FAMILY TIMELINE

1905 onwards

1905 Jan 7 - Joe Boganny, Dancer & Performer in "Babes in the Wood" at The Crystal Palace Theatre, London. ref; The Era, BNA. 

1905 Jan 10 - Joe Boganny's Lunatic Bakers - A farewell visit prior to their tour of Australia, The Dudley Empire, West Midlands. ref; The Ere, BNA. 

1905 Jul 25 - Birth of Douglas Boganny Phipps son of Harriet Phipps and Joe Boganny at 5, Quick Road, Chiswick, West London. ref; Bohun Family History Archive. 

1907 Jul 11 - Mr. Boganny, who, at the head of his Troupe of "Lunatic Bakers," had the honour of appearing by Royal Command at Buckingham Palace on July 6, is the son of "Raslus" at one time famous as "The Flying Man." The idea of the " Lunatic Bakers" was suggested to Mr. Boganny in a rather novel manner. Whilst performing at a Charity Concert in a lunatic asylam in the north, it transpires that a couple of the inmates were so struck with the performance of the Risley Troupe, that at the conclusion of the show they were discovered in the kitchen lying on their backs endeavouring to imitatesame by tossing in the air by means of their feet loaves of bread, cakes and dough, etc. It struck Mr. Boganny that there was dough in the idea, hence the production of "The Lunatic Bakers."

In nationality, Mr. Joe Boganny ia a mixture of Irish and Yiddish. On noticing his beaming blue eyes, one would come to the conclusion that he was a native of Hibernia, but the lower half of his face shows distinct traces of the Hebrew. In general appearance he looks over trained, but judging by the performance of himself and troupe recently at The Palace Theatre, this evidently is not so. ref; Thge Performer, BNA. 

1909 Jul 30 - Mr. Joe Boganny, Etty, Cyril & Abey Boganny arrive New York, USA via Liverpool, England aboard the SS. Mauritania. ref; New York Passenger Lists.

1909 Aug 23 - Nov 2 - American Tour, Joe Boganny & Troupe, 'The Star Attraction'

1909 Oct 30 - The Boganny Troupe, 'Biggest Attraction in Boston' - The American Music Hall, Vaudeville, Boston, Mass. USA. ref; Cambridge Cronicle, Cambridge Public Library, BNA. 

1915 Dec 24 - THE "PEP DEMONS." The Bogannys certainly made their Majesties the King and Queen laugh, and it is unlikely that Liverpool Olympia Circus patrons will be able to resist the impulse to laughter which made the Royal party rock in their seats. The "Demon Bakers" have before now been "the hit of the bill at Olympia," and the new business with which tha act has been liberally infused since its last visit lacks nothing of the snap and comicality that characterises every feat of this wonderful troupe. The Boganny's, who have come specially from America to renew acquaintance with Olympia audiences, are what Americans term a turn with "Pep." Smart acrobats, astonishing tumblers and clever comedians, the white clad squad, shepherded by the gigantic Joe Boganny, presents undoubtedly the finest act of its type in the world. ref; Runcorn Weekly News, BNA. 

1925 Dec 7 - FAMOUS DWARFS ON WORLD TOUR. Sailing for New York in the White Star liner Baltic, on Saturday, were mermbers of

Joe Boganny Comedy Co., the lunatic bakers, who have just completed a twelve months tour of the Continent and are now on their way to the United States. The troupe is to spend forty weeks touring America under the Keith Albee Circuit, and will afterwards proceed to Honolulu and Australia. It consists of ten youths, three of them midgets, of whom the smallest is only two feet seven inches high. Mr. Joseph C. Boganny, the proprietor and founder. who is travelling with the troupe, stated in an interview, that after the present tour, which would be practically round the world he intended to retire, having already served the variety profession for over 45 years. Mr. Boganny was born in Christian Street, Liverpool. ref; Liverpool Journal of Commerce, BNA. 

1927 Apr 20 - The Little Showmen - The midgets' boxing match is the big feature of Mr. Boganny's little show and Mr. Boganny gave me a few details about the two little young men. The smaller, Joey is only three feet four inches high and weighs four stones. Eric, the taller, stands three feet nine inches and weighs close to five stones. Their strength is tremendous, however. Witness the way they carry Mr. Boganny, a 20 stoner, from the stage at the close. Mr. Boganny is proud, and rightly proud, of the fact that his show has been called to three command performances. One at Buckingham Palace, before King Edward and another at the first command show at the Palace, Shaftesbury Avenue. All of Mr. Boganny's boys are linguists. Mr. Boganny himself speaks seven tongues, and all the lads know German, Spanish, French, etc. "We have to," Mr. Boganny explained, "because we put these showson all over the world." The troupe leave for New York in August, but return to the Lyceum pantomime at Christmas. ref; Leicester Evening News, BNA. 

1939 Nov 16  - SIX DWARFS CARRY ON FOR SEVEN - Six famous dwarfs are doing their best to appear like seven in Sheffield this week, and, considering how little there is of a dwarf to begin with, the task is not easy. They were seven until last week, when one of them fell ill and had to be left behind in Exmouth while the remainder of the troupe came to Sheffield to open at the New Regent, Grimesthorpe in Joe Boganny's stage version of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." Mr. Boganny has advertised and got into touch with the Employment Exchange, but his efforts to procure a substitute have so far failed. CALL FOR PANTO - Trained dwarfs are not to be had for the asking, of course, particularly at the opening of the pantomime season - a call which even the understudy in the troupe found unable to resist, leaving a bare minimum to carry on the show. Mr. Boganny who has had long years of experience in the training of dwarfs, told "The Star" that there were plenty of little men to be had, but not all of them were talented, and few had a flair for the stage. "They are easier to train while they are no more than 16 years of age, because the they are still nimble in body and mind. Afterwards they become more set and it is much more difficult to teach them, especially when the work involves singing, dancing, and tumbling." FULL OF REGRET The oldest member of the present troupe is Pop. He is 52, and has been with Mr. Boganny 35 years, having appeared with him in three Royal command performances and toured America, Australia, Africa and Europe. The youngest is 16, and has been with Mr. Boganny since he was nine. Although the dwarf who is ill has been with the act for only a year, he was very grieved to be left behind, and his colleges are equally full of regret. "They are very clannish, and have a great affection for one another, being very concerned for each other's well being," Mr. Boganny said. "They usually lodge together, having their meals at the same table, and one of them acts as father, doing all the carving and serving out the meals." Meanwhile, Mr. Boganny is hoping that he may be able to get a substitute, if only to walk on, before he leaves Sheffield, so that the six may become seven again. He must be not more than four feet high.

Ref; Sheffield Evening Telegraph, BNA.