About Blondin

The Life and Legend of the Daredevil of the Sky

Blondin at East Somerset Agricultural Society Show, Bruton, 13 October 1892 — _{Photograph. Courtesy of Sherborne School Archive}

There is but one Blondin, and no other name shall be associated with the poetry of the perilous.

British journalist George Augustus Sala, 1861

Jean-François Gravelet, better known by his stage name Blondin, was born on 28 February 1824 in Hesdin, Pas-de-Calais, northern France. Raised in a family of touring acrobats and tightrope walkers, Blondin was steeped in performance from an early age. His grandfather and father both performed with travelling troupes, and alongside his siblings, he took part in the family’s lively spectacles of balance, daring and dramatic flair, often performing under the canvas of makeshift stages and fairground tents.

Name and Identity

Blondin was born Jean François Gravelet in 1824. Although the English press of the mid-nineteenth century frequently referred to him as Charles Blondin, this name was never his. He performed simply as Blondin, and the “Charles” was a British newspaper invention. It was never used by him, never appeared in his own publicity, and was unknown outside the United Kingdom.

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The Gravelet family came from Champignolles, Normandy, where Blondin’s grandfather, Pierre Gravelet, and grandmother Henriette Regnault founded a troupe of acrobats and rope-dancers. After Pierre’s death, Blondin’s father André continued performing and later served in the army. André married fellow performer Eulalie Merlet, and together they toured with their children, including Jean-François (Blondin), who showed exceptional talent from a young age.

After André’s death in 1837, Eulalie led the troupe, with Jean-François and his siblings performing alongside. Jean-François amazed audiences with daring acrobatics, including balancing acts and somersaults, and also showcased musical talents during performances.

In 1851, Jean-François joined the French troupe Ravels and toured America as “Blondin.” While performing in New York, he married singer Charlotte Lawrence in 1852, despite already being married in France, committing bigamy. Blondin toured extensively in North America and the Caribbean over the next eight years.

Blondin launched a solo career in 1859, famously crossing the Niagara River on a tightrope with spectacular feats like carrying his manager on his back and walking on stilts. He became celebrated in the US and British Empire but was less recognised in France.

With the outbreak of the American Civil War, Blondin moved to England with Charlotte and their children. He performed at Crystal Palace and toured major British cities to great acclaim, even performing before royalty. Over subsequent decades, he toured Europe, India, Australia, and South America, gaining honours such as Chevalier of the Order of Queen Isabel la Católica in Spain.

Blondin experienced financial ruin twice, losing his fortune due to his agent’s bankruptcy and a failed entertainment project in Paris. Despite setbacks, he continued performing across Europe and beyond, adapting to changing circumstances.

Blondin settled in Little Ealing, London, where he lived with his family and remained a beloved figure until his health declined. He married nurse Katherine James late in life and gave his final performances in the mid-1890s. Blondin died in 1897 and was honoured with a well-attended funeral, remembered as a model of courage and artistry.

Origins of the Gravelet Family

The Gravelet family originated from Champignolles, a small village in Normandy.

Pierre Gravelet, Blondin’s grandfather (born 1790), and grandmother, Henriette Regnault established a troupe of acrobats and rope-dancers with their two sons, Étienne and André.

After grandfather Pierre’s death in 1803, André continued performing until his conscription into the army at age 20, where he possibly took part in the Russian campaign and the Battle of Waterloo.

Marriage and Formation of the Family Troupe

After leaving the army, André resumed his acrobatic career and married fellow performer Eulalie Merlet. Together, they formed a troupe of rope-dancers that toured France and neighbouring countries.

André and Eulalie had four children:

Julie Pauline (born 1820)
Jean-François (born 28 February 1824, in Hesdin, northern France)
Louis-André (born 1829)
Louis (born 1831)

The children joined the troupe as soon as they could walk the rope, with Pauline and Jean-François proving exceptionally talented.

Leadership After André’s Death

When André died in 1837, Eulalie led the troupe with support from her children. Pauline, the eldest, married Jean-François in 1846 and left the troupe, replaced by Marie Rosalie Blancheri. The troupe expanded to fifteen members, with Jean-François and Louis-André as principal performers.

The Gravelet Brothers’ Performances

Jean-François amazed audiences with feats such as balancing a four-legged chair on a high rope while sitting on it, performing somersaults over the chair, and leaping over burning candles on a low rope without a balancing pole. He also showcased musical talents, playing the violin and drums while performing acrobatic stunts. He claimed to be the first acrobat in Europe—a claim well deserved.

Blondin in America

In 1851, at age 27, Jean-François Gravelet was invited by Gabriel Ravel to join the renowned French troupe, the Ravels, touring America. Taking the stage name “Blondin,” he left behind his wife, Marie Rosalie, and their three children:

Aimé Léopold (born 3 June 1846; died 9 November 1852)
Aimé Jean-Baptiste (born 1 November 1848)
Émélie (born 26 September 1849)

A Scandalous New Beginning

While performing at Niblo’s Garden Theatre in New York, Blondin fell in love with 15-year-old singer Charlotte Lawrence. They married in Boston on 21 August 1852, despite Blondin already being married in France, committing bigamy. The wedding was officiated by Reverend Edward T. Taylor, believed to have inspired the character of Father Mapple in Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick.

Touring the Americas

For eight years, Blondin toured North America and the Caribbean with the Ravels and the Martinetti Family, performing across the United States, Canada, and Cuba. In October 1855, the troupe journeyed through Nicaragua and then California, where they performed for five months.

Fame at Niagara

In 1859, Blondin left the troupes to pursue a solo career, achieving immense fame with multiple daring crossings over the Niagara River. His feats included:

Carrying his agent, Harry Colcord, on his back on three occasions
Crossing on stilts
Performing before Prince Edward, heir to the British throne

These performances made Blondin celebrated in the United States and British Empire. By contrast, he remained largely unrecognised in France, where the Parisian press dismissed him. His mother’s death in 1854 was a personal loss during these years abroad.

To England and Family Life

At the outbreak of the American Civil War in May 1861, Blondin left America for England with Charlotte and their three children: Adèle (born 1854), Edward (1855), and Iris (1859). His new agent, Henry Coleman, negotiated an unprecedented fee of £100 per performance at Crystal Palace, four times higher than previous records.

Triumph at Crystal Palace and Nationwide Success

Over two years, Blondin performed at Crystal Palace to approximately 1,480,000 spectators and toured fifty major British cities, attracting an additional 1.5 million attendees. In October 1863, he was honoured by a visit from Prince of Wales, King of Greece, and Prince Christian of Denmark, witnessing part of his low-rope act.

Home Life and Continuing Career

Blondin and Charlotte made their home at 32 Finchley Road, St John’s Wood, naming it Niagara Villa. They had two more children: Henry Coleman (1862) and Charlotte (1866). Over the next three decades, Blondin split his performance seasons between London, the UK, and tours across Europe and worldwide.

A Royal Tour of the Iberian Peninsula

In 1863, Blondin toured Spain and Portugal, performing before Queen Isabel II and the Spanish Royal Family—one of the highlights of his European career.

Changes in Representation

After agent Henry Coleman retired to become a wine merchant, Messrs Corbyn and Parravicini became Blondin’s exclusive agents, arranging tours through Italy, Austria, Germany, and Russia. In September 1864, Blondin performed in Saint Petersburg, though persistent rain limited performances.

Financial Ruin and Return to Russia

In early 1865, Coleman’s bankruptcy caused Blondin to lose his entire fortune of £13,600. Later that year, Blondin returned to Saint Petersburg, rebuilding some income with performances at the Concert Hall of the Waters Minerales.

Disappointment in France

Blondin’s long-awaited French debut in July 1866 at Plateau de Gravelle was disappointing, with low attendance partly due to confusion caused by a Blondin impersonator performing in Paris. The impersonator’s continued interference led Blondin to sue for damages in 1867. Despite winning, parts of the Parisian press remained hostile. After discovering his rope had been sabotaged, Blondin cancelled his engagement and returned to London.

A New National Identity

On 4 June 1868, Jean-François Gravelet was naturalised as a British citizen, marking a new chapter personally and professionally.

Honours in Spain

In 1870, after tours in Belgium, Holland, and Germany, Blondin returned to Spain where he was made Chevalier of the Order of Queen Isabel la Católica by Regent Francisco Serrano. He thereafter styled himself “Chevalier Blondin, Hero of Niagara”.

A Perilous Journey to India and Australia

In October 1873, Blondin began an eighteen-month tour of India and Australia. Early in the voyage, the steamship Flintshire wrecked off Australia’s northeast coast. All passengers were rescued, but Blondin lost his performance rope.

A Round-the-World Adventure

Returning to England in March 1875, Blondin and Charlotte then embarked on a two-year global tour with their three youngest children. Stops included Australia, New Zealand, California, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil.

Between Aden and Ceylon aboard the steamer Poonah, Blondin performed an extraordinary feat: walking a rope stretched between the mainmast and mizzenmast, sitting five times due to heavy waves. His son Henry Coleman served as his assistant for the first time on this tour.

Return to France and a Grand Project Gone Wrong

Blondin’s third French appearance in late 1877 at the Palais de l’Industrie was a success, attended by General Ulysses S. Grant. Encouraged, Blondin invested in Galeries Parisiennes, an entertainment complex near Alma Bridge featuring an artificial Niagara Falls crossing. The project collapsed after the entrepreneur was arrested for fraud, leaving Blondin financially ruined again.

A Drastic Change of Fortune

Forced to sell Niagara Villa, Blondin moved to 6 Boscobel Gardens near Marylebone Station. He supported himself by performing frequently across the UK, Europe, and India.

A Marriage Regularised

On 29 October 1881, following the death of his first wife, Blondin formally married Charlotte Lawrence, regularising their marriage after years together.

Disillusionment in America

In 1888, Blondin signed with impresario Imre Kiralfy for New York performances but was restricted to venues with safety nets and barred from Central Park. Proposals for new Niagara crossings were rejected, prompting Blondin’s bitter declaration: “I do not like America. I will not come here again.” He returned to England shortly afterwards.

Personal Loss

On 15 December 1888, Charlotte, Blondin’s devoted wife and partner, passed away.

Settling at Little Ealing

In 1889, Blondin purchased Niagara House in Little Ealing, London. Surrounded by gardens, it became his sanctuary. He lived there with his daughter Adèle, a coachman, servant, and a pack of beloved black-and-tan terriers. His son Henry Coleman lived nearby. Blondin was often visited by journalists from prestigious magazines, keen to interview one of the world’s earliest iconic entertainers.

A Late-Life Marriage

Despite advancing age, Blondin remained active. In 1895, while performing in Blackpool, he suffered a severe back injury. Cared for by 29-year-old nurse Katherine James, Blondin married her on 29 November 1895. Remarkably, the next day he travelled to Glasgow to honour a two-week engagement.

Final Years and Decline

Blondin battled diabetes and deteriorating eyesight, giving his final performance in Leeds in August 1896.

He died on 22 February 1897, at his home ("Niagara House") in Little Ealing, less than one week away from what would have been his 73rd birthday.

A Hero’s Farewell

Blondin was buried on 25 February at Kensal Green Cemetery, London. The ceremony was attended by a large crowd. A coil of rope tied with white ribbons adorned his coffin. Reverend M. C. Richardson described Blondin as “a model of courage and domestic virtues.”

Blondin in Bruton, England, 1892 — Blondin at East Somerset Agricultural Society Show, Bruton, England, 13 Oct. 1892
Photograph. Courtesy of Sherborne School Archive

Blondin en chevalier, oil on canvas
With the kind permission of Roderick Gravelet-Blondin, Pretoria, SA

Blondin portrait. Photo by Charles Reutlinger atelier, Paris.
Photograph. Source: Musée Carnavalet, Histoire de Paris

Blondin

by Jean-Louis Brenac

Tightrope walker, showman, enigma, Blondin’s true story has long been clouded by myth. Jean-Louis Brenac, his great-great-grandson, unveils the real Blondin in a monumental four-volume biography, the result of years of investigation, discovery and devotion.

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