Maskelyne

The Maskelyne family of magicians.

• John Nevil Maskelyne (December 22, 1839 - May 18, 1917) stage magician, inventor and a co-lateral descendant of the Astronomer Royal Nevil Maskelyne.
  • Nevil Maskelyne - Son of John Nevil who continued his father's work at the Egyptian Hall in London.
    • Jasper Maskelyne (September 29, 1902–1973) - son of Nevil Maskelyne. Stage magician in the 1930s and 1940s.
    • Noel Maskelyne (?- August 23, 1976) - son of Nevil Maskelyne. Started out as an electrical engineer, then joined the Maskelyne company after his father died.
    • Clive Maskelyne (? - ?) son of Nevil Maskelyne, was often deputized on the stage of St. George's Hall for his father. He gradually built up an effective act of mechanical illusions. On his father's death in 1924, he was appointed to the managing directorship of Maskelynes, Ltd. Later toured South Africa with considerable success. He resigned his post to undertake an engagement with a film company to make "shots" of wild animal life in the tropics. While on voyage, he contracted a chill and died of pneumonia.
    • Mary Maskelyne (Mrs. Sterndale Bennett) (? - March 10, 2000) - daughter of Nevil Maskelyne performed with Noel during the St. George Hall days.

References

• Tricks That Mystify by Will Goldston (1934)
• In Hiding the Elephant (Jim Steinmeyer, 2003) the author notes that the Maskelynes were not related to Nevil Maskelyne, 5th Astronomer Royal of England.