Lillo, Elspa, Echo and Venus
 

were trapeze artists.

The act appears to have started as Sillo & Elspa c 1872 as two very cute little boys, dressed identically.

Elspa's father decided he could make more money by taking control of his son and a few years later Lillo and Elspa appear.

Lillo was known as Florence May Lily Stone (or Dillon) and was abducted and married by Samuel Harry Neale before she was sixteen in 1884.

Her father was described as the landlord of the Red Lion Smallbrrok St Birmingham.

In 1881 the act appears to have been travelling round Europe.

Echo and then Venus joined the troupe, which was managed by Paul Dillon.

Can such people be found in censuses or civil registration? The marriage is but I have no idea of the real names of any of them and I can't spot Florence's birth.

Does he have a name? Or is he Paul Dillon?

Obviously probably unconnected, but the landlord of the Red Lion Smallbrook St Birmingham in 1881 was Richard Gassard (Gossard?) 48 from Colchester Essex and his wife Lissie (Lizzie?) 45 from Birmingham. No children with them in 1881.

Not many Richards from Colchester, but I can't find him on any other census or a death/marriage. Used G?s*d to search or no surname.

Florence's surname on the GRO marriage index is Dillon.


Marriages Mar 1884
Dillon Florence May G Birmingham 6d 195
Dillon Florence May L Birmingham 6d 195
Neale Samuel Harry Birmingham 6d 195

A Florence M L Neale marries Thomas W Billson Jul-Sep 1923 Solihull. Wonder if that's her?

Edit - probably not as there is a Billson birth with MMN Neale a few years later.

In the reports of the abduction on the British Newspaper Archive, Florence's name is given as Florence May Lillo Stone, otherwise Dillon. I haven't viewed the actual stories but am assuming you have, Phoenix.

There is a Florence Stone age 12 born Birmingham on the 1881 census, granddaughter of John and Ann Bayliss (57 and 54) at Adams Street in Birmingham. I can't see a birth reg for her. John and Ann's children include Emily 21, Rosina 20, Thos Jas 18 and Henry 15 (so we can trace the family back.)

In 1871 John and Ann have daughters Eliza 19, Amelia 16, Rosina 8, sons Thomas 5 and Henry 2, and Florence is listed as daughter, 3, with surname Baylis. There is a birth reg for a Florence Bayliss in 1867 but no middle names.

But then Florence Stone, 20, single, occupation press machinist, is on the 1891 census boarding with a Walter Fellows and his wife Rose, and there is a likely marriage for Walter Fellows and Rosina Bayliss in Aston in 1885, so I don't think the Florence Stone who I have been following is the one you are looking for.

Erm, there are some public trees on ancestry showing Florence May Lillo Dillon as being born about 1875 in England and marrying a William Frederick Wallett in the USA. I will have a look through their attached links etc...

Okay, the Illinois marriage index (on ancestry) has William F Wallett marrying Florence May L Dillon 24 Aug 1895 in Fulton County, and on the 1910 US Census they are in North Carolina, aged 38 and 36, both born England, parents born England, children William Fred jr, Rose, Florence M 9, Josephine 6, Fred D 3, and Alice M 1. The ages for the first two children aren't very clear and nor is the year of Florence sr's immigration. Rose's birthplace is England and Florence jr's Austria. The rest born North Carolina. I will see if I can find them in 1900 and Rose and Florence jr entering the US.