1845 (1847 according to biography) October 4th – born William Peppercorn in Hoxton, London oldest child of William Peppercorn, artificial florist and his wife Angelina nee Giovanelli, also an artifical florist
1851 April – census – living with parents and younger sister in Marylebone
1861 April – census – living in Hoxton aged 15 with parents and 5 siblings, working as a flower maker
1863/5 apprenticed up to the age of 18 with Powell & Clark’s and then Sanger’s Circus, with whom he visited Japan, as a rider and gymnast. Took a troupe from Japan. Organised a company of 14 Japanese – later said he had a contract with three jugglers. Kept the company on the road for 5 years and then sent it back, forming a new company of European Japs, known as the Jap of Japs according to “Around the world with a magician and a juggler : unique experience in many lands, from the papers of the late Baron Hartwig Seeman and William D’Alvini, Juggler” by Hardin J Burlingame, 1891
1866 September – married Eliza Powell, 20, at the age of 21, in Hoxton. Occupation artificial florist.
1867 September – daughter Jessie Eliza born.
1869 October – daughter Ada Emma born
1870 September – daughter Ada Emma dies.
1871 July son Leopold Alfred born in Shoreditch
1871 September – Great D’Alvini on the Invisible Tight Wire
1872 Advertisement in The Era “Chef D’Oeuvre” by the great Italian and English artists
1873 January – D’Alvini in Cairo, Egypt till Spring
1875 December – advertised in The Era as Classical, Oriental and Japanese Entertainment, Great Block Manipulation, just finishing two years’ tour with Tannaker‘s Japanese Troupe
1876 – Monsieur and Madame D’Alvini “Japanese Entertainer”
1877 – D’Alvini Jap of Japs, the marvellous Japanese juggler. Also in Spain
1878 – in Paris with E Perrier as agent
1880 – in Russia
1880 in France “Royal Jap of Japs” with Little Tom the Wonder, Miss O Minisum, ladder act, paper walking, juggling, screen, Tommy the Wolf, block manipulator
1881 – in Belgium
1883 – in Spain
1884 – in Spain
1886 July – Chicago News interview – claimed to have brought over “the first company of Japanese jugglers that ever exhibited in this country or Europe.” “It was called the Tycoon Troupe. We gave one exhibition on arrival in San Francisco and then went directly to London. We exhibited in Europe for three years. Then the troupe disbanded and such of the members that did not return to their own land became attached as special performers to various theatres or companies.”
1888 September in California
1889 (according to The Era – other records say 1891) July 3rd – died aged 43 in Chicago of an abscess on the brain and typhoid fever. Also known as William Armstrong. Wife and four children.
Ninjin 