William Hedley Roberts, “Atlas” and Miriam Kate Williams “Vulcana” traveled the musical halls of Britain, Europe and Australia performing amazing feats of strength. Atlas weighed only 124 pounds and claimed to have beaten one of Louis Cyr’s Records although the veracity of this claim is doubtful.
Vulcana was the more impressive of the two, legitimately and officially performing a bench-press of 124½ pounds and an overhead lift with a 56 pound block weight in each hand in front of Professor Desbonnet. The Professor was so impressed that he gave Vulcana a medal for her efforts. The Vulcana Women’s Circus, still active today in Australia, is named in her honor.