Biography

The Gandey family has a long history of circus performance dating back to the late 1800s with wild west acts known as The Montanas and The Colorados appearing in Bostock and Womwell Circus and Buffalo Bill’s Wild West shows.

Robert (Bob) Gandey was the second generation of the family to be involved in the show business and founder of Gandey’s Circus. Bob was born in 1894 and influenced by the family act, he started to train ponies with Lord George Sanger’s Circus aged nine. By the time he was fifteen he was an accomplished rider and was touring the UK with a Buffalo Bill show. Between 1910 and 1920 Bob performed under various aliases including Arthur Jack, Robert Gandey and The Colorado Kid presenting comedy mules and ponies he trained. In 1912, he married Rose, who was a performer and immediately joined the family troupe. They presented their wild west act in theatres and music halls as well as circuses across the country and during the winter season, they often performed in pantomimes.

In 1916 Bob and Rose had a son, Phillip aka Joe, who joined the family act and later became Jo-Jo the clown.

During the First World War the family continued to appear in variety shows around the country and by 1918 they were travelling their owned circus tent.

During the 1920s Bob was part of the North Western Troupe of Cowboys of Colorado and as well as touring theatres, he was presenting the Gandey’s Comedy Circus in fairground sideshows.

Bob continued training domestic animals throughout his life including Shetland Ponies, Mules, Geese and Sheep not only for his own act but also for the Blackpool Tower Circus, Tom Arnold’s Circus, pantomime shows and television.

During World War Two, Gandey’s Circus was hired by the government for twelve weeks as part of the Holidays at Home initiative. At this time this time, Philip met his wife Mary Kennerley. Although Mary did not come from a family of performers, she joined the family act and forged a career for herself including an aerial act with Michael Gerbola as The Kusicks.

Joe and Mary had two sons, Michael (b. circa 1948) and Philip (b.1957). Michael initially joined the family business as the Ringmaster, but soon left for a career outside the circus, while Philip became Starri the clown and later took on the running of the family business with his wife Carol.

In 1952, Bob Gandey presented the Big Top Circus and a year later, aged only 58 he died, leaving the Circus to his son Joe and his wife Mary. The show became a small family circus with the reputation for good value and high quality. Joe run Gandey’s Circus and Royalls Miniature Circus until his death in 1973, when his son Philip became the youngest director of a Circus in Britain at the age of seventeen.

In the 1980’s, Gandey’s Circus teamed up with Tycross Zoo and PG Tips to present the TV Chimps live on stage. In 1996, Gandey’s Circus took on the Chinese State Circus as they toured the UK and in 1999 Philip Gandey made history when he took the first ever Circus to Saudi Arabia.

In 2005 Gandey’s Circus went back to its roots with the Spirit of the Horse Show, which presented a modern version of the wild west show, based on equestrian skills. Today the circus is run by Philip and Carol Gandey with their daughters Hayley and Mariska involved in various aspects of the business.

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