Skip to main content

Olympia London (Established 1886)

 Organisation

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 96 Collections and/or Records:

Animals on Parade, It's the Circus and Elephant's Elbows Films, c1907 - 2001

 Item — Box Noel Drewe Box 11: Series 178D5
Reference code: 178D5.96
Scope and Contents

Circusama, Yesterdays Circus Today. 8mm, Photax. Black and white, possibly wih some colour. Silent. Features UK and USA circus. Includes Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia and juvenile comedy. Copied to DVD 5 and DIGI-BETA.

Dates: c1907 - 2001

Barnum’s Circus Handbill, c1889

 Item — Box John Barmwell Taylor Box 2: Series 178T1
Reference code: 178T1.277
Scope and Contents

Olympia, West Kensington, London. Card to admit one to the ‘Greatest Show on Earth’. Printed by W.A.D.

Dates: c1889

Bertram Mills Circus and Christmas Fair Programme, 16 December 1921 - 21 January 1922

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.489
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: 16 December 1921 - 21 January 1922

Bertram Mills Circus and Fun Fair Gouache, c1920 - 1967

 Item
Reference code: 178V11.32
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: c1920 - 1967

Bertram Mills Circus and Fun Fair Gouache, c1920 - 1967

 Item
Reference code: 178V11.33
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: c1920 - 1967

Bertram Mills Circus and Fun Fair Gouache, 1962 - 1963

 Item
Reference code: 178V11.45
Scope and Contents Gouache on card mounted on a wooden board, paper cover on top, poster design. Olympia Grand Hall, 18 December to 2 February. Colour illustration of many circus acts including horses, elephants with a female trainer, a man carrying a cheetah on his shoulders, a tiger, lion, panther and polar bear, three chimpanzees riding a bicycle, three sea lions playing with a ball, a woman balancing on one leg on a bicycle, acrobats and a clown, background image of circus ring with night sky above, type...
Dates: 1962 - 1963

Bertram Mills Circus and Fun Fair Olympia Gouache, 1966

 Item
Reference code: 178V11.35
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: 1966

Bertram Mills Circus and Fun Fair Olympia Gouache, c1920 - 1967

 Item
Reference code: 178V11.36
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: c1920 - 1967

Bertram Mills Circus and Fun Fair Olympia Gouache, c1920 - 1967

 Item
Reference code: 178V11.40
Scope and Contents Gouche on card, paper covering on top poster design. Olympia, 17 December to 1 February. Senorita Mara aerialist, Phyllis Allen's poodles, The Johns trampoline comedy, Rudi Lenz's chimpanzees, The Schumanns present grand carousel, Hermané balacing, fiesta in Valencia by the Schumann family liberty spectacle, Jarz trapeze, Danion's sea lions, Leonardo juggler, Tonito,wire walker, Coco and a host of clowns, Laribles springboard, here comes Robin Hood by the Schumanns high school act, Bertram...
Dates: c1920 - 1967

Bertram Mills Circus and Fun Fair Olympia Gouache, c1920 - 1967

 Item
Reference code: 178V11.41
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: c1920 - 1967

Bertram Mills Circus and Fun Fair Olympia Gouache, c1920 - 1967

 Item
Reference code: 178V11.46
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: c1920 - 1967

Bertram Mills Circus and Fun Fair Olympia Transparency, c1920 - 1967

 Item
Reference code: 178V11.49
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: c1920 - 1967

Bertram Mills' Circus and Menagerie Programme, 1932

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.502
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: 1932

Bertram Mills' Circus at Olympia Gouache, c1920 - 1967

 Item
Reference code: 178V11.28
Scope and Contents

Gouache on panel painting of four elephants seating on platforms and a handler with his arms raised on brown background.

Dates: c1920 - 1967

Bertram Mills' Circus at Olympia Programme, Monday 21 December 1925 - Saturday 23 January 1926

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.493
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: Monday 21 December 1925 - Saturday 23 January 1926

Bertram Mills' Circus at Olympia Programme, 20 December 1926 - 22 January 1927

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.494
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: 20 December 1926 - 22 January 1927

Bertram Mills' Circus at Olympia Programme, 21 December 1927 - 24 January 1928

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.495
Scope and Contents

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

Dates: 21 December 1927 - 24 January 1928

Bertram Mills' Circus at Olympia Programme, 22 December 1930 - 24 January 1931

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.500
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: 22 December 1930 - 24 January 1931

Bertram Mills' Circus at Olympia Programme, 22 December 1932 - 25 January 1933

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.503
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: 22 December 1932 - 25 January 1933

Bertram Mills' Circus at Olympia Programme, 21 December 1933 - 25 January 1934

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.504
Scope and Contents

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

Dates: 21 December 1933 - 25 January 1934