Madge Belmont - Handcuff Queen

[kiterunner]

Do you have the address on George's 1929 death cert, Phoenix?

[Phoenix]

It's Juxon Street, Lambeth Walk, Kite. They'd have been choked and deafened by the railways overhead.

They were obviously in such poverty that I suspected they flitted on a regular basis, and never appeared on electoral rolls.

[Nell]

How frightfully vulgar to have someone with such an appalling epithet! Pass the sal volatile, OC.

[gehunt]

I want to thank everyone, especially Phoenix, for the information on Mary Jane Elizabeth Hawkins (Madge Belmont - Handcuff Queen). I am researching her for a series of articles on female escape artists during the Houdini era. Mary was the first person in England, and only the second in the world, to escape from a straitjacket while suspended upside down by their feet high in the air. Houdini, who became known for this feat, did it two years later. Though he did it outside while handing 100 feet in the air, while Mary did it from the theater’s ceiling or over the stage. Her other feature escapes were from a wooden coffin constructed by a local mortician and from a large locked canvas bag after being handcuffed, chained and shackled. In 1919 she was paid 14£ a week. That is about 700£ in today’s money.

It is amazing that Mary went from being in a workhouse in 1911 to dangling over the heads of the audience in a straitjacket just 2 years later.

Her date of death is still a bit of a mystery. Be careful, the information on the Steatham Park Memorial is not always correct.

If anyone has the birth certificates for her children, I would like to find out what William’s occupation was listed as. Trying to find out more about when he started on the stage. If not, I will order copies.

Thanks again for the help.

Gary
Durham, North Carolina, USA

[gehunt]

Here is a link to a photo of Mary as Madge Belmont Handcuff Queen in 1923. Enjoy

https://imgur.com/a/ohbuVCN

Gary

[gehunt]

Does anyone have the death certificate for Mary Jane Elizabeth Hawkins? I “rolled the dice” and ordered two “Mary Jane Hawkins” that died in March of 1931. Both were the wrong person. Hate to have to order all the Mary Hawkins that died that month. ????

Gary Hunt
Durham, North Carolina, USA

[Phoenix]

Mary was my great-uncle's wife, so I haven't really been researching her.

According to a contact I had when I belonged to GR, her death certificate was in the name of Edith?!!!

By the time William George died she was as poor as a church mouse, so the only possible places she might have been living were London, Orsett (Essex) or Portsmouth.

Logically she ought to be the Mary who died aged 53 in Camberwell.

[Kit]

Originally Posted by Olde Crone

O Phoenix the shame! I can hardly believe I have been consorting with someone e who has such LOW relatives.

*Lies down with the Sal volatile*

OC

Originally Posted by Nell

How frightfully vulgar to have someone with such an appalling epithet! Pass the sal volatile, OC.

I still love you. I wont hold your relatives against you.

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Kit

I still love you. I wont hold your relatives against you.

Thank you, Kit, much appreciated!


Now while I keep on stressing that there is no blood relationship, I do have reason to blush:


My father was promised his uncle's masonic regalia (why he should have wanted it is beyond me, but so it was)


He was taken by his father to visit the widow and demand this valuable legacy.


The widow sent him away with a flea in his ear! I can still recall his indignation. (And my embarassment at the tale)


Having found out about her from various sources, I imagine that if it hadn't been pawned years ago, she would have lost no time in disposing of it as soon as she was widowed.


But would you make a special trip to London to visit a grieving widow and demand your share of the loot?

[Kit]

Not for masonic regalia I wouldn't. I have all my granddad's stuff though but I doubt it is worth anything