Billy Smart's Circus (c1946 - 2006)
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 1058 Collections and/or Records:
Photographic Album, 1905 - 1953
Photographic Album, 1941 - 1955
Photographs and Postcards, c1800 - 1999
Black and white and colour photographs, negatives and photographic albums mainly containing images of British circus, circus performers, animals and circus personalities but also some menageries such as Bostock and Wombwell and other associated entertainments and non-British circuses taken by David Jamieson, Lindsay Temple, Den Curtis, Capt. Middleton, Jack Niblett and other photographers.
Photographs and Postcards, c1899 - 1969
Photographs, postcards and negatives of fairgrounds taken by Rowland Scott and other fairground enthusiasts.
Photographs and Postcards, c1900 - 2000
Photographs and Postcards, 1908 - 1975
Black and white photographs and postcards of the Ohmy, the Smart and the Sanger circuses and family members, including John Sanger in sailor’s uniform. Also a variety of circus performers including Mme. Morelli from the Bostock menagerie. Many of the postcards have been used for correspondence.
Pigalle Restaurant Programme, c1900 - 2000
Front cover: drawing of a woman holding two candle sticks. Inside: programme in the centre, information on the performers and a head shot photo. Back cover: information on the interior designers. 2 pages.
Pigalle Restaurant Programme, c1900 - 2000
Front page: drawing of a woman holding two candle sticks. Inside: programme. Back page: blank white page with a hand written note. 2 pages.
Plans, c1900 - 1999
Ring and seating plans for Chipperfield, Bertam Mills, Fossett, Smart and Robert Brothers Circuses.
Plastic View-master Reels from Freedom Land U.S.A., c1900 - 2000
Various items of ephemera.
Police Campaign Leaflet, c1900 - 2000
Photograph your valuables campaign leaflet. White type on blue background with black and white photographs on reverse and advice.
Poster Design of Circus Fiesta Starring Mary Chipperfield's Wonderful Animals, c1900 - 2000
Pen and ink.
Poster of Thomas Edison's Animated Photo Record of Boer and China Wars, c1900 - 2000
Black and white poster.
Poster with No Text, 1950 - 2000
Thought to be a poster for Gerry Cottle's Circus. Colour illustration of various performers and animals with Jeremy Beadle on blue background. Left blank for overprinting of name of circus, dates and location.
Poster with No Text, 1950 - 2000
Thought to be a poster for Gerry Cottle's Circus. Colour illustration of various performers and animals with Jeremy Beadle on blue background. Left blank for overprinting of name of circus, dates and location.
Posters, c1900 - 2019
Posters for Smart circuses and other circuses. Some have been left blank for overprinting of dates and venues.
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.
Professional Colour Photograph of a Male Circus Performer Dressed in Formal Wear with a Silver Tube, c1900 - 2000
Promotional material for Smart Circus and other circuses includign leaflets and brochures.
Professional Colour Photograph of Female Equestrian Performer Manuela Beeloo, c1900 - 2000
Promotional material for Smart Circus and other circuses includign leaflets and brochures.
Programmes, 1970 - 1981
Programmes for various British and international circuses including Billy Russell's, Blackpool Tower, Fossett's, Chipperfield's and the Toni Boltini's Circus.