Thanks Bob but I have almost everything there is to know about the Grimaldis, including painted likenesses. I have several books written about Joey (clowns are called Joeys after him!) including one by Charles Dickens. The family tree is also very questionable by not taking into account the number of illegitimate offspring sired by Joey's father, even into his 7o's. One brother disappeared when he was twelve, he ran away to join the navy. He re-appeared when Joey was appearing at one of the many London theatres, stayed for one hour, left never to be seen again. Not by his brother at any rate. There are so many people claiming to be descended from "the" Grimaldis, including my grandmother who said he was a second or third cousin. I have yet to discover whether this was the truth or wishful thinking on her part. Just one thing makes me think that it might be true is the remarkable likeness of one of my cousins to another Grimaldi claimant whom we met at the annual Grimaldi Memorial service at a church in Dalston. The church is always full of clowns in their gear. Very colourful! Another thing is the amazing number of "actresses & actors" in my mother's family. I was the only one to finish up on stage, in opera, but the others were drama kings & queens at home! They all had a great sense of humour, too. I might have to wait till I get to "the other side" before I know the truth but I still keep trying......... Cheers Josi http://pavitts.tripod.com/ The PAVITTS of Essex & NZ PAVITT Essex (Stanford Rivers area) & London SMITH Essex (Theydon Mount) and Gloucester MUMFORD Essex (Stanford Rivers area) GRIMALDI Joseph,(the Clown) London. List Admin PAVITT-L-request@rootsweb.com . Subscriber to THEATRE-UK-L@rootsweb.com There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness". Protected by Panda Antivirus Titanium ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sanders, Robert (DfTE - LLD1b)" <Robert.Sanders@wales.gsi.gov.uk> To: "'Josephine Kemper'" <joandjo@walhalla.fsnet.co.uk> Sent: Monday, March 17, 2003 4:18 PM Subject: RE: [THEATRE-UK] New Book > Josi > > I cannot be certain but I think there may be a picture of Grimaldi in > Harmsworths Encycopaedia of about 1920s. I will look when I go home. There > is certainly a family tree of the Grimaldi family (well if my memory isn't > playing tricks !) > > Regards > > Bob Sanders > > -----Original Message----- > From: Josephine Kemper [mailto:joandjo@walhalla.fsnet.co.uk] > Sent: 15 March 2003 20:09 > To: THEATRE-UK-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [THEATRE-UK] New Book > > > Ray & Joe housed their amazing collection of theatrical memorabilia in an > Edwardian house in Sydenham. I went there to visit them once, to ask what > they had about Joseph Grimaldi (an 'ancestor' of mine, allegedly) and one of > them told me I had a look of Grimaldi. Has anyone ever SEEN a picture of > Grimaldi???? Paper bag over the head for a week! > They were promised the top floor of The Mansion in Beckenham Place Park, now > a Golf centre, but sadly one of them died before they could move in. Then > they discovered that the glass roof was leaking badly and by the time that > was repaired the other one had died. Altogether a very sad story. I was very > privileged to meet them. > > The Mander & Mitchenson Theatre Collection is one of the finest collections > of theatre memorabilia in the world. Based on the personal collection of two > actors, Raymond Mander and Joe Mitchenson, it contains a wide-range of > primary sources for the study of theatre history and music in all its > connections with the theatre, and also functions as a picture library. > > As a matter of interest, searching for Mander & Mitchenson on Google throws > up a large amount of other leads in theatre research. > > Cheers > Josi