PERRY’S circus was one of the earliest to be formed in Australia by convicts, George and Mary Ann Perry.
Their son, Charles Perry and his wife Bridget, took over its management, with Perry’s circus becoming the first circus to circumnavigate Australia’s mainland.
Charles specialised in horse riding feats and by the mid-1880s was advertised as ‘one of the most daring and accomplished Equestrians in the world, on his favourite horse ‘Ulmarra’.
His brother James was an expert tumbler, while Charles’ son, five-year-old Charles Junior, began performances described as “Drawing Room Entertainment, pronounced by all to be a gem of the first water”.
Charles’ daughters Margaret and Emily followed in his footsteps with dancing horses and balancing acts which included picking handkerchiefs off the ground while using their feet to hold onto the horse.
Margaret also performed on the trapeze and Emily danced a highland fling.
Margaret told of meeting notorious bushranger Ben Hall and his gang in Victoria while the circus troupe were having breakfast.
They rode up, asking for a meal for themselves and their horses, then half an hour after they left, the police arrived.
Having dodged them, the gang later returned and thanking everyone for not informing the police, Ben Hall gave each of the children a gold sovereign.
Margaret Perry married William (Bill) De Cean in 1899, after meeting him when he joined the circus as a world class tumbling clown and they settled at Coffs Harbour in 1906.
Though they returned to the circus two more times they retired in 1916, with Bill dying later that year and Margaret passing away in 1950.
They had two boys, Charles and William, and as with previous generations, they were taught tricks and became notable circus performers.
Charlie became an expert contortionist and could pick up needles with his eyelids, while Billy primarily balanced on an 80-foot ladder.
Margaret and Bill are interred in the Anglican section of Coffs Historic Cemetery, along with their son Charlie.
By Karen FILEWOOD
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