The Greater Norris and Rowe Circus Band Chariot
by Bob Taber
( 1905 – Pfening Archives )
This interesting photo shows Pop Smith’s Band on the Norris & Rowe show in 1905. The wagon was “lost” after the demise of Norris & Rowe until it showed up on Harley Sadler’s Bailey Bros. circus in 1935. Together with other Gentry cages from Bailey it went to Frank Walters in Houston, Texas.
( 1939 – Joseph Bradbury Album # 15 – photo # 17C – this is the old Norris and Rowe Band Chariot at Frank J. Walters in Houston, TX. )
In 1954 Clyde Beatty used the Walters equipment for a parade. The old Norris & Rowe wagon sometimes called the Great Wallace bandwagon, was fitted with rubber tires by Perry Luth for use by the Beatty show. The parade was abandoned in mid-season of 1954 and the parade equipment was returned to Deming, New Mexico. The wagon remained there and was destroyed by fire a year so so ago.
( 1954 – Joseph Bradbury Album # 5, photo # 57D – former Norris and Rowe Bandwagon as seen in Los Angeles in April of 1954 )
(1) Excerpts from the Greater Norris and Rowe Circus By Bob Taber. Bandwagon, Vol. 3, No. 6 (Nov-Dec), 1959, pp. 7, 9, 11-12.
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