Clown Gallery

James Doughty, oldest clown in England

James Doughty of Brighton, at the time of this photograph the oldest clown in England, about to celebrate his 94th birthday. Seen here in costume with two of his performing dogs. In 1911 at the age of 93 he married a woman of 25, Alice Zilpah, and apparently his previous wife had been 25 years younger than him. He is said to have succeeded the famous clown Joseph Grimaldi at Drury Lane in 1851, taking over many of his wigs, props and songs. He died in March 1913

© Mary Evans Picture Library

Young women in fancy dress costumes

A group of young women dressed in fancy dress costumes preserve the moment for posterity with a photograph in studio. Three are dressed in variations on clown outfits and one more is in some kind of exotic national dress - possibly Russian? Date: c.1920

© Mary Evans Picture Library

Amusing, Clown, Clowns, Costume, Costumes, Dress, Dressed, Dressing, Fancy, Friends, Girls, Group, Oct16, Outfit, Outfits, Pierrot, Women, Young

Jean-Gaspard Deburau, mime artist, as Pierrot

Jean-Gaspard Deburau (1796-1846), Bohemian-French mime artist, in his famous character of Pierrot. Or possibly his son Jean-Charles Deburau (1829-1873), who continued in the role after his father's death.
19th century

© Mary Evans Picture Library

Artist, Bohemian, Character, Charles, Clown, Clowns, Costume, Deburau, Entertainment, Famous, Father, French, Gaspard, Jean, Man, Men, Mime, Performer, Pierrot, Role, Slim, Son, Tall, Theatre, White