Duffy's Circus (Established c1800)
Biography
Duffy's Circus story started in 1775 with Patrick James Duffy a circus acrobat from Dublin, Ireland when he established his own circus. Six of Patrick’s seven children followed his footsteps into circus.
In the 1870s, Duffy's second son, John, founded the John Duffy Circus. In 1917 the Duffy circus split into two separate companies. After John Duffy’s death in 1956, that part of the family circus was again split between his son James and his uncle. Through all of this, only one of the Duffy’s circuses managed to survive into the 1960s. By 1961, there was only one circus left, managed by Tom Duffy (b.1929) from the late 1970s onwards.
Tom Duffy retired in 2020 at 91 years of age and left the family business to his son David, the current ringmaster, who runs it with his sons Tom jnr. and Jamie. Tom jnr. and Jamie are the sixth generation of the Duffy family to be involved in the circus. They have been involved in the family business their entire lives and have found professional success and fame, being awarded a prestigious Silver Clown Award at the Monte-Carlo Circus Festival in 2018.
Found in 18 Collections and/or Records:
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
Duffy Family Biographical Material, 1797 - 1998
Research material relating to the Duffy family including birth, marriage and death certificates and photocopies from various sources about the Duffy family and circus.
Duffy's Ireland's Premier Circus Poster, c1980 - 1989
Colour illustration of human cannonball. Left blank for overprinting location and date.
Duffy's Safari Circus Poster, c1980 - 1989
Ireland. Colour illustration of clown face and animals. Left blank for overprinting location and date.
Irish Circuses Programmes, 1940 - 2006
Programmes for Irish circuses including James Brothers Circus, Courney Brothers Circus, The Great International Christmas Circus and Duffy's Circus, containing colour illustrations and photographs on the front covers, inside mainly programme, later items contain colour photographs of perfomers and acts with text.
Monographs, Articles, Manuscripts and Research Material, c1795 - 1999
Compilation of monographs, articles, manuscripts and a range of research material about circus companies and performers in the United Kingdom, Europe and other parts of the world by various authors, the research was mainly compiled by Hal Thomas.
Monte-Williams Collection
Research material by Pauline Tindale and a small amount of original archive related to Randall Williams and his descendants, including birth, death and marriage certificates and photographs.
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.
Programmes, c1800 - 2019
A collection of mainly British and international circus programmes and some variety and music hall programmes containing circus acts.
Research Material and Monographs, 1797 - 1998, 2018 - 2021
Research material related to various fairground and circus families including Duffy, Randall Williams, King family, Dyson/Hough family, Fossett and others.
Scrapbook of Multiple Circuses, 1929 - 1936
Scrapbook of newspaper cuttings and black and white photographs, relating to multiple circuses and acts including Fossett's, Rosaire's, Blackpool Tower, John Duffy and Sons and Crystal Palace, 61p.p.
Scrapbook of Multiple Circuses, 1939 - 1940
Scrapbook of advertisments, newspaper cuttings and black and white photographs relating to multiple circuses and acts including Blackpool Tower, Barnum and Bailey, John Duffy and Sons, Chipperfield's and Rosaire's, 54p.p.
Scrapbook of Multiple Circuses, 1940 - 1946
Scrapbook of posters, newspaper cuttings, programmes and black and white photographs, relating to multiple circuses and acts including Blackpool Tower, Chessington, Chipperfield's, Paulo's, John Duffy and Belle Vue, 58p.p.
Scrapbook of Multiple Circuses, 1950 - 1953
Scrapbook of posters, newspaper cuttings, advertisments and black and white photographs, relating to multiple circuses and acts including Blackpool Tower, Chipperfield's, Billy Smarts, John Duffy and Sons and Belle Vue, 82p.p.
Tom Duffy and Son's Circus Poster, c1980 - 1989
Gillabey Rock, Ireland. Colour illustration of Apache warrior.
Tomorrow's Town Manuscripts, c1900 - 1999
A collection of circus poems by Zahrat, including poems about Chipperfields, Duffy's and Fossett Bros. Typescript and manuscript.