Clowns in full costume gather at Joseph Grimaldi’s graveside to pay homage to founder of their craft

Published: 3rd June, 2011
by ANDREW JOHNSON

THERE were clowns to the left and jokers to the right in Joseph Grimaldi Park on Tuesday as traditional funsters gathered to pay homage to the founder of their craft.

Clowns travelled from as far as Norfolk and as near as Islington to mark the 174th anniversary of the death of Joseph Grimaldi – the father of modern clowning.

“Every year, us clowns gather around here on this special day to remember and celebrate the talent of this great clown, Joseph Grimaldi, who died on this day 174 years ago, which would make him 310,” said Mattie Faint,  the director of the Clowns’ International Museum in Hackney, who helped organise the event. 

“He’s still known as the father of modern clowning, so, to use one of his stock phrases, ‘Here we are again’.”

Mr Faint then took a call from the spirit of Grimaldi on a plastic telephone. 

Mr Grimaldi, he said, expressed his satisfaction with the flowers laid on his grave.

Clown Gingernuts added: “Old clowns never die, they just grow Grimaldi.”

It is the first time clowns have worn their full regalia to mark the anniversary in more than 20 years, according to Brighton clown Susie Oddball, who added they wanted to re-establish the tradition of a fun day in the park to mark the anniversary. 

“This is the first time we’ve done this in full costume since the 1980s,” she said. 

“We’d like to liaise with the council and have a play day here to mark the event.”

On Tuesday, the clowns delighted children with their japes, buffoonery and bad magic tricks before they laid flowers on the  grave site.

His grave is in the park that bears his name in Pentonville Road – it is the former churchyard of St James’s Chapel. 

Grimaldi, who died in 1837 aged 59, was the son of the ballet-master at Drury Lane theatre, an Italian immigrant also named Joseph Grimaldi. 

Grimaldi Junior debuted at Sadler’s Wells theatre at the age of three.

As an actor he was the first person to paint his face and take the traditional country-bumpkin character in pantomime and the buffoon from Italian Commedia dell’Arte and turn his performance into the modern clown. 

His performances at Sadler’s Wells, which included physical comedy and visual tricks, were not only wildly popular but were considered unsurpassable. 

When he died it was feared pantomime would die with him.

He lived for a period in Exmouth Market. After retiring due to ill health in 1823, he spent much of his latter years drinking in the Cornwallis Tavern in Islington.

The clowns also paid tribute to former Islington Councillor deputy mayor Paul Matthews, who rediscovered and restored Grimaldi’s burial site. A tree of remembrance is planted next to the grave in his honour.