Olympia London (Established 1886)
Dates
- Existence: Established 1886
Biography
Olympia was originally conceived in the early 1880s as the National Agricultural Hall, a larger version of the Royal Agricultural Hall in Islington to function as an exhibitions, tournaments, sporting competitions and entertainments venue.
The site first opened its doors on 26th December 1886, already popularly known as Olympia. From its inception it has hosted some of the best regarded international events and shows including The London International Horse Show, The First Ideal Home Show, The Cycle and Motor Cycle Show, The British Industries Fair and Crufts. Olympia also became famous as a circus venue from its early days, especially for hosing the renowned Bertam Mills Christmas Circus spectacular and fairground for over thirty years.
In 2017 Olympia was acquired by a consortium of investors, whose aim is to transform it into a twenty first century world-leading arts, events entertainment and experiential district.
Found in 91 Collections and/or Records:
Barnum’s Circus Handbill, c1889
Olympia, West Kensington, London. Card to admit one to the ‘Greatest Show on Earth’. Printed by W.A.D.
Bertram Mills Circus and Christmas Fair Programme, 16 December 1921 - 21 January 1922
Olympia. Colour illustration of clown in blue outfit with green duck on it, holding a whip on a yellow background and holding a white circle behind his head on the front cover, inside introduction, floor plan of circus and fair, black and white illustrations and photographs of scenes, performers and acts with text, short articles on rides and games and commercial advertising, 11p.p.
Bertram Mills Circus and Fun Fair Gouache, c1920 - 1967
Gouache on card, poster design. Circus at Olympia, 18th December to 1st February. Colour illustration of two clowns, one in green holding the truck of an elephant, the other in red answering a telephone, background blue and pink, type multicoloured.
Bertram Mills Circus and Fun Fair Gouache, c1920 - 1967
Gouache on card, poster design signed by 'L C', probably Leon Chossley. Circus at Olympia Grand Hall, 17th December to 1st February. Colour illustration of many circus acts including elephants, two chimpanzees, on on stilts, one on a top horse, horses, six performing poodles led by a woman in a pink dress, acrobats and a clown, background image of circus ring with night sky above, type yellow and white.
Bertram Mills Circus and Fun Fair Gouache, 1962 - 1963
Bertram Mills Circus and Fun Fair Olympia Gouache, 1966
Gouache on card, paper covering on top poster design. Colour illustration of a leaping acrobat and a single white star, type white, yellow and orange, background blue, 17 December to 29 January.
Bertram Mills Circus and Fun Fair Olympia Gouache, c1920 - 1967
Gouache on card, with type and illustrations glued on seperately, poster design. Olympia Grand Hall, 18 December to 30 January. Colour illustrations of a poodle, a clown and an elephant, background red and blue, type yellow, black and white.
Bertram Mills Circus and Fun Fair Olympia Gouache, c1920 - 1967
Bertram Mills Circus and Fun Fair Olympia Gouache, c1920 - 1967
Gouache on card poster design. Colour illustration of a man carrying a cheetah on his shoulders and three orange tigers, background blue and red, type yellow and white, 19 December to 31 January.
Bertram Mills Circus and Fun Fair Olympia Gouache, c1920 - 1967
Gouache on card, paper cover on top, poster design. 17 December to 29 January, featuring Kossmayers unrideable Mule. Colour illustration of a man being kicked by a donkey, background red and turquoise, type multicoloured.
Bertram Mills Circus and Fun Fair Olympia Transparency, c1920 - 1967
Transparency, with paper type glued on, originally to be layered over a poster design to show possible type for poster, reading 'Bertram Mills Circus and Fun Fair Olympia Grand Hall', type yellow and white. Signed by 'L C', probably Leon Chossley.
Bertram Mills' Circus and Menagerie Programme, 1932
Olympia, London. Colour illustration of tiger leaping over a man in traditional Inidan outfit on the foreground and other tigers on the background over blue on the front cover, inside introduction to who is who in Bertram Mills circus, black and white photographs of performers and acts, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 8p.p.
Bertram Mills' Circus at Olympia Gouache, c1920 - 1967
Gouache on panel painting of four elephants seating on platforms and a handler with his arms raised on brown background.
Bertram Mills' Circus at Olympia Programme, Monday 21 December 1925 - Saturday 23 January 1926
Decorative cover containing a colour illustration of Mr Ducrow as the Courier of St. Petersburgh on card on the front cover and programme inside clown in a white outfit with red border ruffles holding a tray full of miniature lions and two black and white horses galloping underneath on a blue background on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white illustrations and photographs of scenes, performers and acts with text and articles and commercial advertising, 24p.p.
Bertram Mills' Circus at Olympia Programme, 20 December 1926 - 22 January 1927
Colour illustration of half clown, half white horse creature on a black background on the front cover, bound in black leather cover, inside introduction, black and white photographs of performers and acts with text pink insert with programme and commercial advertising, 33p.p.
Bertram Mills' Circus at Olympia Programme, 21 December 1927 - 24 January 1928
Colour illustration of Astley performing an equestrian act in 1827 and black and white illlustration of a recreation act on bottom of page on decorative cover, inside elephant's head covered in Spanish head dress and net and holding a tamborin with its trunk on a yellow background on the front cover, inside black and white photographs and illustrations of performers and acts with text, various articles and commercial advertising, 24p.p
Bertram Mills' Circus at Olympia Programme, 22 December 1930 - 24 January 1931
Colour illustration of Astley's amphitheatre showing an equestrian act in 1808 on decorative cover, inside nine lions on a blue and orange background on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white photographs and illustrations of performers and acts, programme in the centre with road map, various articles and commercial advertising, 32p.p.
Bertram Mills' Circus at Olympia Programme, 22 December 1932 - 25 January 1933
Black and white illustration of Queen Victoria at Olympia watching the circus on decorative cover, inside artist illustration of clown's torso on a blue and red grainy background on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white photographs and illustrations of performers and acts, insert programme in the centre with road map, various articles and commercial advertising. Printed by Fleetway Press Ltd, 30p.p.
Bertram Mills' Circus at Olympia Programme, 21 December 1933 - 25 January 1934
Black and white photograph of lion's head on decorative cover, inside artist illustration of female equestrian act standing on a white horse with a white face clown behind in a circus ring on the front cover, inside introduction, black white photographs of performers and acts, cartoons of circus acts with articles and commercial advertising. Printed by Fleetway Press Ltd, 32p.p
Bertram Mills' Circus at Olympia Programme, 21 December 1933 - 25 January 1934
Artist colour illustration of female equestrian act standing on a white horse with a white face clown behind in a circus ring on the front cover, inside introduction, black white photographs of performers and acts, cartoons of circus acts with articles and commercial advertising. Printed by Fleetway Press Ltd, 28p.p