Biography
Billly Smart's Circus was established by William 'Billy' Smart (1894-1966). Billy came from a fairground family from London with an interest in horses and circuses. In 1946 Billy came across Cody's Circus and bought the big top.
Billy Smart's New World Circus made its debut at Southall Park, Middlesex, on 5 April 1946, for the first full season after the end of the war. Initially, Billy run his circus in conjunction with his fun fair, which was being run by his children, but by 1952 the fun fair, which was overshadowed by the circus, disappeared. The success of the circus side of the business however continued to increase and in 1955, Billy Smart's Circus grew from its two-pole tentto a 6,000 seat, four-pole round big top with a hippodrome track around the ring, and a vast entrance tent, thus enabling the staging of spectacular parades, which became a Billy Smart's Circus trademark.
Billy's greatest innovation, however, was his relationship with the newly established television networks when he agreed to broadcast his circus live on the BBC in 1947. Over the years, Billy Smart's Christmas Spectacular became a BBC holiday tradition, which ITV took over in 1979 and carried on until 1982. The BBC's first-ever colour broadcast was a 'Tribute to Billy Smart', while Royal Performances took place in London, raising thousands of pounds for charity.
A large part of the success of the circus was the showmanship that Billy brought to the operation of the circus, the large family he could draw upon to run the shows and his ability as a showman to market and capture opportunities to advertise. Whilst other circus proprietors were threatened by the rise in popularity of television and shunned the cameras, Billy Smart embraced them. Smart's Circus grew to be one of the largest in the world, touring every part of the British Isles, and with permanent quarters and an associated zoo at Winkfield, Berkshire, not far from where Smart began his fairground career. His success took the circus through twenty-six tenting tours, winter seasons, frequent TV appearances and the provision of animal acts to other circuses.
Billy died in his caravan on 25 September 1966 and the circus passed onto his sons Ronnie, David and Billy Jr. who continued travelling Billy Smart's New World Circus until around 1971.
In the 1990s Ronnie and his sons Gary and Lord revived the Smart Circus and started to tour a smaller scale version of the original circus. However, the Smart Circus was never the same after the dead of Billy and soon after, the Smart name was rented out to other circus operators until it stopped operating in the early 2000s.
Found in 42 Collections and/or Records:
Item
Reference code: 178K43.210
Scope and Contents
Colour illustration of male trapeze act and two Santa Clause pulling a cracker open underneath on a blue and white background on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre, also contains a booking form, 10p.p
Dates:
1972 - 1973
Item
Reference code: 178R47.64
Scope and Contents
Cardiff, Sophia Gardens. The Six Biros, Billy Smart Junior presenting 10 elephants, Alma Piaia, aerial act, 3 Peters, aerial act, Fle-Ming's sea lions, Bartschelly plate spinning act, The Brooke Bond Chimps, The Four Willers, The Lunasz trapeze act, The Four Jungoves ladder act, Camel Caravan, plus 200 artistes from every nation. Colour illustration of clown on centre left behind the list of acts which are printed in multicolour type and background, and circus scenes on the right hand side...
Dates:
18 - 28 March 1959
Item
Reference code: 178R47.77
Scope and Contents
Dewsbury, the Feast Ground, 25-30 March. Jurkschat's Arabian horses, Cowboys, Indians, Squaws, The Foreign Legionaires, The Atlas Sahara Troupe of tumblers, Lilian Kenny trapeze act, Kroplin's chimpanzees, Rock'n'Roll elephants, The Two Loopinos motor-bike aerial act, 12 polar bears, The Flying Hungarian Lunasz, The Camel caravan, Spider Austin and Company, The Larenty Troupe, Gloria's Indian ponies, Flemming's Californian sea lions, Clown's firehouse. Colour illustration of cowboys and...
Dates:
c1946 - 1999
Item
Reference code: 178R47.71
Scope and Contents
Stratford-on-Avon, Bishopton Field, Birmingham Road. Aerial fantasy, 20 elephants, The Fairyland story, U.S. Seventh Cavalry western show, polar bears, chimpanzees, camels plus over 150 other animals. Colour illustration of clown in green jacket and red trousers holding seven coloured ballons containing the circus acts over a black starry background. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd Bradford.
Dates:
10 - 12 June 1962
Item
Reference code: 178R47.83
Scope and Contents
Inverness, Bught Park. The Flying Hungarian Lunasz. Colour illustration of trapeze act showing two men a woman in mid air and a clown on a blue background and a pink circus ring below. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd Bradford.
Dates:
5 - 10 August 1957
Item
Reference code: 178R47.113
Scope and Contents
Wood Lane, Scrub Recreation Ground. Colour illustration of female aerial acrobatic act in red suit on centre right and clown's face on centre left with elephants, camels, lions and other circus acts underneath. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd Bradford.
Dates:
25 October - 11 November 1961
Item
Reference code: 178R47.118
Scope and Contents
Doncaster, Glasgow Paddocks. The Wild West Show, The Arabian Nights Review, The Four Jungoves ladder balancing act, The Six Birds, Bartschelly plate spinning act, Arab horses and Shettland ponies, Alma Piaia aerial act, Billy Smart Junior presenting elephants, chimps presented by Heinz Borsch, Fle-Ming's sea lions, The Flying Lunasz trapeze act, The Three Peters aerial act, The Four Willers skating act, Highland cattle, The Andrasettis wire walking act, Sasha, Coco, Harty, Alby, Austin,...
Dates:
28 March - 2 April 1960
Item
Reference code: 178R47.119
Scope and Contents
Porstmouth, Southsea Common. Les Arata on the silver wire, Monik Maccio trapeze act, The riding machine, Brooke Bond's chimpanzees, 20 elephants, The Two Rapolli juggling act, The Six Skating Willers, U.S. Seventh Cavalry, Fairyland Story, The Flying Diamonds, The Atlas Sahara Troupe, High stilt walkers, The Roeber Sisters, The Six Cycling Kludsky, The Aerial Antinous. Multicolour type on multicolour background colour baloons on right hand side, colour illustration of chimpanzee in Native...
Dates:
27 July - 8 August 1964
Item
Reference code: 178R47.120
Scope and Contents
Worcester, The Pitchcroft. The Wild West Show, The Fairyland Fantasy, Six Erminios juggling act, Monik Maccio trapeze act, 15 elephants, Billy Smart Junior's Dutch horses, The Brooke Bond chimpanzees, 14 polar bears, The De Riaz aeroplane act, Peggi Cousans trapeze act, The riding machine, Gloria Smart with her horses and ponies, Atlas Sahara Troupe acrobatic act, The Paolos musical clowns, The Sloans on high stilts, Karen and Ria aerial act, The Antinousand The Hellyos. Multicolour type on...
Dates:
10 - 12 September 1962
Item
Reference code: 178R47.121
Scope and Contents
Clapham Common. The New Western Show, Rec, the tramp on the silver wire, The Austins clowns, The Medifreds juggling act, Billy Smart's Arabian horses, Alma Piaia, Billy Smart junior presenting baby elephants, Brooke Bond chimps presented by Heinz Borsch, Gloria Smart with her horses and ponies, The Katyanas trapeze act, The Flying Lunasz, The Two Dominici trapeze act, Digger Pugh Girls, Circus cavalcade, Frank, Harty, Alby and Len, Austin, Harry Ruster, Merry Herbert, Little David and Barrie...
Dates:
24 October - 12 November 1960
Item
Reference code: 178R47.122
Scope and Contents
Wood Lane, Scrub Recreation Ground. The New Western Show, The Medifreds juggling act, Alma Piaia, 15 elephants, Billy Smart Junior Dutch horses, The Brooke Bond chimpanzees, 14 polar bears, The Five Flying Leotaris, Digger Pugh Girls, The riding machine, The Seven Herrviks, Gloria Smart with horses and ponies, The Munoz Luftmann clowns, The Katyanas trapeze act, The Sloan Family, Karen and Ria aerial act, 1001 Arabian Nights Scene. Multicolour type on multicolour background on right hand...
Dates:
25 October - 11 November 1961
Item
Reference code: 178R47.123
Scope and Contents
Hayes, Park Road Green. The Five Monus Luftmann clowns, Monik Maccio trapeze act, The riding machine, Brooke Bond's chimpanzees, 20 elephants, Aerial aeroplane sensations, Gloria Smart with her horses and ponies, U.S. Seventh Cavalry, Fairyland Story, The Flying Bendichos, The Atlas Sahara Troupe, High stilt walkers, 14 polar bears, The Roeber Sisters, The Six Cycling Kludsky, The Aerial Antinous. Multicolour type on multicolour baloons on right hand side, colour illustration of chimpanzee...
Dates:
24 - 29 June 1963
Item
Reference code: 178R47.124
Scope and Contents
Birmingham, Hay Mills Recreation Ground. Les Arata on the silver wire, 16 aerial trapeze artistes, The riding machine, Brooke Bond's chimpanzees, 20 elephants, The Two Rapolli juggling act, The Six Skating Willers, U.S. Seventh Cavalry, Fairyland Story, The Flying Ibarras, The Atlas Sahara Troupe, High stilt walkers, 14 polar bears, The Roever Sisters, The Six Cycling Kludsky, The Aerial Antinous. Multicolour type on multicolour background baloons on right hand side, colour illustration of...
Dates:
18 March - 3 April 1964
Item
Reference code: 178R47.80
Scope and Contents
Salisbury, Cook's Field, Wilton Road. The Elleanos, high wire act, Jolly balancing act, Miss Olga trapeze act, The Grand Carousel, The Crazy Car, The Great Alexanders springboard act, 12 Royal Welsh Liberty ponies, Performing bears, Vinicky, English clowns, Highland Oxen trained by J. Vinicky, elephants, 8 Friesian black horses, Nicolai and his performing lions, Leona on the steel mast. Yellow, blue and black type on red, white and yellow stripe background with illustration of elephant and...
Dates:
3 - 8 July 1950
Item
Reference code: 178R47.137
Scope and Contents
Oxford, Botley Road. The Elleanos high wire act, Jolly balancing act, Miss Olga trapeze act, The Grand Carousel, The Crazy Car, The Great Alexanders springboard act, Billy Smart Junior presents 12 Royal Welsh Liberty ponies, Bears, Vinicky, English clowns, Highland oxen, Elephants, 8 Friesian black horses, Nicolai and his performing lions, Leona on the steel mast. Multicolour type on multicolour background and colour illustration of circus ring showing a white face clown's head in the...
Dates:
26 June - 1 July 1950
Item
Reference code: 178R47.111
Scope and Contents
Leaming Spa, Victoria Park. Joan baby elephant riding a tricycle, The Rhors balancing act, Billy Smart Junior presents The Highway Man and eight black steeds, The Minivers motor cycle aerial act, 10 baby elephants, bareback riders, Highland bulls, chimpanzee family, The Puhlmanns, Davron, Himalayan bears, 9 Moroccan tumblers, Baby zebras, 6 Palominos horses, The Gutis comedy act, 10 lions presented by Nicolai. Mainly black and white type on blue, red, yellow and green blocks of colour...
Dates:
16 - 18 July 1953
Item
Reference code: 178R47.112
Scope and Contents
Nottingham Goose Fair site. The Sensational Puhlmanns aeroplane aerialist, over 150 animals. Colour illustration of acrobatic aerial act showing a woman hanging by the feet and a man hunging by the mouth from an aeroplane. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd Bradford.
Dates:
30 March - 11 April 1951
Item
Reference code: 178R47.116
Scope and Contents
Manchester, Platt Fields. Eight Flying Croneras. Colour illustration of trapezee act showing eight artistes performing in mid-air ona blue and pink background. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd Bradford.
Dates:
15 October - 3 November 1956
Item
Reference code: 178K41.2
Scope and Contents
Charlie Cairoli and Company, The Flying Alizes trapeze, Trio Hoganas wire act, Max Morris and His Californian Sea Lions, The Three Siegfrieds thrilling perchists, Jean Claude and Yvette puppeteers, The Wychwoods and their poodles, Billy Smart’s Elephants, The Six Benis swing act, The Kludsky trick cycling, Jerry, Jimmy and Johnny bareback riding, Paul and Barry Harman. Colour illustration of clown on cover, photos. Notes of times handwritten on programme, 12p.p.
Dates:
1974
Sub-Series
Reference code: 178K56.1-32
Scope and Contents
Circus and variety programmes includig Palace Theatre Manchester, Cunard White Star concert programme, Chipperfield Circus, Robert Brothers, Billy Smart's Circus, Billy Russell Hippodrome Circus, Big Top Circus, Prince's Royal International Circus and Tom Arnorld's Harringay Circus, contain photographs of the acts and information and including circus, variety and animal acts and featuring Sheila Pugh's Showgirls, The Digger Pugh Girls and the Wallabies. all programmes contain photographs of...
Dates:
1949 - 1970
