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Gerry Cottle's Circus (1974 - 2003)

 Organisation

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, c1900 - 1999

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.410
Scope and Contents

Blue type on off white background with illustration of clown's face on top right and introduction on front cover, inside blue and off white photographs of performers and back of house scenes programme and article on being a circus proprietor, commercial advertisement on back cover, 2p.p.

Dates: c1900 - 1999

Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, 1978

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.411
Scope and Contents

Dare to dream and the dream will come true article, blue type and blue photographs on blue background on one side, on the other side programme.

Dates: 1978

Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, 1976

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.412
Scope and Contents

Black and white illustration of clown on the left, roaring lion in the centre and ice skater on the right with circus tent and elephants and horses on the background and international flags above on the top section and programme below.

Dates: 1976

Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, Christmas season 1976

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.419
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: Christmas season 1976

Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, 1976

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.422
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: 1976

Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, 1978

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.423
Scope and Contents

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

Dates: 1978

Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, Christmas season 1977-1978

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.424
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: Christmas season 1977-1978

Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, c1900 - 1999

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.425
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: c1900 - 1999

Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, 19 - 26 November 1976

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.426
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: 19 - 26 November 1976

Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, c1900 - 1999

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.428
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: c1900 - 1999

Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, 1974

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.429
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: 1974

Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, 1974-1975

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.430
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: 1974-1975

Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, 1991

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.434
Scope and Contents

The grand Programme. Black type on white background with programme below and star border around it.

Dates: 1991

Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, c1900 - 1999

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.435
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: c1900 - 1999

Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, Tuesday 18 - Saturday 29 March 1980

 File
Reference code: 178K43.436
Scope and Contents Southampton. Six fold poster/programme with colour photograph of circus ring with acts and performers in circles around the edges on the front cover, year of the clown article with colour photographs, article on history of circus with black and white and colour photographs, show business on wheels article with colour photographs and poster inside with the same image as the front cover, additional insert programme, seaside special article with colour photographs on reverse. Printed by W. E....
Dates: Tuesday 18 - Saturday 29 March 1980

Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, 1976

 Item
Reference code: 178K41.11
Scope and Contents

Las Kansas jugglers, Khalil Oghaby Strongman, The Cimarro Brothers high-wire, Captain Sydney Howes with Lions, Orramic, Scott’s Californian Sea-Lions, The Inaros Sisters trapeze, The Santus Julian Troupe French wizards on Wheels, Billy Wild, Otaki and the James Sisters Wild West Show, Miss Babette’s Lovable Dogs. Colour with photos, 16p.p.

Dates: 1976

Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, 1977

 Item
Reference code: 178K41.15
Scope and Contents

Royal Silver Jubilee, Binak Brothers knockabout comedy, Captain Sydney Howes and his lions, The Cimarro brothers high-wire, The Inaros Sisters trapeze, Sonny Fossett and Co. clowns, Otaki and the James Sisters Wild West Show, Batman and Robin aerial act, Captain Universe human cannonball. Colour illustration of human cannonball on cover. Fold out programme with photos.

Dates: 1977

Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, 1977

 Item
Reference code: 178K41.19
Scope and Contents

Cardiff. The Kansas Brothers jugglers, The Swinging Cottrellis balance act, Jimmy Scott and Co. clowns, Royal Bengal tigers, Duo Raycol, Jimmy Scott and Co., La Famille Santus French Wizards on wheels, Arab Stallions, Samson and Delilah strongmen, Mary Chipperfield’s elephants, The Loonies comedy act. Contians photos, 4p.p.

Dates: 1977

Gerry Cottle's Circus Programme, 1979

 Item
Reference code: 178K41.26
Scope and Contents

Poster magazine. Foldout poster with programme containing photos and articles, 4p.p.

Dates: 1979

Gerry Cottle's Circus Tour List, 1978 - 1979

 Item
Reference code: 178I22.5
Scope and Contents

Photocopy of map of Britian with reference numbers and key of locations of circus performances.

Dates: 1978 - 1979