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Post by Diane Merkel on Feb 16, 2007 7:59:30 GMT -6
A watercolor recently sold in Scotland that is supposed to be of Buffalo Bill but, as with most things on these boards, there is some controversy. Writer and researcher Tom Cunningham, who has published books on native Americans on tour in Scotland, said: “I have done a detailed study of Buffalo Bill’s visit to Scotland in 1904 and cannot relate this painting to anything I have studied.
“Buffalo Bill’s show was a massive equestrian spectacular on a large bit of land. The location of the Arbroath show was Culloden Farm.
“The watercolour shows a stage but the real Buffalo Bill did not perform on a stage, he performed in a large arena with hundreds of horsemen. He had a massive canvas arena about the size of two football pitches.
“You couldn’t have reconstructed the battle of Little Big Horn on a stage – it needed an arena. Article: tinyurl.com/226yja
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Post by elisabeth on Feb 16, 2007 8:30:59 GMT -6
As AZ said just the other day, you couldn't make this up. Wonderful.
If there were ads for the real Buffalo Bill in Arbroath in 1904, all the more reason for this chap to rush in with his cut-price version, wouldn't you think? You can imagine his line: "Why go to the trouble and expense of going to Arbroath when the show can come to you, just half-a-mile down the road?"
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Post by harpskiddie on Feb 16, 2007 10:09:28 GMT -6
Good Morning Ladies, and my apologies to you both before I note, and ask ......................
I see that Buff Bill appeared in Arbroath in 1904. Did he appear in the buff?
Gordie
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Post by elisabeth on Feb 16, 2007 10:37:44 GMT -6
Of course you couldn't resist. Who could!
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Post by Diane Merkel on Feb 17, 2007 20:15:02 GMT -6
If so, was he buff in the buff?
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Post by elisabeth on Mar 7, 2007 8:33:46 GMT -6
More on Buff Bill here: tinyurl.com/2bnlyuIt's well worth clicking on all the links on the left. A fabulous website dedicated entirely to Buffalo Bill in Scotland, complete with a run-down on his various competitors, a listing of all the British venues he played, and much more. Very entertaining reading!
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Post by clw on Mar 9, 2007 9:22:42 GMT -6
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Post by gary on Mar 24, 2007 9:55:47 GMT -6
I agree that the stage shown in 'Buffalo Bill in Arbroath' could not be a representation of BB's show. I wonder however if it actually represents an advertisement for the show.
I once read an old football book (soccer) by a manager from the 20s and 30s who talked about working for BB in the UK when he was younger. In particular, he talked about how BB would publicize his shows with a procession through the town. If this is a picture of BB, it could in fact represent him on a stage just outside the arena advertising the show.
Or it may not be BB at all!
I will try to remember the name of the book and the author.
Gary
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Post by gary on Mar 24, 2007 10:07:52 GMT -6
I've just seen the previous post about the Salford Sioux. This story was doing the rounds in the UK about a year ago. There were however a number of inaccuracies in the articles that were published at the time, some of which suggested that there might have been a number of Lakotas living in the Manchester area following Buffalo Bill's visit in 1888.
There is in fact no evidence that more than one native American (Charging Thunder) settled in the area. At least one article suggested that other Lakotas, including the famous Black Elk, were among "scores of Lakota Sioux who were stranded after missing the train out of Salford in 1888". This is of course inaccurate. Black Elk was one of six Lakota who missed the train. The resourceful Black Elk and his five companions made their way to London before finding work with another wild west show.
An article that I read last year claimed that the Lakotas who accompanied Buffalo Bill Cody were "on the run" as a result of their involvement in the battle of the Little Big Horn. Charging Thunder was not known to me before reading the article, but, from the information provided, he would seem to have been born in 1877!
Gary
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