Netty's Niknak's: Charlie Cairoli's Statue

Sunday, 21 April 2013

Charlie Cairoli's Statue

Two proper Charlie's....Junior and Senior

It was the unveiling today of a statue dedicated to the best clown ever....Charlie Cairoli. It was about time he was honoured in some way and the statue is a great likeness. It stands in the Rose Garden of Stanley Park. Charlie was a clown at the Tower Circus for almost 40 years. I went to see him many times as a youngster. I just feel so sad that he died before my own children got to see him perform.
Charlie (Carletto) was born in Milan Italy in 1910. His parents were circus performers and Charlie began working with his father when he was just 7 years old. He met his wife whilst working in Paris and then came to Blackpool in 1939 where he performed in his first season at the Tower Circus. There is a story that he had once played to Hitler and had been given a watch by him. When war broke out he walked to the end of the North pier and threw the watch into the Irish sea.
Charlie retired from the Circus in 1979 through ill health and died in his sleep the following year.

Charlie's house

I once went in Charlie's house back in 1970 when I worked at Boots. A workmate of mine's sister was engaged to Charlie Junior and we went to the house for some reason. I briefly spied Charlie Senior sitting in the lounge.

I'll be paying a visit soon to have my photo taken with the statue as I missed out today. Here are the photo's I took.