Austen Brothers Circus (Established 1974)
Dates
- Existence: Established 1974
Biography
Brian Austen (b.1947) joined the Count Lazard’s Anglo-American Circus when he was fifteen years old. Brian came from a modest background where he worked as a horse groom, skills which he transferred to the circus. During the time he spent with the Anglo American Circus, he learnt all the key circus performances including wire walking, bare back riding, lion taming and knife-throwing and performed as El Briarno. As well as his performing skills Brian took an interest in the technical and logistics operations and started to learn how to run the business side of the circus.
In 1964 Brian embarked on a tour of South Africa with the Anglo-American Circus, which was the first circus ever to go to Swaziland. The tour ended shortly after when Brian and Evelyn a trapeze artist and Count’s sister-in-law, decided to return to the UK and get married. Back home Brian joined James Brothers’ Circus. At James Borthers Brian met Gerry Cottle and in 1970, the two men, together with their wives Evelyn and Betty Fossett, formed Embassy Circus.
Embassy Circus was a small outfit with a handful of performers including Brian’s brother and a small second hand tent. Soon after its inaugural performance in Dorset, the circus changed its name to Cottle & Austen’s Circus. The two couples performed almost all the circus acts themselves and on top of that, Brian became the designated Tent Master and Transport Manager.
Cottle and Austen got their big break when they were featured on TV’s Philpott Files, and the cover of the Radio Times, as The smallest greatest show on Earth. By the mid-1970s, Cottle & Austen had become Britain’s most successful circus in the south of England.
Cottle & Austen’s Circus operated until 1974, when Brian and Gerry dissolved the business over the failure of a circus on ice idea. Although they worked together on various temporary ventures after this, such as the promotion of the Chinese and Moscow State circuses in the UK, the men went their separate ways. Gerry formed Gerry Cottle’s Circus, while Brian established Austen Brothers Circus.
Brian was always a shrewd businessman and not only reinvested his profits in the improvement of his own circus but he also invested in other business ventures, turning his business into a multi-million pound empire. In 2003, he bought out Cottle’s share on the Chinese and Moscow State circuses becoming the only promoter in the UK and he acquired Cottle & Austen Circus.
Found in 16 Collections and/or Records:
Austen Brothers Circus Programmes, 1972 - 1989
Austen Brothers Circus programmes containing colour and black and white photographs of performers and acts, introduction, some illustrations, programme and commercial advertising, including the Leeds Christmas Circus and the London Festival.
Austen Brothers London Festival Circus Poster, c1980 - 1989
Nottingham the Forest. Black type and colour banner and footer. Printed by W.E. Berry Ltd. Bradford.
Austen Brothers London Festival Circus Poster, c1980 - 1989
Banstead. Black type and colour banner and footer on white background. Printed by W.E. Berry Ltd. Bradford.
Austen Brothers London Festival Circus Programme, 1978
Brassy Searle Family equestrian act, Dakota Red Indians, Michael Austen’s Indian Elephants, Trio de Vel jugglers, Alun Davies and his 10 Poodles, Duo Fabry tight wire, Laredo Cowboys, The Lesters comedy trampoline act, Gina, Sonya trapeze, Professor Grimble and Company, Paulasz Sword balancers. Contains illustration on cover with photos. 8p.p.
Austen Brothers London Festival Circus Programme, 1979
Michael Austen’s Indian Elephants, Gina the Girl in the Moon aerial act, Alun Davies and his 10 Poodles, Tommy De-Vel and Vera jugglers, Terry Elflet dancing muscles, Austen Brothers Arabian horses presented by Jack Varney, Brian Austen’s African lions presented by John Benham, Mademoiselle Yolande foot juggler, Peter Norris Ringmaster, Professor Grimble clown. Contains illustration on cover with photos, 8p.p.
Austen Circus Painting, c1974 - 1999
Acrylic painting on paper of outside view of Austen Circus with trucks outside a large blue tent, mounted on card.
Christopher Palmer Collection
Circus programmes and VHS tapes from Billy Smart’s Circus and Chipperfields’s Circus collected during the 1970s and early 1980s by the TV producer, Christopher John Palmer. There are also a number of promotional photographs of artistes and other ephemera related to the circus.
Circus Friends Association Collection
This collection consists of a large library of books and journals, as well as archival material including posters, programmes, photographs, films, handbills, research material, scrapbooks, original artwork and many other items of ephemera relating to British, Irish and European circuses
Cyril Critchlow Collection
Newspaper Cuttings and Scapbooks, 1838 - 2007
A collection of newspaper cuttings on circus, circus proprietors and performers and scrapbooks containing newspaper cuttings, posters, programmes and other items of ephemera, covering mainly British circuses and venues such as Belle Vue and also some international circuses.
Posters, c1887 - 2010
Circus, variety, pantomime and magic posters including Argyle theatre, Liverpool Empire, Blackpool Tower Circus, Robert Brothers, Austen Brothers, Sorcar, Vesta Tilley, Ken Dodd, Dan Leno, Florrie Forde and others.
Posters, c1800 - 2011
A wide range of British and international circus and menagerie posters ranging from the 19th to the 21st century including Astley's Amphitheatre, Pablo Fanque, Polito, Bostock and Wombwell, Ducrow, Cooke, Hengler, Sanger, Smart, Gerry Cottle, Bertram Mills, Chipperfield's, Robert Brothers, Fossett, Blackpool Tower, Billy Russell, Belle Vue, Great Yarmouth Hippodrome, Austen Brothers and many more.
Programmes, 1970 - 1981
Programmes for various British and international circuses including Billy Russell's, Blackpool Tower, Fossett's, Chipperfield's and the Toni Boltini's Circus.
Programmes, c1800 - 2019
A collection of mainly British and international circus programmes and some variety and music hall programmes containing circus acts.
Scrapbook of Multiple Circuses, 1982 - 1983
Scrapbook of newspaper cuttings, relating to multiple circus and acts including Chipperfield's, Blackpool Tower and Austen Brothers', 41p.p.
Scrapbook of Multiple Circuses, 1984 - 1985
Scrapbook of newspaper cuttings, relating to multiple circues and acts including Austen Brothers, Blackpool Tower and Gerry Cottle's, and many articles on allegations of animal cruelty in circuses, 41p.p.