g ler ▁and ▁Equ ilib rist ". ▁At ▁this ▁age , ▁his ▁tr icks ▁featured ▁jug g ling ▁with ▁l amps , ▁blocks , ▁pl ates . ▁▁ ▁The ▁first ▁reference ▁to ▁V andy ' s ▁performance ▁is ▁found ▁in ▁The ▁Era ▁on ▁ 9 ▁September ▁ 1 8 9 2 ▁and ▁is ▁described ▁just ▁two ▁months ▁later ▁by ▁the ▁same ▁publication ▁as ▁jug g ling ▁with ▁" in cred ible ▁de xter ity ." ▁By ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 1 8 9 3 ▁he ▁was ▁b illing ▁in ▁all ▁M oss ▁& ▁Thor nt on ▁music ▁h alls ▁across ▁the ▁UK . ▁At ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁just ▁ 1 9 ▁the ▁national ▁newsp apers ▁were ▁singing ▁his ▁pra ises . ▁The ▁Guardian ▁described ▁him ▁as ▁someone ▁" who ▁showed ▁no ▁little ▁skills ▁in ▁his ▁manip ulations " ▁and ▁the ▁Daily ▁Mail ▁described ▁him ▁as ▁" a ▁thorough ▁master ▁of ▁his ▁business ". ▁By ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 8 9 3 ▁he ▁was ▁being ▁regularly ▁bil led ▁as ▁" The ▁Great ▁V andy ." ▁By ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 8 9 5 ▁V andy ▁had ▁become ▁a ▁top ▁b illing ▁special ty ▁act ▁ren owned ▁throughout ▁Great ▁Britain ▁and ▁Ireland ▁as ▁" the ▁Ph en omen om ." ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 8 9 5 ▁he ▁was ▁requested ▁to ▁bring ▁his ▁mag ical ▁jug g ling ▁act ▁to ▁South ▁Africa ▁and ▁set ▁sail ▁on ▁the ▁S . S . ▁Spart an ▁immediately . ▁The ▁first ▁tour ▁of ▁South ▁Africa ▁was ▁a