The first known references to a performing Hanneford dates back to around 1778. Edwin Hanneford, possibly of German descent, was summoned before King George III to determine who was the best juggler in the realm. Edwin was a foot juggler and performed at fairs and on street corners in London. He did such things as balancing a barrel on the soles of his feet, tossing it into the air and re-catching it. His rival was a man called Walter Scott. However, the king became preoccupied with other matters and a verdict was never given.
     Edwin was not necessarily the first performing Hanneford. There was a story, originally used by Polack Brothers Circus as background material for their program, that says one Michael Hanneford began trouping the dusty roads of Ireland in 1621 with Wombrell's Menagerie. Unfortunately this story is not true - Wombrell's did not exist. There was a Wombwells but they were English, not Irish, and didn't start touring until 1807.
     The first Hanneford  that can be accurately traced is possibly Edwin's son, Daniel, who married Sarah Elizabeth Bressey in Shoreditch, London, on June 29th, 1790. From this marriage stems all future performing Hannefords. Sarah and Daniel's son was William Bressey Hanneford, born about 1791, and was a carpenter in the ship building trade. He married Sarah Elizabeth Ruegg in 1816 and had a son, another Edwin, who returned to the circus as a performer then, later, an owner.
     Not much is known about Edwin's show, only that one George Gilbert, a well known rider, made his first public appearance on April 27th, 1867, in the Market Place, Great Yarmouth with Hanneford's London Circus. Edwin married Sarah Keen in 1864 and at least two of their children, Edwin (known as Ned) and Kate, remained with the circus. Both Edwin and Sarah died on the same day, March 13th, 1889.
     Kate, the youngest of the children, married Henry Yelding, son of another well known English circus family. She had thick red hair and an eighteen inch waist, and was considered a top equestrienne. While she was appearing in Paris with Circus Medrano she was photo- graphed sitting on a horse. She was being presented a bouquet by a clown while the ring- master and her dog, Boo Boo, looked on. Her costume was quite outrageous for the time - a tutu - female riders being expected to dress modestly at that time. The interesting point about that picture is that the famous French painter, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec painted a series of circus pictures, some of which resembled the photograph. Thus, it is considered by most people that Kate is the subject of those paintings - in particular "In The Circus Fernando" circa 1888.
     Kate and Henry had four children, Henry Edwin, Dolly, Millie, and John. Henry became a champion stilt walker and, under the name "Harry Sloan", came to the United States in the late 1920's to appear in the Ringling show with sister Dolly and brother John. The family still performs today. After Henry died, in 1918, Kate retired and ran a boarding house in Lowestoft, England. Each year, until her death in 1957, she traveled to London for an annual circus performers' Christmas party where she was recognized as the oldest female rider.
     The next chapter deals with Edwin and Sarah's son, Ned (Edwin) Hanneford.