Gloucestershire’s Master of Magic and Mystery with Andy Meller

Born in Cheltenham in 1839, John Nevil Maskelyne was a magician, showman, author and inventor with surely one of the most extraordinary and eclectic careers in Gloucestershire’s history. After rumbling a couple of fraudulent American spiritualists at Cheltenham’s Town Hall, Maskelyne developed his own stage show, ultimately taking it to Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly, in 1873, where he held a famous and record-breaking 31-year tenancy and rose to become one of this country’s most acclaimed and accomplished magicians. During this time he mastered levitation, wrote the definitive tome on card-sharp practices, exposed further spiritualist fraudsters and even found time to invent the penny lock for the toilet, giving rise to the expression ‘spending a penny.’ He is honoured to this day by the Magic Circle, who present an annual award in his name.

Join fellow Cheltonian Andy Meller to explore the life of this fascinating man with plenty of archive photography and a trick or two along the way!

This event is generously sponsored by Cirencester Archaeological and Historical Society.