Other than "Can you make my wife disappear?" the question above is probably the most asked of magicians. Pulling a rabbit out of an empty hat has been associated with magicians for more than one hundred and fifty years, yet most people, even magicians, do not know the origin of this effect. The event that prompted it illustrates the resourcefulness of the early European magicians. In the late 1700s to early 1800s almost all magicians in Europe traveled from town to town performing at various fairs and festivals. As there were no tickets sold to view the entertainment, their only income were the coins tossed into a pail, hat or other receptacle passed out to the audience. Occasionally a few vegetables or even a chicken were given if the performance was outstanding. In those days, these items had a much higher value than in today's economy. And this is the reason that many of these itinerant entertainers carried with them a small cage with one or two rabbits. After a day's work at a village where the audience was less than generous with their donations, due to the tightness of the purse-strings or simply a poor show, the receptacle handed out might be only slightly heavier when returned to the magician. Hours later, outside the hamlet, the rabbit, a few vegetables and a bit of water in a small pot, hung over a fire would yield a tasty meal known as "jugged hare," still served in England to this day.
In the 1820s, the Animal Protection Legislation act (APL) was enacted in England. This was the forerunner of the well known SPCA in the United States of America. In the year 1831, an itinerant magician, Geoffrey Gagworth (1796-1853), performing under the name of "The Great Gagasti" just outside of Worcester was confronted by Lady Abigail Crittenden (1781-1842) and a constable. It seems that Lady Crittenden, an active member in the APL, had noticed a caged rabbit next to the magician's living quarters, a small lean-to that Gagasti had set up just outside his performance area. Naturally, she suspected the worst and thought it only her duty to inform a constable and save the endangered animal. When asked by the constable about the animal, the quick-witted Gagasti asked if the Lady and the constable had seen his show. When they indicated that they had not, he invited them to watch his next performance, later in the day, and any questions they had about the rabbit would be answered. Curious as to what he meant, they both agreed and joined the crowd of locals already gathering for the next show.
The magician ducked into his lean-to and a short while later emerged with a small table with a half moon and a star in yellow on a black background painted on its face. He placed the table down in front of the half circle of onlookers and returned to the lean-to. When he came out this time he was carrying several brightly colored boxes, a large silk scarf and three pewter cups, which he arranged on top of the table and returned once more to his lean-to. When he again came out, he was wearing a long black robe, standard garb at that time for performers in his line of work
His performance consisted of effects popular at that time - a couple of brightly colored pieces of cloth produced from an empty box, a hen's egg that disappeared and reappeared in a black cloth bag, and finally, the popular cups and balls with a surprise ending of three large rocks found under the cups at the end of the routine. The act lasted just under twenty minutes and at its conclusion, he bent down behind his table for a moment or two. This elicited a few looks of anticipation, which quickly faded when they realized that all he had retrieved was a large, battered old hat which, they knew, signified the end of the show. Gagasti walked out to the center of the circled onlookers, held out the obviously empty hat for a moment and then said, "And now before I place my hat on my head, (which he did and then quickly removed it) and take my leave of your wonderful town, this is the portion of the program that I know you have all been waiting for. Where you get to show your appreciation by dropping one or two coins in the hat or even more if you like." At this point, he held out the hat and starting at his left, slowly made his way around the loop of spectators. The "take" from the crowd was rather meager, with only a few coins finding their way into his hat. He fared even worse when he reached Lady Crittenden, receiving only a glare and from the constable, a puzzled look. He turned his back to the crowd for a moment as he walked back to the center of performance area. When he reached the center he turned to face the audience once again. He held out the hat, reached inside and pulled out two coins, surveyed the crowd from left to right and said, "Did I miss anyone?" When he got no response, he dropped the coins back into the hat and said, "Well then, I thank you." He then reached back into the hat and pulled out a kicking rabbit, held it aloft and said, "And my friend thanks you, too!" Following a stunned silence the crowd broke into cheers and applause and the Great Gagasti took a deep bow and returned with the rabbit to his lean-to. Lady Crittenden had an angry frown on her face and a slight smile was seen on the constable.
The news of this wizard who could pull a live animal from an empty hat spread from village to village and Gagasti's income improved significantly. The reaction from the public was so great that even John Henry Anderson, the Great Wizard of the North (1814 - 1874), one of England's best known magicians at this time and one of the first to perform on stage, began advertising the "Rabbit out of a Hat" trick in the 1840s.
There is no record, however, when the magician left Worcester, if the rabbit was inside the hat or inside the Great Gagasti!

Historical Note: It is not known if Gagasti ever performed in the town of Worcester again, although it is possible, as two of his favorite sites were Stratford on Avon and the village of Broadway, two nearby towns, both popular with traveling performers in the 1800s. If he did amaze the gentry in Worcester anytime after 1837, he could have an added a little "zing" to his jugged hare stew with a dash of the famous sauce, first bottled and made available to the public in the very same town, Worcester and same county (shire) in England, in the year 1837.