Many Liverpudlians will remember ‘Professor’ Codman’s Punch
and Judy show which regularly performed at different locations in the city
centre. However, perhaps few know that the story of the show began in the 1860’s
with the death of a horse in Llandudno.
Richard Codman was born on 23rd July 1832, of Romany
ancestry, to George and Louisa in Norwich. His father taught him woodcarving
skills and music and in his early years he travelled the northwest, reputedly
in the company of the famous bareknuckle fighter Jem Mace (who also hailed from
Norfolk and would find his way to Liverpool).
In 1860 he travelled to Llandudno and was stranded there
when his horse died. Trying to make ends meet he collected driftwood from the
beach to fashion into pegs and the like. Carving some pieces into small heads
he hit upon the idea of presenting a Punch and Judy puppet show on the beach, a
venture which enjoyed considerable success and continues in the Welsh resort to
this day.
He made his way to Liverpool in 1868 and began to give shows
in the city, provided with a permanent pitch by the corporation on ‘The
Quadrant’ directly in front of Lime Street Station. Richard Codman died in 1909
but by this time the Liverpool show had been taken over by his son Richard
Mortimer Codman who was born on 9th November 1872. In 1922 Richard
Codman II was presented with a new booth by the Sandon Society, designed by eminent
local sculptor H Tyson Smith. Richard II died in 1951 and the venture was
carried on by his son, another Richard Codman III (b.1897). With the redevelopment of Lime Street in the
1950s the show moved onto St George’s Plateau, later moving to Williamson
Square. Richard Codman III died in 1986 and the show passed to his son Ronald Richard
who was helped by his cousin Robert. They continued the show until about 2015.
Rickard Codman I married Charlotte Asker in 1859. They
probably had many different homes in Liverpool, including 26 Guilford Street L6
(1871 census) and 32 Godfrey Street L6 (1881 census) both of which have since
been demolished..
Richard Codman II married Ada Webster in 1892, their
Liverpool homes included Bolton Street
(1897) Devon Street L7 (1899) Harford Street (1894) 10 Egypt Street and 10 Back Oxford Street L8
(1939) all since demolished.
