Snake Man of La Perouse

Snake Man of La Perouse

Snake Man performance, January 2007
Name Snake Man of La Perouse
Formed Early 1900s
Location(s) La Perouse, NSW, Australia
Notable members "Professor" Fred Fox
George Cann, Sr.
George Cann, Jr.
John Cann
Website laperouse.info
Genre(s) Reptile show

The Snake Man is the common name for a reptile show at La Perouse, a suburb of Sydney, Australia.[1] Also known as 'the snake pit', an occasional Sunday afternoon visit to the Snake Man has been a tradition for generations of Sydney families.

Contents

History

The show has been held on the same site in La Perouse since the early 20th century.[2]

The original Snake Man was "Professor" Frederick Fox,[3] also known as the "Snake King",[4] who was proud of the immunity to snake venom that he had developed. However, like other such showmen, he did have his own special antidote. In 1913 Fox travelled to India to sell his antidote. Another local, Herbert See, took over the La Perouse show but he was bitten by a tiger snake and died in hospital.[5] While demonstrating his antidote in Calcutta in 1914 Fox was bitten several times by a krait. He treated himself but overlooked one bite and died after a few hours.[6]

George Cann took on the show in the 1920s and the Cann family has been running it ever since.[7] Snake bites are an ongoing hazard.[8]

John Cann was awarded an OAM in 1992 for service to the community, conservation and the environment.[9] The area surrounding the snake pit has been named Cann Park.[10]

Show

The Snake Man performs in a 10 m x 10 m area of grass defined by a metre-high corrugated steel fence.

He stands in the 'pit' and removes reptiles one by one from canvas bags to show them to people lining the fence. He may hold a snake by the tail as he talks about it, or he may walk around the perimeter of the pit with the reptile just centimetres from the onlookers.

Often he will allow a harmless reptile, such as a frill-necked lizard, to roam the pit for the duration of the show.

At the conclusion of each half-hour show 'the hat' is passed around for a small donation. The show is usually at 1.30pm on Sundays.

The current snake man, John Cann, indicated in 2010 that he was soon to retire.[11][12] His last show was held on 18 April 2010.[13]

The 7.30 Report broadcast a story on Cann on 13 April 2010.[14]

References

  1. ^ "John Cann Snakeman". laperouse.info. http://laperouse.info/?page_id=721. Retrieved 8 March 2010. 
  2. ^ "Snakes!". Taranaki Herald. 12 June 1909. http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=TH19090612.2.119.22. Retrieved 9 March 2010. 
  3. ^ F.C.H. (2 February 1910). "Proof against snake poison". The Sydney Mail. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Q1UQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=IZIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7068,1463432. Retrieved 9 March 2010. 
  4. ^ "A Snake Hunt at Kurnell". Evening Post. 21 January 1911. http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=EP19110121.2.124. Retrieved 9 March 2010. 
  5. ^ "Snake-charmers killed". Evening Post. 26 December 1913. http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=EP19131226.2.104. Retrieved 9 March 2010. 
  6. ^ "Fox Dies from the Bite of a Poisonous Snake". The Miami News. 11 March 1914. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iysuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_9QFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3578,3173311. Retrieved 10 March 2010. 
  7. ^ "La Perouse Tram Terminus, The Loop, Snake Pit". randwick.nsw.gov.au. http://www.randwick.nsw.gov.au/About_Randwick/Heritage/Plaque_46/index.aspx. Retrieved 8 March 2010. 
  8. ^ "Handler survives tiger snake-bite". The Sydney Morning Herald. 5 June 1967. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=E5wpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=suYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2718,1602791. Retrieved 10 March 2010. 
  9. ^ "John Cann OAM". itsanhonour.gov.au. 26 January 1992. http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=878288&search_type=quick&showInd=true. Retrieved 10 March 2010. 
  10. ^ "Cann Park, Anzac Parade, La Perouse". randwick.nsw.gov.au. http://www.randwick.nsw.gov.au/Places_for_people/Recreation_and_leisure/Parks/By_suburb/La_Perouse/Cann_Park/index.aspx?setTextOnlyMode=false. Retrieved 10 March 2010. 
  11. ^ Elliott, Tim (23 January 2010). "Time to say goodbye to some not so cuddly friends". smh.com.au. http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/arts/time-to-say-goodbye-to-some-not-so-cuddly-friends/2010/01/22/1263663161706.html. Retrieved 8 March 2010. 
  12. ^ Moncrieff-Hill, Nick (11 January 2010). "Snake man’s tail end". southern-courier.whereilive.com.au. http://southern-courier.whereilive.com.au/news/story/snake-mans-tail-end/. Retrieved 8 March 2010. 
  13. ^ Cormack, Briget (1 April 2010). "Snake Show’s Over". southern-courier.whereilive.com.au. http://southern-courier.whereilive.com.au/news/story/snake-shows-over/. Retrieved 7 April 2010. 
  14. ^ Sims, Geoff (13 April 2010). "Snake man calls it a day". abc.net.au. http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2010/s2871906.htm. Retrieved 13 April 2010.