Pablo Fanque - Beatles Fame

Beatles Fame

Pablo Fanque achieved fame again in the twentieth century, when John Lennon, in composing The Beatles' "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!" borrowed liberally from an 1843 playbill for Pablo Fanque's Circus Royal. Lennon bought the poster from an antique shop in Sevenoaks, Kent, while shooting a promotional film for the song, "Strawberry Fields Forever", in Knole Park. Tony Bramwell, a former Apple employee, recalled, "There was an antique shop close to the hotel we were using in Sevenoaks. John and I wandered in and John spotted this Victorian circus poster and bought it." The poster advertises a performance in Rochdale and announces the appearance of "Mr. J. Henderson, the celebrated somerset thrower" and "Mr. Kite" who is described as "late of Wells's Circus." Lennon modifies the language, singing instead, "The Hendersons will all be there/Late of Pablo Fanque's Fair/What a scene!" Lennon's pronunciation of "Fanque" rhymes with "Yankee."

The title "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!" is taken literally from the poster. The Mr. Kite referenced in the poster was William Kite, who is believed to have performed in Fanque's circus from 1843 to 1845.

The full text of the original poster is:

PABLO FANQUE'S CIRCUS ROYAL,

TOWN-MEADOWS, ROCHDALE.

Grandest Night of the Season!

AND POSITIVELY THE

LAST NIGHT BUT THREE!

BEING FOR THE

BENEFIT OF MR. KITE,

(LATE OF WELLS'S CIRCUS) AND

MR. J. HENDERSON,

THE CELEBRATED SOMERSET THROWER!

WIRE DANCER, VAULTER, RIDER, &c.

On TUESDAY Evening, February 14, 1843.

Mssrs. KITE and HENDERSON, in announcing the following Entertainments assure the Public that this Night's Production will be one of the most splendid ever produced in this Town, having been some days in preparation.

Mr. KITE will, for this night only, introduce the

CELEBRATED

HORSE, ZANTHUS!

Well known to be one of the

best Broke Horses

IN THE WORLD!!!

Mr. HENDERSON will undertake the arduous Task of

THROWING TWENTY-ONE SOMERSETS,

ON THE SOLID GROUND.

Mr. KITE will appear, for the first time this season,

On the Tight Rope,

When Two Gentlemen Amateurs of this Town will

perform with him.

Mr. HENDERSON will, for the first time in Rochdale,

introduce his extraordinary

TRAMPOLINE LEAPS

AND

SOMERSETS!

Over Men & Horses, through Hoops, over Garters,

and lastly through a

Hogshead of REAL FIRE!

In this branch of the profession Mr. H challenges

THE WORLD!

For particulars see Bills of the day.

JONES & CROSSKILL, PRINTERS AND BOOKSELLERS, YORKSHIRE STREET, ROCHDALE.

"Mr. J. Henderson" was John Henderson, a wire-walker, equestrian, trampoline artist, and clown. While the poster made no mention of "Hendersons" plural, as Lennon sings, John Henderson did perform with his wife Agnes, the daughter of circus owner Henry Hengler. The Hendersons performed throughout Europe and Russia during the 1840s and 1850s.