & bred in Different areas of Birmingham Hockley, Aston Manor and other local areas and so Len Tomlin does have a massive connection to Birmingham!I wondered about this, as only home town was mentioned.
This is from the Flea Circus web site:
Professor Len Tomlin in Manchester had to close down his Bellevue flea circus due to lack of fleas. His show was sold to a local museum and then sold again when the museum closed down. Professor Tomlin also performed in Blackpool.
As it will be seen his base was Belle Vue, Manchester, so - unless proven wrong
This is a BBC interview, in 1962, with the man himself.Prints of Tomlins Flea Circus
Professor Tomlin feeding the fleas on blood from his own arm; they perform on the miniature pieces of equipment in the foreground Date: 1960s. Our beautiful Wall Art and Photo Gifts include Framed Prints, Photo Prints, Poster Prints, Canvas Prints, Jigsaw Puzzles, Metal Prints and so much more...www.mediastorehouse.com
If there is no Birmingham connection maybe the thread could be re-located inn the Films. tv, theatre thread?
Joekitchen
New Member
So we’re distant family then
michellebeever
Chellebelle
yes it seems we are, How cool is that?
Joekitchen
New Member
Yeah it is so do you know about lens kids or if he had any ?
michellebeever
Chellebelle
I know he was married with kids? Moved New Zealand and then came back? I’ve only recently found this out myself as been researching family tree. Do you remember May Tomlins son Dennis? Well he’s my mums dad obviously my granddad
Chrishughes/kitchen
New Member
I remember Dennis as he was my Dad's cousin we used to visit great auntie May.My Grandmother was Lily who was Len Tomlin's sister. We used to go with uncle Len to his shows an start a queue and people used to join and asked us what we were queuing for when Dad said that we were going see a flea circus they stayed. When we went to the B&B Uncle Len used to feed his fleas on his arm. I also remember Auntie Maude (not sure if its spelt right) who was also a sister.
Colin Butler
New Member
Hi, Len and I worked together at Bellevue Zoo park around 1972, I was employed as a mechanic and lived in Gorton just across Hyde Road near the swimming baths, as well as being a concessionaire with his Flea Circus Len worked with me going to market every week for fruit and veg for the Zoo animals, I think the zoo employed him as a run a round when the park was closed out of season, please contact me if you remember me (Colin Butler) from that time.
michellebeever
Chellebelle
Hi Joe sorry about the delay but i now know that Len married twice having twins (Robert & Valerie) with his first wife and then he married Evelyn who worked the flea circus with him and she had a son from a previous marriage called Chris, Don't think they had any children together ? So are you Pats brother ?