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- [S30] Suffolk County News, Sayville, Islip, NY, 5 April 1929, p. 12. Obituary.
"William Seeley, proprietor of the Better 'Ole Inn at Brookhaven, died last Friday in the French Hospital in New York City after an illness of several months. Mr. Seeley, who was for many years an old time stage star, had traveled through nearly every stage in the Union and although he retired from the stage many years ago, always remained in touch with his theatrical friends and often entertained them at the Better 'Ole. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Lucile Seeley, and a son, William Seeley, Jr. Funeral services were held on Monday morning from the Campbell funeral parlors in New York City."
- [S104] The Long Islander, (Huntington, New York), ; Suffolk Historic Newspapers, a cooperative project of Suffolk County, New York, public libraries, http://shn.suffolk.lib.ny.us/., 13 May 1938.
"Mrs. Florence Seeley, who makes her home at Glynn's Inn, Fort Hill, is recuperating at the Knapp Memorial Hospital in Manhattan from a serious operation on her eye. She formerly conducted the old "Better 'Ole" at Brookhaven, and is well known in theatrical circles."
Fort Hill was apparently a neighborhood in Huntington, NY.
- [S1348] Otago Witness, Otago, New Zealand, 8 Haratua 1901 (May-June, 1901), p. 57.
Ma'mselle Rhodesia
(Original text not paragraphed. Here paragraphed to make reading easier)
A few days prior to the arrival of Fitzgerald Bros.' Big Show in Dunedin, Mr. Tom Fitzgerald, in the course of a conversation with the Witness representative, said that amongst the many clever and interesting artists he had engaged during his nine months' tour of the world on e of the most charming, clever, and entertaining was Miss Florrie Rhodesia, known in London as the lady Cinquevalli. When the Big Show arrived in Dunedin on a wintry Sunday morning a few weeks ago, the first person Mr. Tom Fitzgerald introduced the writer to was Miss Rhodesia.
In an interview a few days later Miss Rhodesia said "I joined the business in London when I was 10 years old, but two years earlier I was apprenticed to the slack-wire, and known as La Belle Florence. I chose that name out of compliment to the lady who first filed me with the ambition to do something extraordinary in a circus, Mme. La Belle, leading rider in Henglet's Circus. When my apprenticeship expired I accepted an engagement with Fillis's Circus for a tour in South Africa. It was while with Fillis' Circus, doing the slack-wire act, that I started the juggling, practising every spare moment I had. In the evening at the circus I practiced continually, and was even so daring as to juggle while on the wire. Remember at this time I was only an infant at the business. However, after two years' practice from 6 in the morning until 5 in the evening, and on the slack-wire at the show, I began to flatter myself that I knew a little about it.
At the conclusion of my engagement in South Africa with Fillis's Circus, which lasted over two years, I returned to London fired with ambition. Arrived there, I engaged a music hall for an indefinite tune (sic), and practised in it every day for four months without showing. My first appearance as a lady juggler was at the New Cross Hall, in a benefit for the London Hospital. That appearance for so well-deserved an object proved my Mascotte, and success since then has been great.
I have travelled all over the civilised world, and have everywhere been received right loyally. This is my first visit to this part of the world, and I love it. When Mr. Tom Fitzgerald engaged me for an Australasian tour I was showing at the City Varieties Theatre, Leeds. Prior to Mr. Fitzgerald engaging me, I was contemplating a tour of America. I am really glad that I got the chance to come to the colonies. Mr. Fitzgerald engaged me for 12 months, 10 of which which have simply flown, so happy has my lot been since joining the Fitzgerald Bros."
"How did you come to take the name of "Rhodesia" I asked "Pasquin," when madam's musical voice had for a second ceased to ripple. "It was this way. While touring South Africa with Fillis's Circus Mr. Frank Fillis selected several of his best riders to assemble at the Adderley street station, Capetown, to meet Mr. Cecil Rhodes, who was returning from Rhodesia, and form a guard of honour. The name Rhodesia struck me then so forcibly as a novel one for the business that on returning to England to take up my juggling I adopted it, and was known in a very short while as 'Mamselle Florrie Rhodesia, the lady Cinquevalli.' This, I suppose, because I had mastered most of the famous Cinquevalli's tricks.
Up to the time of my leaving England, now 10 months ago, I was the only lady doing this particular act, but I suppose, someone will have copied me ere this. I still practice very hard, and hope some day to deserve all the kind of things prognosticated of my future. In Australia I was billed as the only lady Cinquevalli, but this was too high praise, as I think Cinquevalli without parallel in his line."
[Madam was set a very difficult task in Australia when called upon to hold up with both hands the reputation she had gained, and the right to be called the only lady Cinquevalli—the rival of the Prince of Jugglers.—Pasquin.]
- [S115] Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2002. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington,, Census Place: Brookhaven, Suffolk, New York; Roll 1650; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 39; Image: 422.0.
- [S30] Suffolk County News, Sayville, Islip, NY, 21 July 1905. p. 3.
"Mr. William Seeley, accompanied by his bride, arrived in Sayville on Sunday last from London, and is now occupying his country home, Deer Hill Farm, to the north of this village. Mrs. Seeley is known abroad as the society lady juggler and has just completed a tour of portions of Australia, Asia and New Zealand. She is known on the stage as Miss Rhodesia and was married to Mr. Seeley in London."
- [S104] The Long Islander, (Huntington, New York), ; Suffolk Historic Newspapers, a cooperative project of Suffolk County, New York, public libraries, http://shn.suffolk.lib.ny.us/., 13 May 1938.
"Mrs. Florence Seeley, who makes her home at Glynn's Inn, Fort Hill, is recuperating at the Knapp Memorial Hospital in Manhattan from a serious operation on her eye. She formerly conducted the old "Better 'Ole" at Brookhaven, and is well known in theatrical circles."
That she may have died in the Town of Huntington, NY is suggested by her 1938 residence. Fort Hill was apparently a neighborhood in Huntington.
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1879 - Aft 1938 (> 60 years)
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