Charles Wilson, the Champion Jumper of the World

On 6 October 1902 the Athletic News reported that ‘the self-styled champion jumper’ had set some more records at the Manchester YMCA. ‘This time he claims three backward jumps, the distance covered being as follows: One back spring, 9ft. 2in.; two back spring 17 ft.; three back spring 25 ft. 8½ in.’

A few years later he was displaying his athletic prowess in a variety act at music halls around the country.

When he appeared at the Empire Theatre in Dublin, Freeman’s Journal (10 September 1907) reported that: ‘Early in the evening the audience was treated to a most interesting turn by Charles Wilson, the champion jumper. He did all sorts of jumps – high jumps, long jumps and jumps over all sorts of obstacles. It was a really wonderful performance.’

The following year Clifton Society (23 April 1908) thought him ‘an expert jumper of surprising capacity,’ while the Aberdeen Press and Journal (16 June 1908) found his agility ‘very remarkable.’

According to a short review in The Era (26 February 1910) ‘Charles Wilson claims to be the finest all-round jumper living. We should say that that is so. He cleared 9ft. at a bound on Tuesday night, and we should like to see the man who can do better twice nightly and all the week.’

He was not the only high jumper of his generation to tread the boards. G.W. Rowden, Arthur Hartley, Joe Derby, John Higgins and Joe Hastings were all touring similar acts around the same time, presenting themselves to the public as ‘the champion all-round jumper of the world.’

Charles Wilson was still around after the War. On 2 December 1920 he placed an advertisement in The Stage touting his availability for pantomime season. ‘Charles Wilson, all-round Champion Jumper of the World, all-round Athletic Champion of the World, by natural ability and representation the greatest Cat Impersonator on the stage today. No man living can offer you such qualifications. […] Admitted by London critics the greatest Cat Impersonator since the famous Laurie of Drury Lane. […] If you have never seen Charles Wilson as the Cat, then you have never seen “Dick Whittington and his Cat.”’ The advertisement concludes with his address, which was 36 Ducie Street, Oxford Road, Manchester.

Photographed in (or shortly before) 1908 by Warwick Brookes of 350 Oxford Road, Manchester.

An inked inscription on the print reads: 'Yours faithfully, Chas. Wilson, the Champion all round Jumper of the World.' A further dedication on the mount in its lower margin reads: 'To Geo. Cook, with kindest regards, 5th Sept. /08.'