The Great Carmo's Circus and Menagerie (1927 - 1937)
Dates
- Existence: 1927 - 1937
- Usage: 1936 - 1937
Biography
The Great Carmo’s Circus and Menagerie was stablished by Harry Cameron aka The Great Carmo in 1927. The circus opened at Balmoral Gardens in Belfast in 1928 and appeared next to Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia in the same season.
During 1929, The Great Carmos’ Circus travelled together with Bertram Mills’ new travelling circus, managed by Bertram’s sons. The two circuses travelled between May and November under Carmo’s name as Bertram Mills did not want to associate his name to the new venture until proven a success.
The following season the partnership was dissolved and the two circuses followed separate paths. By March 1930, Carmo’s Circus and Menagerie was closed and Harry return to his magic show, although he returned to the circus in the winter that season as Carmo’s Colossal Circus, which he presented at the Hippodrome Theatre in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne and the Dominion Theatre in London. In 1936 the circus was reinvented through a new partnership as the Stott-Carmo Circus, but this venture was short lived as Carmo’s circus finally closed in 1937.
Found in 6 Collections and/or Records:
Bertram Mills Circus Royal and Gala Performance Programmes, Great Carmo, Bostock and Wombwell's, and Bailey's Circus Programmes, c1900 - 1999
Bertram Mills Circus Royal and Gala Performance programmes, Great Carmo's Circus, Bostock and Wombwell's menagerie and Bailey's Circus programmes.
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
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, c1800 - 2019
A collection of mainly British and international circus programmes and some variety and music hall programmes containing circus acts.
The Great Carmo Circus Programme, c1937
Red type in the centre within a circle and red illustrations of Carmo's head in three different personas including Chinese, Egyptian and Indian costumes around it and a lion on the bottom section, also outline of circus acts in the corners including trapeze, equestrian and high wire on a yellowish background on the front cover, inside programme, 2p.p.
Victorian, Edwardian and Georgian Circus Posters, c1800 - 1930
Early circus and menagerie posters including Polito's menagerie, Astley's Amphitheatre and Pablo Fanque's, Sanger's, Powell's, Ducrow's, Cooke's and Hengler's circuses among others.