Rumbelow Rarities

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CERTIFICATES OF FREEDOM

Colonial Secretary's Office, Sydney, 12th December, 1836.

THE undermentioned persons, have obtained Certificates of Freedom since last publication.

12 December, 1836 - Rumbelow, William (American)

A VICTORIAN LILLIPUTIAN

There is now located at the Criterion Hotel, corner of Park and Pitt streets, one of the tiniest spccimeus of humanity in the world.

His name is John Rumbelow, or as he is professionally called, "General Mite." He was born at Sandhurst (Vic.) in 1871 and consequently is now 16 years of age. He is 62in. in height, considerably smaller than either the famous Torn Thumb or even Commodore Nutt, and weighs a little over 201b.

His parents are persons of ordinary size, his father having for the past 10 years been employed as a workman in Messrs. Humble and Nicholson's foundry, Geelong, and the other children of the family are also of average size, a little brother two years old being rather taller than John.

As a baby he was very tiny and up to 11 years old was a delicate child, but since then, during which time be has not grown at all, he has been healthy and well. He has until quite recently been educated at the State school, Sandhurst, and is apt and remarkably observant.

Mr. Solomon has entered into an engagement with the father to keep the boy for a time at the Criterion Hotel.

John Rumbelow (Little Gulliver) was born at White Hills, near Bendigo, Victoria, on January 14, 1876, so that at the time of his death he was just on 29 years of age. He was a natural midget, perfectly formed, and his height was 3ft 4in, while his weight was 4st ,31b. His sister is also a natural midget, who Gulliver used to say "could just stand under his arm." The remaining members of the family are about the average height. The writer well remembers Little Gulliver when he was first brought under general public notice in Melbourne in 1888. Some time after this he was taken on tour through the Victorian towns, and in 1896 appeared in Melbourne at the Princess Theatre under Williamson and Musgrove's management in the second production of "Djin Djin," in which he did his specialty — a parody on "Home, sweet home." The next year saw "Johnny" as a comedian, when he played the Pigmy King in Messrs Williamson and Royle's "Matsa," which was a huge success.

It was then he acquired the name of "Little Gulliver." One day, at rehearsal, the stage manager said, "Here you, Gulliver, Little Gulliver." Johnny turned round at the name and said "Yes?" The name stuck to him, and very proud he was of it. In 1897 he played a little Buttons in "Babes in the Wood," '83 a part in "Forty Thieves," '99 a Fat Boy in "Red Riding Hood," '00 a Little Sailor in "Australis," '01 the Cat in "Alice in Wonderland," '02 the Cat in "Dick Whittington." In 1903 he joined Mr John F. Sheridan in Melbourne, playing the Buttons in "Mrs Dooley's Little Joke," and he has been continuously with Mr Sheridan ever since, touring New Zealand, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, West Australia, and South Africa. Little Gulliver appeared in the majority of the pantomimes under the Williamson/Musgrove regime, his last appearance in pantomime with that management being in "Alice in Wonderland" in Sydney. He was the star attraction in "Australis," staged by the J. C. Williamson Co. in conjunction with the Pollards in Sydney some five or six years ago. He first visited New Zealand with the Matsa Vaudeville Co. about 1892, which company included in its ranks Misses Gertie Campion, Alice Leamar, Ernest Fitts, Johnny Coleman, and Leoni Clark the Cat King. Of a quiet, retiring, and gentle disposition, Little Gulliver was a fast favourite with his fellow actors, and a special one of Mr Sheridan's, who naturally feels his death very keenly. His diminutive stature specially fitted him for many roles.

As a comedian he was sprightly, a good spacer, a capital singer, and there was undoubted talent. He became the admiration of the adult play patron and the delight of the children, who will in coming years recollect poor Little Gulliver in the character of Whittington's cat. It was a sad duty for Mr Sheridan to perform in having to cable the news to a friend in Melbourne to convey the sorrowful tidings to the bereaved parents. Mr Sheridan has been the recipient of a number of telegrams of sympathy from friends of I his own and of the deceased in different parts of the colony.

AN IMPOSING FUNERAL. The funeral, which took place on Sunday afternoon, was a deeply impressive one. The cortege left the Hospital at 3 p.m., and as the casket containing the remains of the little favourite was lifted into the hearse the quiet welling tears of sincere regret were visible in the eyes of many. The popularity of Little Gulliver had been so pronounced and his death so sudden that it was next to impossible for those with whom he had been such a favourite to subdue their emotion. Even the little children stood near by with sorrowful expression written on their faces, and in one instance a "wee mite" was heard to sob aloud.

Leaving the Hospital, the procession, headed by the Citizens' Band, playing the "Dead March" in "Saul," journeyed along Cumberland and Princes streets to the Southern Cemetery, the pall-bearers being Messrs F. W. Winter, Robert Noble, Horace Jardine and T. Curran. Immediately following the hearse came the members of the Sheridan Company, down to the programme boys, the orchestra, together with the members of the Fuller Company; representatives of the musical societies of Dunedin, and sympathisers of the deceased. The first carriage, containing a large number of floral tributes, was followed by another occupied by Mr J. F. Sheridan. Miss Barlow, and Mr Torrance. The third carriage contained the Misses Massey, Tate, and Leighton, and Mr Stanley Grant. The fourth carriage contained Misses Ray Jones and Merton, and Messrs Collard and Duncan, and other carriages with members of the Sheridan Company. In this order, and accompanied by other vehicles, the funeral was witnessed in the streets of the city and at the cemetery by nearly 10,000 people. At the grave an impressive burial service was performed by Mr Torrance, and at the conclusion of the obsequies an orchestra, under Mr A. I. Robertshaw, accompanied the members of the Sheridan Company in the singing of the beautiful hymn. "Abide with me." It was noticeable that the singers were deeply affected at the graveside during its rendition.

It was originally intended to engage in a full choral service, but the immense crowd edging in on the open grave prevented the members of the orchestra from being able to perform, and this part of the service had to be abandoned. The last rites performed, the vast crowd moved rapidly away, whilst the members of the Sheridan Company took a long and farewell look at the casket containing the mortal remains of their late little associate, Little Gulliver.

If further testimony to the esteem in which Little Gulliver was held were necessary, it was furnished in the large number of beautiful wreaths sent expressive of sympathy, of which the following is only a portion: Messrs Allan Hamilton, John F. Sheridan, S. Grant, F. Duncan, J. W. Weierter, Avalon Collard, T. Curran, Misses Heba Barlow, Ray Jones, Florence Faning, H. C. Campbell, Fuller Vaudeville Company, the Brescians, chorus ladies, John P. Sheridan Company, ladies' ballet, gentleman of chorus, boys and girls of Sheridan Company, stage hands, Robertshaw's Orchestra, Criterion Dancers, Mr and Mrs McKewen (Grand Hotel), admirers (Grand Hotel), Citizens' Band, Mr C. Little, passengers s.s. Maheno. The casket, which was covered with white figured cloth and mounted with nickel-plate, bore the inscription:

JOHN RUMBELOW, 29 years. Died 11/1/06.

Mr Sheridan wishes us to express his heartfelt thanks to Dr Macdonald and the nursing staff of the Hospital for their kindly and minute attention to their little patient; to Dr Watt for his interest and attention to Little Gulliver before his entry to the Hospital, and to the members of the Citizens' Band who took part in the pantomime of "Dick Whittington" with Little Gulliver.

Mr John F. Sheridan writes: — "I would like to express my sincere and heartfelt thanks to all those who so kindly assisted in the impressive funeral of Little Gulliver. It devolves upon me to acquaint his bereaved relatives of the great tribute which was paid him, and it should suppress somewhat the great sorrow which has fallen on them to know that here in Dunedin, so many miles away from his home, there were found kind hearts who paid this last token of respect to our dear little friend — beloved by his brother and sister artists, and by all who knew him." -Otago Witness, 17/1/1906.

Maritime Miscellany

Newcastle. At 11:80 pm the Steamship Damascus, from London to Melbourne, while bowling down the Channel at a great tato, had a sudden pull up when the cry of ' Man overboard' being raised.

This was in consequence of Henry Rumbelow, a steerage passenger, having deliberately jumped overboard. A lifebuoy was thrown close to him, and a boat manned and lowered, and succeeded in picking him up just as he was disappearing. They were back to the steamer with the nearly drowned man in about a quarter of an hour after they left Rumbelow, who had suffered a great deal from nervous prostration, died shortly after he was brought on board.

Every effort was made to maintain animation, but without success, and the body was subsequently committed to the deep. The deceased was a single man, about 30 years of age, and a native of London.

Hornby R6086 W J Rumbelow

7 Plank Wagon - Three Wagon Set 10 11 12

In the early days of the railways, most freight wagons were of an open design, and were used to carry all manner of goods. If the load was more delicate, it was often protected with tarpaulin sheets. These wagons got progressively larger as locomotives became more powerful and demand for rail freight increased.

In 1923, the Railway Clearing House (RCH) set out standards and specifications for open wagons. 7 & 8 plank wagons were generally produced for the transport of coal and coke and they were extremely numerous. All these types of wagons were used well into the 1960s.

THE LAND OF RUMBELOW

By Carlos Baker '32

New York: Scribners,

1963.370 pp. $4.95.

In theme, symbolic imagination, and descriptive writing Princeton English Professor Carlos Baker's newest novel (he calls it "A Fable in the Form of a Novel"), The Landof Rumbelow, offers more than his earlier novel, A Friend in Power, but in the three basics (at least E. M. Forster's basics) story, plot, and characterization, Baker's latest fiction is less convincing. Hero Dan Sherwood, fleeing in shame from a much-enjoyed moment of adultery, picks up Satan (or a reasonable facsimile thereof) in the sun-baked Southwest and gets himself crowned in damnation for his generosity. Professor Sherwood (also a teacher of English) settles down in Tucson and begins his sentence in literary purgatory, to search out the life story and prose meaning of novelist Nicholas Kemp, billed as an American Dostoevski. Sherwood also gets himself involved in the lives of a dozen or so transplanted Arizonians, most of whom in one way or another happily begin or end by contributing to the puzzle that is Kemp or the unraveling of that puzzle. The best of Baker's minor characters, however, an old artist named Hart Mackenzie, has little to do with Kemp or the creation of story and plot, but he and Sherwood have some very special conversations (in both what they say and how they say it). Author Baker also does a fine job of taking to task the ghouls of the literary world, the scholar-critics who feel compelled to concentrate on a writer's life rather than his works. A quote from a Nicholas Kemp-to-Sherwood letter reads:

Don't they know, Mr. Sherwood, that they are choking the spring with their garbage? Don't they realize that, even with the best will in the world, a writer can get discouraged when another truckload of junk - and another and another - is dumped in his clean front yard?

One of the weakest areas of characterization-plot is the sentimental love story brought up near the end to provide the vehicle for Sherwood's return from "Rumhelow," an area described by the book jacket as being three miles from Hell, and an end to the literary quest of Kemp, all in one too convenient package. Although Kemp never makes a personal appearance, other than by letter, he's much more interesting than most of Sherwood's Arizona friends and associates. One suspects that novelist Baker, also official biographer for Ernest Hemingway, found Kemp more interesting too. Even with its shortcomings The Land of Rumbelow is better for occasional reading than many of the more highly-touted pieces of contemporary fiction (The Group, Salt, Inside Daisy Clover, for instance).

Carlos Baker (May 5, 1909 – April 18, 1987) was an American writer, biographer and former Woodrow Wilson Professor of Literature at Princeton University.

Baker was born in 1909 in Biddeford, Maine. He received his A.B. from Dartmouth College and his M.A. from Harvard University.

He then received his Ph.D. in English from Princeton University in 1940 after completing a doctoral dissertation titled "The influence of Spenser on Shelley's major poetry."[1] Baker's published works included several novels and books of poetry and various literary criticisms and essays.

Sailor Rumbelow and Britannia

Reeves, James

Published by Heinemann, 1962
Language: English
Title: Sailor Rumbelow and Britannia
Publisher: Heinemann
Publication Date: 1962
Binding: Hardcover
Illustrator: Ardizzone, Edward

John Morris Reeves, later known as James Reeves, was an English writer principally known for his poetry, plays and contributions to children's literature and the literature of collected traditional songs. His published books include poetry, stories and anthologies for both adults and children. He was also well known as a literary critic and broadcaster.

He was born in Harrow, and educated at Stowe School and at Jesus College, Cambridge, where he read English and co-founded with Jacob Bronowski the literary magazine Experiment. He began his writing career as a poet in 1936, and in 1945 turned his attention to writing for young readers. His first book of poems for children, The Wandering Moon, appeared in 1950, illustrated by Edward Ardizzone, with whom Reeves sustained a lifelong friendship and collaboration. Reeves worked as a teacher until 1952, when his failing eyesight forced him to retire and he became a full-time writer and editor.

Rumbelow's Dance Book by Quentin Blake

Quentin Blake (author), First Published 1982

Rumbelow is off to visit his grandparents. As he sets off he feels so happy he starts to dance. Along the way, he meets many different characters, who all join in with his infectious dancing! A lively and fun cumulative tale.

Rumbelow's Dance - Review

John Yeoman and Quentin Blake. Picture Puffin. $4.95.

Yes, the name Rumbelow is a very well known one in Victor Harbor, but I don't think author John Yeoman had the noted fishing family in mind when he wrote Rumbelow's Dance.

Rumbelow is a boy who meets many people on the way to his grandparent's place. Some were complaining of ills, some were just down and out, others were long faced. Rumbelow convinces all of them to dance on the long journey to his granny's house. Soon, a long line of rumba and waltz-filled people make their way along the countryside lanes. A lovely, harmless story for pre-schoolers as are most Picture Puffins.

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