The History of Windham NH
  • Home
  • History
  • Historic Views
  • Windham Playhouse
  • Searles
  • Cobbett's Pond
  • About

SCHAFFER'S SWISS BELL RINGERS VISIT WINDHAM

4/9/2016

0 Comments

 
On Monday December 5, 1881, a crowd assembled at Windham's town hall to attend a performance of Schaffer's Swiss Bell Ringers. The musical troupe, headed by Oscar and Louise Schaffer, toured the East Coast during the last quarter of the nineteenth century. Oscar himself was a talented ventriloquist and songwriter. At each performance songbooks containing Oscar's original songs would be distributed to members of the audience for a sing-along. As the same songs were used from show to show, Oscar would then recollect the songbooks at the end of the show, leaving the audience without a single memento of the evening. Louise was the headlining musician of the group and was known for her cornet solos, as well as her skills with the xylophone and banjo. Although Oscar and Louise were often billed as the headlining acts of their shows, their Swiss Bell Ringers eventually became very well known. The bell ringers would perform rather complicated pieces of music by hand ringing individual brass bells. As their popularity increased, they began to tour and give performances on their own, without the acts of Oscar or Louise. The bell ringers were greeted by a large audience in Windham, and according to William Samuel Harris, all "were well pleased with the entertainment."
Picture
Windham Town Hall as it would have looked when the bell ringers performed
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Derek Saffie is an avid Windham historian who enjoys researching and sharing his collection with all those interested in the history of the New England town.
    ​

    Archives

    November 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015

    Categories

    All
    Anniversaries
    Drucker's Store
    Featured Stories
    Indian Rock
    Robert Dinsmoor
    W S Lamson Farm

© 2015-2019 Derek Saffie. All Rights Reserved.