Description: An introduction to the story of Carlos Trower, The African Blondin Prince of the Air, a nineteenth century black tightrope walker who performed in the USA, Europe and the UK.
new york (13115) local history (275) tightrope (6) ron howard (5) lunatic asylum (3) carlos trower (1) black performer (1) ja trower (1) emancipation jubilee (1) coloured republican (1)
This website is an authentic and accurate history of Carlos, I believe it to be the only one at present.
Welcome to the African Blondin€™ Website. Following years of endeavour and at times disappointment, recent technology allowed me to uncover a fascinating story of my great grandfather Carlos Trower, The African Blondin.
This is a story of astonishing Nineteenth Century showmanship that covered UK Counties, Countries and Continents. His illustrious tight rope performances matched the private life he led as a well paid and well known black performer and an unconfirmed bigamist husband of two English ladies. Carlos died penniless in a Bow lunatic asylum of syphilis leaving a destitute wife with three children. I have endeavoured to keep to the facts but have also employed some imagination to assist further research. W