Remembering Arthur Pedlar

Although many former pupils speak generally of the influence of their education on their careers and their adult lives, it is only rarely that the course of a life is attributable to a single experience at school.  OL Arthur Pedlar, who has died recently at the age of 89, was one of those rare examples.

On more than one occasion I heard Arthur describe himself at school as ‘ non-academic, non-sporting, non-everything’’. Of course, this was due in large part to his self-deprecation, but also due to comparisons made with his younger brother, Anthony. They both joined Leighton Park in 1946. Opportunity knocked for Arthur, however, when he was asked to take part in a house social evening. He overcame his natural shyness and resolved to deliver a short act as a clown. He had been inspired by a specific Bertram Mills clown, Emmett Kelly, whom he had seen perform, and he had had some experience doing make-up for school plays.
His performance signalled a major turning point in his life: ‘I put my head round the curtains…. and the place exploded’.

Although Arthur’s subsequent main occupation was running the family business in Southport, he also developed a parallel career as a professional clown. He was to travel throughout the world, gaining experience, acclaim and international friendship, and eventually becoming the President of the World Clown Association.

It was at Leighton Park that Arthur learned how to ride a monocycle and introduced it into his act. The picture of him on his monocycle remains one of the most iconic in our picture archive, and allows us to speak of the eponymous Arthur Pedlar!

I had the good fortune of meeting him on several occasions, and I recall in particular his talks on the art of clowning and his enjoyable performances at ‘Sixth Special’ and on a memorable OL evening. I loved my conversations with Arthur: his natural bonhomie and renowned sense of humour always led to entertaining encounters. Like all good clowns, he was also a serious and principled man: his perspective on life was reflected in the quotation from Shakespeare that I learned from him: The web of life is of a mingled yarn – good and ill together.
Arthur was, above all, a very good-hearted and generous man, and two major interests in his life demonstrate this in particular ways. He was a member of The Holy Fools, a dedicated ecumenical group of international clowns who visit prisons and hospitals as well as churches and schools. He was also greatly involved in the Israel Circus School, an organisation which brings together Arab and Israeli young people to share their common interest and enthusiasm.

We can be truly thankful for the life and witness of this wonderful man, and we offer our sincere condolences to Arthur’s wife and family.

John Allinson

Archivist