Victorian Freak Shows: Us But On A Bad Day
Lalloo
Next up: Lalloo Ramparsad or Lalloo was born in India with a fully attached parasitic twin that basically comprised of a few limbs and a lump of flesh stuck to his chest. His twin had a fully functioning penis and urinary tract, and although Lalloo could sense touch through his brother he was unaware of his need to urinate until it was too late. He was often described as the ‘Handsome, Healthy, Happy Hindoo’.
Lalloo was an activist and in 1889 campaigned vigorously for the word “prodigies” to be used in the place of “freaks”. It seems he was pretty successful and the word did stop getting banded around so heavily. He made a fair amount of cash from sideshows and the lending of himself to inquisitive doctors. He married a “normal” woman and lived a pretty lavish lifestyle. He died prematurely in a train crash aged just 32.
Miss C. Heenan
I couldn’t find much out about Miss C. Heenan (below) either unfortunately, but I found another poster advertising her girth and it says the following:
“Now exhibiting at The Universum, 369 Oxford Street, London; Miss C Heenan, the great prize lady and her four prize cups; 26 inches round her arms, 3 feet 6 inches across the shoulders and 7 feet round the body, weighs 40 stone, the heaviest female living.”
That’s nothing in modern day American terms is it? Walmart is today’s freak show I guess. Must try harder. Here’s what another advert had to say:
“Now exhibiting for a short time, at 122, Fleet Street, City, opposite Punch’s office. Just arrived from America! The greatest wonder of the world………Handsome in appearance, and not 19 years of age. .… Great reduction in price to give all classes an opportunity of seeing her. Admission:—Ladies and gentlemen, 3d. Working classes, after 6, 2d. Open from 12 till 11 p.m”
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