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The Davenport Family
Davenports shop in London became a mecca for magicians, and the world's best magicians became customers and friends.
These included such "greats" as Cardini, Kalanag, Dante, The Great Levante, Murray, Jasper Maskelyne, The Great Lyle, Robert Harbin, Channing Pollock, Jay Marshal, both Blackstone Snr. and Jnr. and Paul Daniels.
Really, the Davenports have been known to and friends of most magicians of their eras.
Lewis Davenport founded the business in 1898 when only sixteen.
While the business was growing, Lewis travelled a great deal, performing magic in variety theatres with his first wife Julia, then with his second wife Winifred.
When his four children were old enough, they too became indispensable in the business - his eldest son George, known as Gilly, taking over day to day management of the business.
After Gilly’s death in 1962, he was succeeded by his daughter Betty, and in time Betty's son Bill took the reins.
Other family members have done their bit to establish the family on the magic scene.
George's younger daughter, Jean, married the renowned card expert Roy Walton and moved to Scotland to manage the shop which the family owned in Glasgow.
Betty’s husband, Fergus, apart from helping to run the business, has written books. He received the Milbourne Christopher Award for Literature for his series on the Davenport family.
Another of Lewis's sons, Gus, ran Davenports wholesale business and was well-respected for his close up skills.
Gus's son, John, and his wife Anne have focused on researching and sharing information on magic history. Anne's book with John Salisse, has become the definite volume on the Maskelynes at St George's Hall.
Moving to the fourth generation, Bill's brother Roy is a professional magician, best known for his manipulation skills for which he won an award at the 1997 Dresden FISM World Championships.
The family has received numerous awards which include the prestigious Maskelyne Award from The Magic Circle, The Murray Award from the Blackpool Magicians Club and in 2024, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Magical Arts.
Find out more in "The Davenport Story"
The Davenport family reveals in spectacular detail, in this four-volume series, secrets gathered over 110 years as dealers, performers and hoarders of magical memorabilia.
The Davenport Story - Volume 1 £68
The Davenport Story - Volume 2 £68
The Davenport Story - Volume 3 £68 OUT OF STOCK