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Staff Picks - Part 6 : Buffalo Bill in Salford - Part One
Another favourite of Tony Flynn is his three part story, from February last year, of the visit to Salford of Buffalo Bill and his Wild West Show. See the links below for the other two episodes. The fascinating history of cowboy Buffalo Bill's time in Salford is told by SalfordOnline for the first time. Buffalo Bill, or to give him his real name William F Cody, was undoubtedly the real deal, a Pony Express rider, buffalo hunter killing 4,280 including sixty nine in one day in his career, Indian fighter, showman and shrewd businessman. Our four-part series will look at Bill's visit to Salford when he and his entire Wild West Show camped out for five months from December 1887 until April 1888 on the old Salford Racecourse site of New Barnes. Bill became popular in America in the 1880s when he would organise shooting parties for rich hunters including members of the Russian Royal family, he then organised his Wild West shows which depicted basically the rise of the white settlers in America and their conquest of the Native American Indians. Queen Victoria celebrated her Diamond Jubilee in 1887 and Bill brought his entire show to England and set up a showground in Earls Court where he performed three hundred performances to a staggering three million people. Again visitors to his show included Queen Victoria, The Prince and Princess of Wales, Gladstone and various members of high society, he was quickly the talk of the town and even had afternoon tea with Oscar Wilde! The London show came to and end in November 1887 and Bill decided to head North to make even more money, and where better to set up camp for five months than sunny Salford. Thanks to Councillor Stephen Coen and Roy Bullock for all their help and support in the making of these videos.
WATCH: Buffalo Bill in Salford: Part Three click here Due to problems with spam only SalfordOnline members can now leave comments. Becoming a member of SalfordOnline only takes a minute, just hit the red Join Us button at the top right hand side of the page to create your Personal account. Got a news story? Need help with publicity for an event in Salford? Send it to newsdesk@salfordonline.com or call the SalfordOnline newsdesk on 0161 789 5377. |
