Skip to main content

Robert Brothers Circus (Established 1944)

 Organisation

Biography

The Robert Brothers Circus was established by brothers Tommy and Bobby Roberts in Falkirk, Scotland in 1944 and became one of the most successful circuses in Britain and Ireland.

The Roberts family, which can be traced back to Sir Robert Fossett, prospered over ten generations of the family with the business tradition passing from generation to generation, down to Bobby Roberts Junior and wife Moira, who were the last owners of the circus.

The Robert Brothers Circus provided traditional circus entertainment including animal acts, and were very famous for their horses and elephants. They travelled their shows around Britain and Ireland all year round either tenting during the summer or at indoor venues through the winter with regular appearances at Kelvin Hall during the Christmas season.

During the 1970s Robert Brothers Circus provided the big top and show facilities for the televised Circus World Championships and their cicus also made several television shows for the BBC.

Bobby Jr. and Moira continued with the circus and still had elephants until circa 2011.

Found in 85 Collections and/or Records:

Robert Bros. Mamooth Circus and Zoo Programme, 1960

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.118
Scope and Contents

Colour photograph of two Robert brothers on the front cover over a yellow star on a purple background, inside black and white photographs of the Robert family and the acts and performers with text and an essay about the origin of the modern circus on the last page, programme in the centre, 8p.p.

Dates: 1960

Robert Bros. Mamooth Circus and Zoo Programme, 1956

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.119
Scope and Contents

Colour photograph of two Robert brothers on the front cover over a yellow star on a purple background, inside black and white photographs of the Robert family and the acts and performers with text and an essay about the origin of the modern circus on the last page, programme in the centre, 8p.p.

Dates: 1956

Robert Bros. Mamooth Circus and Zoo Programme, 1960

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.120
Scope and Contents

Colour photograph of two Robert brothers on the front cover over a yellow star on a purple background, inside black and white photographs of the Robert family and the acts and performers with text and an essay about the origin of the modern circus on the last page, programme in the centre, 8p.p.

Dates: 1960

Robert Bros. Mamooth Circus Programme, c1900 - 1999

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.133
Scope and Contents

Red type on yellow background with red border on front cover, inside programme in red type over yellow, 2p.p.

Dates: c1900 - 1999

Robert Bros. Present Hip Hip Zoo Ray Circus Programme, 1953

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.112
Scope and Contents

Red type on off white background with illustrations of a lion and a bear in red on the front cover, programme inside and information about the zoo on back cover, 2p.p.

Dates: 1953

Robert Bros. Present Hip Hip Zoo Ray Mammoth Circus Programme, 1949

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.132
Scope and Contents

Blue illustration of lion's head in a circle in the centre and blue type on white background on front cover, inside programme in blue type and details about menagerie on back cover, 2p.p.

Dates: 1949

Robert Brothers Circus Bonanza Programme, c1900 - 1999

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.170
Scope and Contents

Christmas Spectacular. White, grey and black illustration of elephant stood on its back legs on a circus platform, holding a flag reading Christmas Spectacular on it, over a light blue background and red and yellow curtains on the sides on the front cover, inside colour photographs of performers and acts with text, programme in the centre and historical information on back cover, 4p.p.

Dates: c1900 - 1999

Robert Brothers Circus Booking Plan, c1900 - 1999

 Item
Reference code: 178M16.5
Scope and Contents

Black and white plan with areas divided in segments for Oxleage, Gloucester.

Dates: c1900 - 1999

Robert Brothers Circus Poster, c1980 - 1989

 Item
Reference code: 178R27.28
Scope and Contents

Nelson Carr Road recreation ground. Black type with red and blue border on white background. Printed by: W.E. Berry Ltd. Bradford.

Dates: c1980 - 1989

Robert Brothers Circus Programme, 1971

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.141
Scope and Contents

Colour illustration of roaring lion's head on blue background on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white photographs of acts and performers, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 10p.p.

Dates: 1971

Robert Brothers Circus Programme, 1970

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.142
Scope and Contents

Colour illustration of roaring lion's head on blue background on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white photographs of acts and performers, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 10p.p.

Dates: 1970

Robert Brothers Circus Programme, 1969 - 1970

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.143
Scope and Contents

Colour illustration of roaring lion's head on blue background on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white photographs of acts and performers, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 8p.p.

Dates: 1969 - 1970

Robert Brothers Circus Programme, 1969

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.144
Scope and Contents

Colour illustration of roaring lion's head on blue background on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white photographs of acts and performers, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 10p.p.

Dates: 1969

Robert Brothers Circus Programme, c1900 - 1999

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.145
Scope and Contents

Colour illustration of roaring lion's head on orange background on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white photographs of acts and performers, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 8p.p.

Dates: c1900 - 1999

Robert Brothers Circus Programme, 10 - 15 February 1975

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.146
Scope and Contents

Theatre Royal, Norwich. Robert Brothers Circus. Black and white illustration of clown holding a sign and elephant holding a paint brush on a red background on the front cover, inside introductions, programme and commercial advertising, 8p.p.

Dates: 10 - 15 February 1975

Robert Brothers Circus Programme, 1973

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.152
Scope and Contents

Colour illustration of roaring lion's head and elephant's head on a blue background on the front cover, inside introduction, colour and black and white photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial adversiting, 10p.p.

Dates: 1973

Robert Brothers Circus Programme, 1973

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.153
Scope and Contents

Colour illustration of roaring lion's head and elephant's head on a blue background on the front cover, inside introduction, colour and black and white photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial adversiting, 10p.p.

Dates: 1973

Robert Brothers Circus Programme, 1965

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.121
Scope and Contents

Colour illustration of elephants performing with feathers on their heads and other animals on the top section over a blue background on the front cover, inside black and white photographs of the Robert family and the acts and performers with text and programme in the centre, article on circus and commercial advertisement on last page, 8p.p.

Dates: 1965

Robert Brothers Circus Programme, 1965

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.122
Scope and Contents

Colour illustration of elephants performing with feathers on their heads and other animals on the top section over a blue background on the front cover, inside black and white photographs of the Robert family and the acts and performers with text and programme in the centre, article on circus and commercial advertisement on last page, 8p.p.

Dates: 1965

Robert Brothers Circus Programme, 1967

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.123
Scope and Contents

Colour illustration of elephants performing with feathers on their heads and other animals on the top section over a blue background on the front cover, inside black and white photographs of the Robert family and the acts and performers with text and programme in the centre, article on circus and commercial advertisement on last page, 8p.p.

Dates: 1967