4 Way Stop

Four Way Stop was actually formed in France around 1769. King Louis XVI had grown tired of typical Jester entertainment and was looking for something fresh and exciting. Lady Cynthia Ophelia Kensington, a close childhood friend of Louis who had become a prominent vocalist in the town theatre was summoned to speak with him. Upon hearing Louis' concerns for a new form of entertainment, she quickly set out into the countryside to assemble a performing group. Her first stop was in the south of France in Montpellier, where she met a Nobleman by the name of Artimus Winthorpe Chesterfield. Chesterfield owned the theatre in Montpellier and performed there often, and the Lady Kensington convinced him to travel with her on her quest to form the entertainment troupe. The two traveled a great distance to Manchester, England and upon arriving learned of a terrible land dispute between two prominent families, the Buckingham’s and the Worthington’s. After speaking with some of the town folk, it was learned that each family had a son who was a stage performer. Count Edgar Augustus Buckingham was a well respected musician and theatre performer, and Garfield Marmaduke Worthington Esquire was a heralded Violinist who had performed many times for the Royal Family. The Lady Kensington and Chesterfield mediated and settled the land dispute between the families and to show gratitude, each family agreed to allow their son to travel with the performers. As the four were making the long journey back to France, they came upon a great wiseman who told them "Four may stop for only one who travels the path may go forward". Not one of them had a clue what this meant and pondered it as they continued their trip, repeating it over and over again in their minds. They had traveled several days since meeting the wiseman and stopped in a small town in Luxembourg. As they rested in the town center, they could not help but to notice a street performer, who promptly introduced himself as "Joe", son of Joseph the blacksmith. Joe was very energetic and amusing, and they offered him a place in the group. Several days later they had arrived in France and were set to perform for King Louis XVI in the court. A royal servant of the King asked "how may I announce you on this day?", and all at once as if rehearsed the four who had met the wiseman started to say "Four may Stop for......" and the servant quickly turned a proclaimed in a booming voice "All rise and be delighted by the performing group Four May Stop", and with that the band was formed. King Louis was so pleased with them that he had a performance each week, and in 1770 when he married Marie Antoinette he wanted only Four May Stop to entertain at the wedding. The group continued to perform and delight crowds until January 21, 1793 when King Louis XVI was executed by guillotine. The band went into hiding after that and did not resurface for many years. Over time the name changed to its current "Four Way Stop" to protect the members from persecution. All of the current members of the band are direct descendants of the original performing troupe.