Blondin Avenue, W5

Jean-François Gravelet was known as Charles Blondin and reknowned for his acrobatic feats such as tightrope crossings of Niagara Falls. During one of these he carried his manager on his back and on another he stopped halfway across to cook an omelette.

Blondin performed in London where Charles Dickens said: “half of London is here eager for some dreadful accident”.

Blondin retired to Ealing and died at his home Niagara House in 1897. Niagara House and Blondin Avenue were formerly the site of part of Hugh Ronalds’ renowned nursery.

Niagara Avenue is parallel, just to the south of Blondin Avenue.




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