Battersea Park Amusement Park (1858 - 1972)
Dates
- Existence: 1858 - 1972
Biography
Is a public park in London situated in the south bank of the river Thames, opposite Chelsey. The park was opened in 1858 and housed an amusement park with rollers coasters, swings, roundabouts, jetstreams and other attractions. In 1951 The Big Dipper was introduced, which was an impressive wooden rollercoaster and became very popular. The Big Dipper was destroyed by fire in 1970 and two years later the park was closed after a catastrophic accident killed five children and injured many more. The site is still used to host travelling fairs, circuses and exhibitions.
Found in 11 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
Cottle and Austen's Combined Circus Programme, Saturday 17 December 1988 - Sunday 8 January 1989
Battersea Park Hippodrome. Colour illustration of roaring tiger's face on a blue background and yellow and red type on the front cover, inside history of circus, programme and colouring book, also reproduction of two circus poster advertising upcoming circus shows, front cover image repeated on back cover, 6p.p.
David Smart's Super Circus Poster, c1946 - 1999
Battersea Park, London Summer Season. Colour illustration of female equestrian in long red gown and top hat riding a white horse, trapeze act on bottom left and clown and female face on centre right, also aerial act on crescent moon on top left corner, over a blue background and blue and white borders. Printed in England by W. E. Berry Ltd. Bradford.
Farini’s Earthmen Handbill, 1885
Pygmies or Dwarf Races. N’con N’qui, N’fim N’fom, Nzep, N’co, N’icy, and N’arkar at Albert Hall, Battersea. “Exhibiting their beautifully-formed hand and feet, their spiral tufted hair, and their monkey-like language”. Printed by Aubert’s Steam Printing Works, 11 Maiden Lane, Strand.
Gerry Cottle's Circus, Cottle and Austen and Burnt Stub's Circus Programmes, c1900 - 2001
Gerry Cottle Circus programmes including Circus of Horrors, Cottle and Austen, Cottle-Chipperfield Circus, Continental Berlin Circus, Moscow State Circus and Gerry Cottle's Circus abroad.
Handbills, c1786 - 1968
Handbills for travelling shows, fairs, exhibitions and performances in London.
Handbills and Flyers, for a Variety of Locations, often featuring Illustrations, c1790 - 1939
Handbills for travelling shows, fairs, exhibitions and performances at a wide range of venues.
John Bramwell Taylor Collection
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.
Smart Circus Posters, c1946 - 1999
Billy Smart's and David Smart's Circus posters.
Additional filters:
- Type
- Archival Object 9
- Collection 2
- Subject
- Animals 8
- Circus 7
- Performers 7
- Aerialists 6
- Clowning 6
- Equestrians 6
- Acrobats 5
- Animal trainers 4
- Dwarfs (Persons) 4
- Freak shows 4
- Menageries 4
- Showman 4
- Variety 4
- Comedians 3
- Contortionists 3
- Exhibitions 3
- Fire eating 3
- Gymnasts 3
- Jugglers 3
- Motion pictures 3
- Pantomime 3
- Sideshows 3
- Skating 3
- Strong men 3
- War 3
- Wild west 3
- Dance 2
- Escape artists 2
- Fairs 2
- Fakirs 2
- Family 2
- Minstrel shows 2
- Musical performances 2
- Ringmaster 2
- Showwoman 2
- Singing 2
- Ventriloquists 2
- World War, 1939-1945 2
- Art 1
- Boxing 1
- Circus workers 1
- Diving 1
- Giants 1
- Human cannonball 1
- Knife throwing 1
- Magic 1
- Music 1
- Music-halls 1
- Optical illusions 1
- Pleasure gardens 1
- Transport 1
- Wall of death 1
- Zoos 1 + ∧ less