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 1 Collection or Record: