Gerry Cottle's Circus (1974 - 2003)
Dates
- Existence: 1974 - 2003
Biography
The beginnings of Gerry Cottle's Circus trace back to 1970 when Gerry Cottle and partner Brian Austen established Embassy Circus, a small outfit, which opened its firts show in Sturminster Newton, Dorset with nine staff including Gerry, Brian and their wives. They soon changed the name of the circus to Cottle & Austen's Circus, name they used until their partnership disolved in 1974 and Gerry established Gerry Cottle's Circus.
By the mid-1970s Gerry Cottle's Circus was enjoying great success and was touring three different shows across Britain. Always lookin to innovate and reinvent itself, Gerry Cottle's Circus brought to England some of the most prestigious international circuses for the first time such as the Moscow State Circus and the Chinese State Circus. Cottle's circus also travelled to parts of the world no other European circus had travelled before such as Iran and Hong Kong in the late 1970s.
In 1995, he co-created The Circus of Horrors with Doktor Haze, inspired by the alternative French circus Archaos. The Circus of Horrors debuted at the Glastonbury Festival and travelled internationally. Today it is the longest running alternative circus in Britain.
Cottle's Circus ceased to trade in 2003, although it travelled briefly in 2012 as Magic Circus to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the birth of Cottle's Circus.
Found in 82 Collections and/or Records:
Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, 1976
Colour photograph of circus acts in the ring including aerial acts, floor acrobatics and clown on the front cover, inside introduction, colour and black and white photographs of acts and performers with text and other articles and programme, 8p.p.
Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, 1978
Black and white photograph of aerial act in the circus ring, blue and white type and blue border with white stars on the front cover, inside introduction to Gerry Cottle and Charlie Cairoli, with black and white photographs and equestrian act above programme, on back cover black and white photographs of perfomers and acts, 2p.p
Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, Christmas season 1977-1978
Cardiff. Black and white photograph of woman and tiger on a platform in a circus ring and an orange border with white stars on the front cover, inside black and white photographs of Mary Chipperfield, Gerry Cottle and an elephant act and text and programme, on the back cover black and white photographs of acts and performers with text, 2p.p.
Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, c1900 - 1999
The Grand Programme. Black type on white background with smiley clown's face and stars by the title and programme below and line border around it with decorative corners.
Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, 19 - 26 November 1976
Wattaya-Muscat, Oman. Red, green, blue and white type on white background with green, red, white and blue lines on the bottom section on the front cover, inside introduction, programme and black and white photographs of acts and performers, 6p.p.
Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, c1900 - 1999
Black and white type on white background with programme on front cover, inside articles about the circus practices and standards and wild animal welfare on back cover commercial advertising, 2p.p.
Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, 1974
Colour illustration of large clown's face and roaring lion's head on right hand side with circus ring on the left showing three elephants and their trainer performing below world flags on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white photographs of acts and performers and programme, commercial advertising on back cover, 6p.p.
Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, 1974-1975
Sophia Garden Pavilion, Christmas Season. Colour illustration of large clown's face and roaring lion's head on right hand side with circus ring on the left showing three elephants and their trainer performing below world flags on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white photographs of acts and performers and programme, commercial advertising on back cover, 6p.p.
Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, 1991
The grand Programme. Black type on white background with programme below and star border around it.
Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, c1900 - 1999
Colouring book and puzzle pages programme. Colour illustration of smiley clown on front cover with yellow and blue type on a red background on the top section on the front cover, inside programme and circus scenes to colour and central puzzle page, 8p.p.
Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, Tuesday 18 - Saturday 29 March 1980
Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, c1900 - 1999
White, red and blue type on white background with name of circus and programme on the front. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd, Bradford.
Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, c1900 - 1999
Black and white photograph of Gerry Cottle with a circus tent and a BBC truck on the background and a blue border with white dots on the front cover, inside black and white portraits of performers in circles with their names and programme towards the bottom right, on the back cover advertising for world tour, 2p.p.
Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, c1900 - 1999
Black and white photograph of Gerry Cottle with a circus tent and a BBC truck on the background and a red border with white dots on the front cover, inside black and white portraits of performers in circles with their names and programme towards the bottom right, on the back cover advertising for world tour, 2p.p.
Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, c1900 - 1999
Black and white photograph of Gerry Cottle with a circus tent and a BBC truck on the background and a red border with white dots on the front cover, inside black and white portraits of performers in circles with their names and programme towards the bottom right, on the back cover advertising for world tour, 2p.p.
Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, 1978
Black and white photograph of woman and tiger on a platform in a circus ring and a red border with white stars on the front cover, inside black and white photographs of Mary Chipperfield, Gerry Cottle and an elephant act and text and programme, on the back cover black and white photogrphas of The Loonies and The Cimarro Brothers with text, 2p.p.
Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, c1900 - 1999
Red type on cream background with starry border and solid red border.
Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, 1976
Autumn season. Colour illustration of clown's face with yellow gloves on a blue background and five colour balloons on the front cover, inside black and white photographs of acts and performers within star shapes and programme in the centre, other information on back cover within two flags, 2p.p.
Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, c1980s
Colour illustration of head of clown on top right holding a circles containing circus acts including a woman in a white outfit holding a tiger, a man with his head inside a lion's mouth, a trapeze act, and elephant and a zebra. Four fold brouchure with information about the Cottle family circus and colour photographs of acts and performers inside and added insert programme, colour photograph of Susan Lacey with tiger on reverse.
Gerry Cottle's Circus Tour List, 1978 - 1979
Photocopy of map of Britian with reference numbers and key of locations of circus performances.