#abomah

[kemetic-dreams]

MME ABOMAH "THE AFRICAN GIANTESS," : THE TALLEST LADY IN THE WORLD

Ella Williams who prefers to be call by her showbiz name Mme Abomah was once the world`s tallest hot and beautiful lady in the late 1800`s and early 1900`s. She was reputed to be 7ft 6inch giantess. Though she was born in South Carolina in USA, her show managers claims she was born In Dahomey (now Republic of Benin).

In her own words Mme Abomah says "I was born near Cross Hill in Laurens county. None of my sisters or brothers are unusually large.  For years every time a show man saw me he would want  me to sign a contract, but I never could make up my mind to leave Columbia. Finally in the fall of 1896 while I was cooking for a prominent family in Columbia, Manager F.C. Bostock got me to sign up for a tour."  - 1915

Born in South Carolina in Oct. of 1865, Ella Grigsby narrowly missed being born a slave as the 13th Amendment to the U.S Constitution was ratified only 10 months previous.  Ella came to work for Elihu and Harriet Williams when as a teenager.  Perhaps because Grigsby was the family name of her parent's slave holders Ella took the Williams surname as her own.  The "tour" that Frank Bostock signed Ella up for was a tour of the British Isles.  Bostock understood that Ella's act would not go over well in her native country because at that time another Ella - Ella Ewing - a white giantess from Missouri was touring.  Racism in Europe was not as pronounced as in the States so Miss Williams was ultimately to find greater success on foreign soil.

Like so many performers of her time  Abomah's manager mixed a little fact with fiction in promoting his ward.Her stage name came from Abomey, the capital of the Kingdom of Dahomey (now Benin).  Abomah was initially promoted as being one of the legendary Dahomey Amazons, which was a real, all female fighting force that existed right up to the time the giantess began touring. "One of King Dahomey's Amazons who has been brought over to England for show purposes is a giantess indeed.  Her height is eight feet, and she is both broad and muscular." ----  American press, June 1900

Below is a vivid fact mixed with fiction story on Lady Abomah:

An African Giantess Abomah, a superb specimen of the African negress, who enjoys the distinction of being the tallest woman living, is black as ebony, and endowed with great physical strength, combined with a symmetrically molded figure, is now on her way to Liverpool. She was formerly one of the attendants and body guard of the barbaric King of Dahomey, whose Amazonian warriors have been famous alike for their prowess and cruelty. Trained for her bloodthirsty calling from early childhood, she was inured to hardship and pain.  Her stature increasing out of proportion to her years, she became a particular favorite of the monarch, and led his army.  This extraordinary woman stands over eight feet in height, and can easily support the weight of a man on her outstretched hand.  The dusky beauty, having recently evinced a strong desire to travel, and particularly to visit England, will no doubt soon pay a visit to some of our principal cities. -  London Tit-Bits ( 7 Sept 1900)

[fellowfrockery]

Madame Abomah, billed as a "giantess" is another of the real vaudeville characters in my new book, Ada, coming out next week. In the first years of the 20th Century Madame Abomah (Ella Williams from South Carolina) performed as a singer in Australia. She appeared at Kreitmeyer's Waxworks in Bourke St, Melbourne and in country towns everywhere. She is said to have delayed going home because she was terrified of sea travel and knew she'd have to stay drunk from Sydney to San Francisco. Miss Williams was the first child of her family to be born after slavery was outlawed. She looks very dignified in every surviving photo and there is something deliciously defiant in the effect of wearing an aigret ostrich plume to make her appear even taller. More on Ada - http://bit.ly/2fo2c5K or kazcooke.com.au #madamabomah #abomah #giantess #vaudeville #performer #travellingshow #musichall #australianhistory #adabook #aigret #ostrichfeather #sequins #emancipation

[callmeanxietygirl]

La N39ra más alta del mundo

Mme Abomah, conocida como la Giganta del Amazonas y la Giganta Africana. Alguna vez fue la dama más alta del mundo a fines del siglo XIX y principios del XX. Abomah era una celebridad internacional conocida como la Giganta del Amazonas y la Giganta Africana. A principios de 1900, viajó por todo el mundo como la mujer más alta del mundo. Ella fue catalogada como de 7'4 "/ 7'6" de altura. Su verdadero nombre pudo haber sido Ella Grigsby. Un anuncio en el periódico también la llama “Ella Abomah”. Cuando aún era adolescente y bella, Abomah comenzó a trabajar para Elihu y Harriet Williams. Se especula que, dado que Grigsby era el nombre del propietario de esclavos de sus padres, ella se mostró reacia a usarlo y, por lo tanto, adoptó el apellido de su empleador. Sin embargo, en muchas fuentes, se la conoce simplemente como "Abomah

Abomah afirmó que ninguno de sus otros hermanos era inusualmente grande y que varios promotores de vodevil y circo la habían contactado para firmar un contrato y hacer una gira como giganta, pero siempre se negó. Sin embargo, mientras trabajaba como cocinera en su Carolina del Sur natal, aceptó ser contratada por Frank C. Bostock para una gira por las Islas Británicas en 1896.

En sus propias palabras Mme. Abomah dice: “Nací cerca de Cross Hill en el condado de Laurens. Ninguna de mis hermanas o hermanos es inusualmente grande. Durante años, cada vez que un hombre del espectáculo me veía, quería que firmara un contrato, pero nunca pude decidirme a dejar Columbia. Finalmente, en el otoño de 1896, mientras cocinaba para una familia prominente en Columbia, el Gerente F.C. Bostock consiguió que me inscribiera en una gira”. (1915)

Bostock la renombró Mme. Abomah (Abomey era la entonces capital de Dahomey, ahora conocida como Benin), y la presentó como una princesa guerrera africana. Fue anunciada como una amazona de Dahomey; una de las guardaespaldas de la vida real que protegió al gobernante.

Se dice que Abomah y su manager llevaron su acto a Europa porque el racismo en Europa no era tan pronunciado como en los Estados Unidos y el público allí sería más receptivo a una mujer negra muy alta, fuerte y hermosa. En el transcurso de su carrera de 30 años, Abomah realizó una gira no solo por Gran Bretaña sino por la mayor parte de Europa continental, Australia y Nueva Zelanda, América del Sur y Cuba.

Según su panfleto biográfico, que vendía en sus espectáculos, Abomah apareció en 1900 en Liverpool con Reynold's Waxworks and Exhibition; 1901 y 1902 en la Alhambra, Blackpool; 1903 con Reynold's y luego de gira por Australia; temporadas 1904-08, de gira por Nueva Zelanda; 1909, gira sudamericana; 1910-11, gira europea; 1912-13, Fábrica de cera de Reynold; 1914, recorriendo salones de variedades ingleses; 1917 Dreamland en Coney Island y Cuba; 1918 con Barnum y Bailey. En 1920 estuvo en Dreamland and the World's Museum y en 1921 nuevamente en el World's Museum de Filadelfia cuando se anunció que navegaría hacia París para un compromiso de tres meses.

En Nueva Zelanda, Abomah tenía un guardarropa muy caro y extenso. Ella también tenía un asistente, lo que invocaba un sentido de realeza.

Gran Bretaña declaró la guerra a Alemania en agosto de 1914. Abomah canceló sus giras y regresó a los Estados Unidos en marzo de 1915 evitando por poco los ataques a Londres de los zepelines alemanes en abril. Trabajó para Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey y en Coney Island. Su carrera continuó hasta la década de 1920, y luego aparentemente desapareció de la historia.

[2t2r]

Quelques portraits de Ella Williams alias madame Abomah la géante africaine, la plus grande femme du monde du début 20eme siècle

Nouvel article publié sur 2tout2rien: https://www.2tout2rien.fr/quelques-portraits-de-ella-williams-alias-madame-abomah-la-plus-grande-femme-du-monde-de-la-fin-de-19eme-debut-20eme-siecle/

Quelques portraits de Ella Williams alias madame Abomah la géante africaine, la plus grande femme du monde du début 20eme siècle

[intothebeautifulnew]

Abomah, the African Giantess

Abomah was an extremely tall woman who became something of an international celebrity, playing across Europe & Australia &, of course, the United States in the early 1900's.  A good number of photos still exist of her towering elegantly over this person & that.  (use the arrows on either side of the photo to view additional pictures)

Several sources say her real name was Ella Grigsby; a newspaper advertisement also calls her "Ella Abomah." Because Grigsby was the name of her parents' slaveholder, she was reluctant to use it and sometimes went by the name of Ella Williams.   In nearly all sources, she's known simply as "Abomah."  Originally from Columbia, South Carolina, she didn't particularly want to leave home to go on the road, but while working as a cook for a well-off family she was finally convinced in 1898 -- probably through the waving of cash.  Showpeople who were genuine freaks, as they called themselves, could make an excellent wage, especially if they were congenial and could combine their oddity with talents.  Basically, if they could "rise above" their affliction and show this to an audience, they could play at the best circuses.

It's said that Abomah and her manager took her act to Europe because audiences were more receptive there to a  very tall, strong, beautiful black woman.  As usual, the show publicity claimed she was African; an article in a British newspaper put out this bit of appealing fantasy:

She was formerly one of the attendants and body guard of the barbaric King of Dahomey, whose Amazonian warriors have been famous alike for their prowess and cruelty. Trained for her bloodthirsty calling from early childhood, she was inured to hardship and pain.  Her stature increasing out of proportion to her years, she became a particular favorite of the monarch, and led his army.  This extraordinary woman stands over eight feet in height, and can easily support the weight of a man on her outstretched hand.

It was also claimed that Abomah was one of the Dahomey Amazons.

While most newspapers praised her poise, intelligence, and "dusky beauty," they also praised her singing voice.  Apparently, though, the show had to have its period touch of  racism: Abomah sang "The Honolulu Belle," and was encored, and at the close of the entertaiment gave "All coons look alike to me" with equal success. (This was actually a very popular song in the time period, sung at both black and blackface minstrel shows.)

After touring in Europe & South America for more than fifteen years, she returned to the US and worked for Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey and at Coney Island.  Her career continued into the 1920's, and then apparently she disappears from history.  I don't know anything about her personal life -- whether she was married, had lovers of either gender -- I haven't seen a reference to this.   I like to hope she made it back to South Carolina.