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34-599: The first human cannonball, launched in 1877 at the Royal Aquarium in London , was the 17-year-old Rossa Matilda Richter , going by the stage name "Zazel". She was launched by a spring-style cannon invented by the Canadian William Leonard Hunt ("The Great Farini"). She later toured with the P.T. Barnum Circus . Farini's cannon used rubber springs to launch a person from the cannon, limiting

68-439: A catapult , where the cylinder propelling the human stops at the mouth of the cannon. Some cannons utilize nitrocellulose , specifically the dinitrate ester , cellulose dinitrate (pyroxylin). In a circus performance, gunpowder may be used to provide visual and auditory effects unrelated to the launching mechanism. Fireworks and smoke may also be used to increase the visual effect. The largest retailer of these human cannons

102-516: A cough. The pills made her ill, and she stopped taking them. The unused pills were passed to Scotland Yard , and she was traced by Inspector Jarvis of the Metropolitan police . He identified the missing major as the serial killer Thomas Neill Cream . The pills were analysed and found to contain only quinine . Turner refused to identify Cream for fear of having to appear at the trial and have her own respectability questioned. After its opening,

136-522: A human cannonball died as a result of the failure of the safety net. Landing is considered to be the most dangerous aspect of the act. The human cannonball principle is the subject of a patent application by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency , whereby a rail-guided chair driven by compressed air is brought to a sudden stop, propelling the special forces member, police officer or firefighter onto

170-610: A human. He first tested his new cannon with his son Bruno Zacchini, and after traveling back to Italy, Ringling Brothers scouts invited the Zacchini family to the United States. Members of the Zacchini family were later inducted into the Ringling Brothers Circus Hall of Fame. The impetus in the cannon is provided either by a spring or jet of compressed air . This makes the device work more like

204-474: A skating rink and a theatre. The Aquarium adopted an expensive system of supplying fresh and sea water from four cisterns sunk into the foundations. The system quickly ran into problems. The large tanks for fish did not contain any. This became a standing joke, but the directors did display a dead whale in 1877. By the 1890s, the Aquarium acquired a risqué reputation, as unaccompanied ladies promenaded through

238-695: Is a multi-purpose venue in the City of Westminster , London, serving primarily as a Methodist church and a conference centre . The building also houses an art gallery, a restaurant, and office spaces (used formerly as the headquarters of the Methodist Church of Great Britain until 2000). It contains 22 conference, meeting and seminar rooms, the largest being the Great Hall , which seats 2,300. Central Hall also acts as an important spiritual and sacred place for Methodists. Methodist Central Hall occupies

272-522: Is estimated that Smith Sr. traveled at over 70 miles per hour (110 km/h) during the flight. Circus performer Bello Nock performed a human cannonball stunt involving him flying over the main rotor of a helicopter during the ninth episode of the twelfth season of America’s Got Talent . More than 30 human cannonballs have died during the performance of this stunt. Among the latest was that which occurred in Kent, United Kingdom on April 25, 2011, where

306-515: Is located in Greensburg, Pennsylvania . This supplier provides approximately 80% of all human cannon catapults. There is a claim that the current world record for the longest human cannonball flight is 193 ft 8.8 in (59.05 m), established by David "The Bullet" Smith Jr. on the set of Lo Show dei Record , in Milan, Italy, on March 10, 2011. The distance was measured from the mouth of

340-610: The City Hall building in Cathays Park , Cardiff , with which it shares many similarities. Although clad in an elaborate baroque style, to contrast with Westminster Abbey , it is an early example of the use of a reinforced concrete frame for a building in Britain. The interior was similarly planned on a Piranesian scale, although the execution was rather more economical. The original 1904 design included two small towers on

374-639: The FIFA World Cup Jules Rimet Trophy was on display at Central Hall in preparation for the football tournament being held in England that summer. It was stolen from the hall on 20 March 1966 and was recovered seven days later in south London, but the thief was never caught. England won the trophy four months later. The Jules Rimet Trophy was stolen again in Brazil and never recovered, and so had to be replaced. In 2017, Central Hall

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408-486: The suffragette movement took place at Methodist Central Hall in 1914. Scenes were re-enacted in the 2015 film Suffragette , some of which was shot in the hall. Methodist Central Hall hosted the first meeting of the United Nations General Assembly in 1946. In return for the use of the hall, the assembly voted to fund the repainting of the walls of the church in a light blue. While it

442-730: The Aquarium in 1891. Located across the street from the Houses of Parliament , the Aquarium was popular with members of the House of Commons . The comedian Arthur Roberts also sang a song about the Aquarium: The Aquarium Theatre at the west end of the Royal Aquarium opened on 15 April 1876. The theatre was also designed by Bedborough and was built by Messrs. Lucas with a capacity of 1,293. Henry Jones (1822-1900) built an unusually large and powerful Grand Organ for

476-453: The Royal Aquarium under the supervision of Sullivan. The organ was installed at the rear of the main stage in 1876 at the opening of the Hall. In 1878, however, it was moved from the stage to a position up in the gallery. The School for Scandal played at the theatre in 1877, as did a revival of W. S. Gilbert 's adaptation of Great Expectations . Samuel Phelps made his last appearance at

510-485: The building until 1991 when it held two seminars there. In 1968, Central Hall hosted the first public performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber 's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in a concert that also included his father (organist William Lloyd Webber who was musical director at Central Hall), his brother the cellist Julian Lloyd Webber and pianist John Lill . In early 1966

544-534: The cannon to the farthest point reached on the net. Smith was launched by an 8 m (26' 3") long cannon. It was estimated that he traveled at a speed of 120 km/h (74.6 mph), reaching a maximum altitude of 23 m (75' 6"). There is, however, a contradictory claim that Smith's father, David "Cannonball" Smith Sr., set a record of 200 ft 4 in (61.06 m), on August 31, 2002, at The Steele County Free Fair , in Owatonna, Minnesota . It

578-632: The corner of Tothill Street and Storeys Gate just off Victoria Street in London, near the junction with The Sanctuary next to the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre and facing Westminster Abbey . Methodist Central Hall was erected by Wesleyan Methodists as one of their mixed-purpose 'central halls'. Central Hall was to act not only as a church, but to be of "great service for conferences on religious, educational, scientific, philanthropic and social questions". The hall

612-464: The distance they could be launched. Richter's career as a human cannonball ended when she broke her back during an unrelated tightrope act. During World War I , Ildebrando Zacchini proposed using spring-loaded cannons to shoot Italian soldiers across enemy lines, but the Italian government considered the plan too risky. In Cairo in 1922, Zacchini invented a cannon that used compressed air to launch

646-576: The expensive Aquarium and its programme of art exhibits and classical music were indifferently received by the public, and the venture was failing. Soon, instead of scientific lectures and the high-minded entertainments intended for the hall by its founders, the directors turned to more profitable music hall and variety acts (animal acts, African dancers, hypnotists, etc.) The Aquarium became most famous for offering dangerous and sensational circus and other acts. The showman and tightrope walker The Great Farini programmed many of these beginning in 1877. One of

680-589: The hall in search of male companionship. Emily Turner, a visitor from Montreal , worked as a salesgirl at the Aquarium between October 1891 and January 1892. She met a Major Hamilton there, who bought her supper at Gatti's (in the Strand) and took her to entertainments at the Alhambra Theatre , promising to set her up in rooms in Lambeth . The major disappeared after providing her with "gelatin capsules" for

714-759: The high standard of her productions, the theatre was not successful, and Langtry withdrew in 1903. The theatre hosted His Majesty's Servant in 1904 and The Perfect Lover in 1905. After the Royal Aquarium was demolished in 1903, the Imperial Theatre continued to stand on the site until it finally closed in 1907 and was pulled down. The interior of the theatre was saved and re-erected as the Imperial Palace in Canning Town in 1909. Methodist Central Hall Westminster The Methodist Central Hall (also known as Central Hall Westminster )

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748-508: The main (east) façade, facing Westminster Abbey. These were never built, supposedly because of an outcry that they would reduce the dominance of Nicholas Hawksmoor 's west towers at Westminster Abbey in views from St James's Park . The hall was eventually finished in 1911. The domed ceiling of the Great Hall is reputed to be the second largest of its type in the world. The vast scale of the self-supporting ferro-concrete structure reflects

782-658: The most famous was the young female human cannonball , Zazel , who was launched by an apparatus of Farini's design. The perceived danger of these acts caused protests and put the venue's licence in doubt but drew crowds. In 1880, George Leybourne popularised a song about the Aquarium that parodied Alfred Vance 's song "Walking in the Zoo": The all-day variety entertainments at the Aquarium turned less respectable, including billiards matches, novelty acts and side-shows of all kinds, and commercial stalls offering perfumery and gloves. George Robey made his first professional appearance at

816-425: The original intention that Central Hall was intended to be a meeting place for "open-air preaching with the roof on". The angels in the exterior spandrels were designed by Henry Poole . The organ was built in 1912 by William Hill & Sons and rebuilt and revised in 1970 by Rushworth and Dreaper . In 2011, Harrison & Harrison revised the layout, provided new slider soundboards and actions and painted

850-467: The roof of a tall building. Royal Aquarium The Royal Aquarium and Winter Garden was a place of amusement in Westminster , London. It opened in 1876, and the building was demolished in 1903. The attraction was located northwest of Westminster Abbey on Tothill Street. The building was designed by Alfred Bedborough in an ornamental style faced with Portland stone . The Aquarium Theatre

884-568: The theatre by Walter Emden , and in 1901 it was rebuilt by Frank Verity for Lillie Langtry , who took over the theatre in 1900. Its capacity was reduced to 1,150, with a stage width of 62 feet (19 m) and depth of 40 feet (12 m). Langtry reopened the theatre in 1901 with Berton's A Royal Necklace . The theatre presented Everyman in 1902 and When We Dead Awaken by Henrik Ibsen in January 1903. George Bernard Shaw 's The Admirable Bashville also played here in 1903. Despite

918-493: The theatre in 1878. The farce Fun in a Fog played at the theatre in 1878, and Family Honour by Frank Marshall premiered in the same year. The theatre was named the Imperial Theatre in 1879. The Beaux' Stratagem by George Farquhar , She Stoops to Conquer by Goldsmith and The Poor Gentleman all played at the theatre that year. Shakespeare's As You Like It and Anne Mie , by Roster Faasen, played at

952-679: The theatre in 1880, as did the comic opera Billee Taylor , composed by Edward Solomon , with a libretto by Henry Pottinger Stephens . Good-Natured Man played in 1881. In 1882, Lillie Langtry appeared at the theatre in Tom Taylor 's An Unequal Match . Good as Gold by Matthews Mone, Camille (an English adaptation of Dumas' play) and Auld Robin Gray by George Roy played here in 1883, as did Aurora Floyd , by J. B. Ashley and Cyril Melton, in 1885. A Fast Life by Hubert O'Grady played in 1898. In 1898, extensive alterations were made to

986-409: Was 340 feet (104 m) long by 160 feet (49 m) wide. A roof of glass and iron covered it. It was decorated with palm trees, fountains, pieces of original sculpture, thirteen large tanks meant to be filled with curious sea creatures and an orchestra capable of accommodating 400 performers. Surrounding the main hall were rooms for eating, smoking, reading and playing chess, as well as an art gallery,

1020-764: Was being used by the UN General Assembly, the congregation relocated to the Coliseum Theatre . It has been regularly used for political rallies—famous speakers have included Winnie Mandela , Mahatma Gandhi and Mikhail Gorbachev . In September 1972 the Conservative Monday Club held a much publicised "Halt Immigration Now!" public meeting in the main hall, addressed by several prominent speakers including members of parliament Ronald Bell , John Biggs-Davison , Harold Soref , and John Stokes . The Monday Club continued its use of

1054-549: Was built in 1905–1911 on the site of the Royal Aquarium, Music Hall and Imperial Theatre , an entertainment complex that operated with varying success from 1876 to 1903. Construction was funded between 1898 and 1908 by the "Wesleyan Methodist Twentieth Century Fund" (or the "Million Guinea Fund", as it became more commonly known), whose aim was to raise one million guineas from one million Methodists. The fund closed in 1904 having raised 1,024,501 guineas (£1,075,727). The building played host to several important events; meetings of

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1088-479: Was host to the first FIFA Interactive World Cup final where Spencer Ealing (known as Gorilla) beat Kai Wollin (known as DETO). In 2005, Central Hall controversially applied for a licence to sell alcohol in its café and conference venues. As the Methodist Church has traditionally promoted abstinence and usually forbids consumption of alcohol on church premises, many Methodists argued that the application

1122-773: Was in defiance of church rules and a written objection was compiled. It is frequently used for public enquiries, including those into the Ladbroke Grove rail crash , the sinking of the Marchioness pleasure boat, and the Bloody Sunday incident in Northern Ireland . The Methodist Central Hall is a Grade II* listed building. It was designed by Edwin Alfred Rickards , of the firm Lanchester, Stewart and Rickards . This company also designed

1156-488: Was located in the west end of the building and was renamed the Imperial Theatre in 1879. Methodist Central Hall now occupies the site. The Royal Aquarium opened on 22 January 1876. Its board of directors included Henry Labouchère , the financier and journalist; William Whiteley the retailer; and Arthur Sullivan , the composer. It was intended to offer art exhibitions, concerts and plays, among other intellectual entertainments such as The Crystal Palace . The main hall

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