Archive relating to daredevil, parachutist, and aerial and bicycle stuntman William "Stub" Campbell
[No Place]: [No Publisher], ca. 1889 - 1925.
Archive of letters, cards, aerial circus stationery, advertisements, and documents relating to the life of the early 20th century parachutist/ aerial and bicycle stunt performer William "Stub" Campbell [1865-1928]. Overall Very Good condition with some wear to each item, including edge tears and rusty marks left by paperclips; newspaper clippings browned and brittle. Among the items are the following:
- Lists and notes on loose leaves made by Campbell, including stunt instructions with accompanying sketches.
- Fifth issue of The Tiger's ROAR, the official organ of the Pacific Coast Showmen's Association (no OCLC listings), with a marked notice that Brother Campbell captured the prize money at the Spokane Air Derby.
- 1915 and 1917 membership booklets from the Hotel and Restaurant Employes' [sic] International Alliance and Bartenders' International League of America, and a couple of 1918 letters recommending Campbell for employment in the Red Cross -- evidence that the war years may have been a difficult time for the circus industry. A small newspaper clipping indicates that the recommendation letters had their intended effect:
- A letter from a friend serving in the Japanese military, and six letters from a friend visiting Washington State in 1920: "Well we arrived in Seattle yesterday morning and I sure do feel blue. This is some rotten town. Nothing doing here. Everybody is out of work."
- Postwar stationery advertising Barr's Fiery Circus tours in Japan and the United States; business was clearly on the mend. The circus was a night show of airplanes, balloons, and fireworks featuring acts like "The Devil's Downfall," "The Man in the Moon," and "The Human Torpedo." One sheet has the ghoulish blurb: "Featuring the Spectacular and Hazardous 'Tailspin of Fire' (In which Lieut. Locklear met his death, August 2nd, 1920)."
- Diary entries from Campbell's trip to Japan. Also a passport registered for the 1921 tour abroad containing a clear photograph of Campbell and giving his birthday as March 19, 1871 and his height as five feet four inches.
- Ephemera relating to Campbell's personal life, including a child's school certificate and a circa 1917 newspaper notice that his wife had filed for divorce on grounds of cruelty. Also miscellanea including advertisements for airplane cushions, a check for "services rendered on balloon," and two contestant ribbons, one in pieces.
A scattershot archive providing tantalizing glimpses of a man's life -- a man on the go, who delivered mail on horseback in his early days and later performed death-defying stunts at high speed. Death did eventually find the daredevil: in 1928, Campbell's parachute harness broke after he dropped from a plane, and he dropped 1,500 feet in front of a crowd of thousands, dying instantly on impact. One of the obituaries that appeared in newspapers across the country hailed him as a "pioneering parachutist" who thrilled the masses with jumps from burning balloons and airplanes over a 30-year career.W. C. Campbell, formerly of Sandy Flats, writes to the News from Venice, California, that he is now in the ambulance business for an undertaking firm and doing well. He first enlisted in Red Cross work. The Flu is very bad in his section, hundreds dying daily.
Price: $3,000