76 PECULIAR POSTCARDS
The Evel Knievel of roller-skating
George S Monohan was born in the United States in or around 1880. A short, wiry, agile man, he became a professional rollerskater, performing tricks in America’s many skating rinks. Roller-skating was a highly fashionable sport around the turn of the century, and Monohan flourished as a result.
In late 1908, he travelled to Europe, and in December he made his debut at the American Roller-Skating Rink in Dublin. The following month, he was in Edinburgh, before visiting a number of Northern towns, with much success. He dressed in elaborate costumes, and went through a number of daring tricks, like jumping over a row of nine chairs, skating through a maze of lighted candles, or skating on top of a barrel. ‘The Great Monohan’, as he called himself with American disdain for modesty, became quite a success in Britain. Every town had its roller-skating rink, and Monohan was in high demand to come and show off his skills. He brought a supply of postcards to sign for his admirers, and these are today quite scarce and sought after, particularly the coloured ones.
The Great Monohan continued touring throughout 1909 and 1910. He offered medals to those who were successful at replicating his tricks, both ladies and gentlemen, although heavy and undignified falls were the order of the day when the amateurs tried jumping the chair or skating on the barrel. In April 1910, he was a success at the Stow Hill Roller-Skating Rink in Newport, a former cinema situated directly opposite the main entrance to the Union Workhouse (today St Woolos Hospital). He danced on stage and performed the spreadeagle: there was tumultuous applause when the scene was darkened for him to skate through the maze of 16 lighted candles. He sold his postcards and gave the spectators free tips on trick and fancy skating.
During some stage of his British career, The Great Monohan published a short book entitled Roller-Skating for Novice and Expert, which he sold while on tour. Back home in America, he had been inspired by ‘Baby Ruth’ the roller-skating pony, and purchased two four-month-old bear cubs for $50. He named them Teddy and Buster, and set about training them to skate; but then he was invited to come to Britain and had to get rid of them. When he returned to the United States, he promised, he would get hold of some young bear cubs and make show skaters of them. The ‘Barrel Trick’ was his main stunt, and the confident American believed himself to be without a rival in its execution. Nor were any of his adversaries in the roller-skating world capable of jumping over a row of nine chairs, and most amateur skaters could not even manage one.
His nearly three-year tour of Britain ended in Dover in September 1911, after which he carried on his skating career in the United States throughout 1912 and 1913. As the craze for roller-skating faded away, so did Monohan’s fame.