Giants Palace Briggate

uncle mick · Post by **uncle mick** » Sat 31 Aug, 2013 10:48 am

Found this on Leedsface, the picture was taken in 1913. Anyone got any idea where this was on Briggate ???

Si · Post by Si » Sat 31 Aug, 2013 11:12 am

The slope of the pavement suggests that it's on the west side of Briggate. Other than that, I've no idea where it is.Did people really pay to go and see someone not eating?

liits · Post by **liits** » Sat 31 Aug, 2013 11:32 am

The "Portrait Specialists" was Gales Photographers located where Burtons / Dorothy Perkins is now.

uncle mick · Post by **uncle mick** » Sat 31 Aug, 2013 11:41 am

Si wrote: The slope of the pavement suggests that it's on the west side of Briggate. Other than that, I've no idea where it is.Did people really pay to go and see someone not eating? http://www.nfa.dept.shef.ac.uk/history/ ... htmlThanks liits for your promt reply. I cannot find another reference to "Giants Palace" apart from this one

liits · Post by **liits** » Sat 31 Aug, 2013 11:52 am

I'm now having second thoughts about the location. Let me have a think and I'll get back to you.

uncle mick · Post by **uncle mick** » Sat 31 Aug, 2013 12:43 pm

Looking at the 1908 Directory ( 5 years before the photo) I can only find 2 photographers on Briggate. One of these(Lytton) is approx where you said Grants were

uncle mick · Post by **uncle mick** » Sat 31 Aug, 2013 12:46 pm

............ and the other, both at the top of Briggate

liits · Post by **liits** » Sat 31 Aug, 2013 3:14 pm

It seems that Sacco – Guiseppe Sacco-Homann was the “World Record” fasting man and was one of many Hunger Artists doing the rounds at the turn of the century. One of them was Yorkshireman who survived on “Pop and cigs” only in Yorkshire - Sh******d actually.A bit of an article about Sacco appears in the Adelaide Advertiser of 4th May 1910 and reads....“Sacco – the Fasting Man. Nothing short of a complete breakdown will drag Sacco-Homann from his glass house at 12 Hindley Street, until his great fast of 43 days is completed tomorrow night.His manager yesterday again asked him to stop but found the task of persuading the Hungarian a hopeless one. The [glass] house will be opened tomorrow evening at Sacco will be immediately driven to the Central Hall at Grenfell Street where a fine vaudeville programme will be presented. At 8.30 Sacco will take his first meal in full view of the audience and it is remembered that he has had nothing but sodawater for 43 days his menu should be read with interest. Sacco will remain at the entertainment throughout the evening.”Back to the photo....I was guessing that from the original photo, the wording “Portrait Specialist” refers to a photographers.Looking through the 1914 Kelly’s Directory, the only photographers on the west side of the street [at any point where the street has any kind of slope] is Gales. They appear in the 1914, 15, 16 and 17 directories – I didn’t look any further than that.Gales, at 87 Briggate were located, not as I originally though, on the very corner of the street, but back towards Swan Street. The next building along would have been Hicks’ Drapers Store which was actually addressed as Upperhead Row [not Upper Headrow]. The Hicks’ store would later become Burtons.I’m now in a bit of a quandary as I can’t figure out what was the building in-between, the building with the large windows at the 1st and 2nd floor.Anyway, I wonder if the event with Socco was being held at the City Varieties and the hordings were for his show. Maybe the Giant’s Palace was part of the same show?

String o' beads · Post by **String o' beads** » Sat 31 Aug, 2013 4:34 pm

Here's a little bit more about the show promoter, Jack Headley. It says he was operating a Giant's Palace, so perhaps a touring show or movable feast, so to speak.'E.H. Bostock's movements continue with the Royal Italian Circus which takes a residency at Nottingham Jungle's Empress Rink for the winter of 1913/1914. Jack Headley, a newcomer and heavy promoter throughout these years, is operating a 'Giant's Palace' at Leeds. The touring Bostock and Wombwell menagerie is seen purchasing a new car in May 1914, and the advertising poster in the background shows a little of how the touring show and cages are presented (in contrast to Frank Bostock's big arena).'http://www.nfa.dept.shef.ac.uk/jungle/index1b2.htmlEdit: I see this link has been posted above, but I'll leave the text for interest.

Linky Oik · Post by **Linky Oik** » Sat 31 Aug, 2013 9:11 pm

liits wrote: It seems that Sacco – Guiseppe Sacco-Homann was the “World Record” fasting man and was one of many Hunger Artists doing the rounds at the turn of the century. liits excellent post above informs us that Sacco was in fact one Guiseppe Sacco-Homann. I've had a closer look and here's a little more information on famous fasting man. It appears he might not have been the Hungarian that some sources claim...[NB - you may have to check through a terms&cons screen if you follow the links]----------------------------------------------From The Register (Adelaide) 19 March 1910"Hungarian" Sacco Homan - apparently he fasted at Blackpool, Edinburgh, Manchester, Ramsgate and Leeds among other places before pitching-up in Australia...http://goo.gl/WGVtTW------------------- ... ------From The Register (Adelaide) 2 April 1910The fast continues...http://goo.gl/pBRHVW------------------- ... -Bizzarely, it appears he was challenged by one "Rexo" - who was over 5 stone lighter than Sacco! The article describes Sacco having an "advantage of 15st 2lb of tissue reserve". It seems he bulked-up between fasts.From the Otautau Standard and Wallace County Chronicle 1910...http://goo.gl/LN5CRH(Scroll down the column for the article)----------------------------------------------In later years, things are going wrong...MEDICAL ADVICE PREVAILS - Southend Standard, 16th August 1928The attempt of Ricardo Sacco to fast for 58 days at the Kursaal Southend has been brought to a somewhat sudden conclusion. On Wednesday he would have completed a fast of 47 days, the progress of which has been reported throughout in the Southend Standard. Sacco has all the while been under medical supervision and on Tuesday the doctor, was not satisfied with his condition. On Wednesday morning the doctor, in the company of anothercalled upon the managing director of the Kursaal (Mr. de Forest Morehouse) and brought the matter to his notice. The seals of Sacco’s “flat” were promptly opened and a section of the partition moved to enable the two doctors to enter and make a thorough examination. The doctors subsequently consulted and informed Mr. Morehouse that Sacco’s fast ought to cease at once. Ricardo Sacco did not agree with the Doctors decision, claiming that he felt as well as could be expected in the circumstances, but reluctantly took a mixture of four ounces of warm milk, a teaspoonful of brandy, an ounce of sugar and half an ounce of Bovril. Three hours later he was given the same but in larger quantise. Sacco remained at The Kursaal until he was well enough to be moved.----------------------------------------------Finally, the constant toll on his body kills him in Blackpool. The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942), 12 December 1929 reveals that his real name was Richard Hans Jones!http://goo.gl/VyGUZv------------------- ... -------And more on that name and origin. The The Register News-Pictorial of Adelaide, 6 Nov 1929 informs us that Richard Hans Jones was born in Holland of British parents and had a 15 year old daughter at the time of his death.http://goo.gl/oa4p5y