Matthew Buckley

The circus Buckley, Weeks & Co was owned by Mathew Buckley and Edward C. Weeks. Weeks was a brother of Chauncey R. Weeks,

James Raymond and his partners purchased the Lion Tavern in Boston in the winter of 1834-35 and converted it into the Lion Theatre. Their program was a mixed one, combining drama and circus. For the arena portion of the concern they bought or leased Buckley, Weeks & Co. In 1835 the show went on tour, minus the dramatic elements, under the title Boston Lion Circus and the Nathans were with it.

1838: During the tour with Buckley, Rockwell, Hopkins & Co, Henry Rockwell dropped out and Thomas Tufts took his place, thus Buckley, Hopkins, Tufts & Co. became the firm name.

Buckley, Hopkins, Tufts & Co spent the winter of 1838-39 exhibiting in Baltimore and Washington and Philadelphia and in the latter city J. J. Hall and John J. Nathans bought out the interest of Matthew Buckley and Hopkins’ and the title became Hall, Nathans, Tufts & Co.