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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 Brothers Circus Programme, 1966

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.124
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: 1966

Robert Brothers Circus Programme, 1968

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.125
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: 1968

Robert Brothers Circus Programme, c1900 - 1999

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.130
Scope and Contents

Colour illustration of lion jumping through a hoop on fire over a red background on the front cover, inside colour photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertisment on back cover, 8p.p.

Dates: c1900 - 1999

Robert Brothers Circus Programmes, c1900 - 2008

 Sub-Series
Reference code: 178K43.111-172
Scope and Contents

Robert Brothers Circus programmes.

Dates: c1900 - 2008

Robert Brothers Circus Research Material, 1948 - 1967

 Sub-Series
Reference code: 178B30.4
Scope and Contents

Black and white and colour photocopies of Robert Brothers circus posters, programmes and newspaper cuttings.

Dates: 1948 - 1967

Robert Brothers Famous Circus Programme, c1900 - 1999

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.159
Scope and Contents

Colour illustration of large smiling clown's face in the centre and a blond woman in a white bikini hanging from a rope on a starry blue background on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white and colour photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 6p.p.

Dates: c1900 - 1999

Robert Brothers Famous Circus Programme, c1900 - 1999

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.162
Scope and Contents

Colour illustration of two clown faces in the centre and different circus animals below including, horses, tigers, lion, elephants, gorilla, camerls poodles and boxing kangaroo on a blue background on the front cover, inside programme with colour illustrations around the right, left and bottom edges, Thorney wildlife park advert on back cover, 2p.p.

Dates: c1900 - 1999

Robert Brothers Famous Circus Programme, c1900 - 1999

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.167
Scope and Contents

Colour illustration of smiling clown's face, wearing a Union Jack top hat over a white and blue background on the font cover, inside colour photographs of acts and performers with text and programme in the centre, 6p.p.

Dates: c1900 - 1999

Robert Brothers Famous Circus Programme, 1978

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.172
Scope and Contents

Colour illustration of two clown faces in the centre and different circus animals below including, horses, tigers, lion, elephants, gorilla, camerls poodles and boxing kangaroo on a blue background on the front cover, inside introduction, colour and black and white photographs of acts and performers,programme in the centre and wildlife park advert on back cover, 6p.p.

Dates: 1978

Robert Brothers International Circus Programme, Sunday 8 December 1985 - Saturday 26 January 1986

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.171
Scope and Contents

Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre. Colour illustration of elephant's head with trunk in a knot, a clown balancing a bucket of water on a stick on his nose and a juggler over a white background on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 8p.p.

Dates: Sunday 8 December 1985 - Saturday 26 January 1986

Robert Brothers Souvenir Brouchure, c1900 - 1999

 Item
Reference code: 178I22.34
Scope and Contents

Colour illustrations of circus acts along the left hand side and colour photograph of circus ring with four elephants performing in the centre on the front cover, inside introduction to the history of Robert Brothers Circus, black and white and colour photographs of family members with short articles and some celebrities, also commercial advertising, 8p.p.

Dates: c1900 - 1999

Robert Brothers Super Circus Programme, c1985 - 1989

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.147
Scope and Contents

Colour photograph of three Robert brothers on bottom section and circus tent within a red, orange and white star above on front cover, inside colour photographs of acts, performers and circus tent and programme in the centre, also a loose page with programme in black and white with black and white illustration of ringmaster holding a whip, 7p.p.

Dates: c1985 - 1989

Robert Brothers Super Circus Programme, c1985 - 1989

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.148
Scope and Contents

Colour photograph of three Robert brothers on bottom section and circus tent within a red, orange and white star above on front cover, inside colour photographs of acts, performers and circus tent and programme in the centre, also a loose page with programme in black and white with black and white illustration of ringmaster holding a whip, 6p.p.

Dates: c1985 - 1989

Robert Brothers Super Circus Programme, c1985 - 1989

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.149
Scope and Contents

Colour photograph of three Robert brothers on bottom section and circus tent within a red, orange and white star above on front cover, inside colour photographs of acts, performers and circus tent and programme in the centre, also a loose page with programme in black and white with black and white illustration of ringmaster holding a whip, 6p.p.

Dates: c1985 - 1989

Robert Brothers Super Circus Programme, c1900 - 1999

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.156
Scope and Contents

Colour photograph of three Robert brothers on centre within a red, yellow and white star on light blue background on front cover, inside introduction, colour photographs of acts, performers and insert programme in the centre printed in black and white, 6p.p.

Dates: c1900 - 1999

Robert Brothers Super Circus Programme, c1900 - 1999

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.157
Scope and Contents

Colour photograph of three Robert brothers on centre within a red, yellow and white star on light blue background on front cover, inside introduction, colour photographs of acts, performers, programme missing, 4p.p.

Dates: c1900 - 1999

Robert Brothers Super Circus Programme, 1991 - 1992

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.169
Scope and Contents

S.E.C.C. Glasgow. Black and white photograph of three Roberts brothers and black and white type on front cover with introduction at the bottom of the page, inside programme and black and white photographs of performers and acts along the sides, on back cover black and white photographs of acts and performers and acknowledgements, 2p.p.

Dates: 1991 - 1992

Scrapbook of Multiple Circuses, 1983 - 1984

 Item
Reference code: 178G21.74
Scope and Contents

Scrapbook of newspaper cuttings, relating to multiple circuses and acts including Robert Brothers, Chipperfield's and Gerry Cottle's, 25p.p.

Dates: 1983 - 1984

Spanish National Circus Programme, 2006

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.160
Scope and Contents

Colour illustration of flamenco dancer in red dress over a blue background and clown's face peaking from behind a curtain on top right corner on the front cover, inside introduction, colour photographs of acts and performers, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 10p.p.

Dates: 2006

The Bedford Theatre Programme, week commencing Monday 29 December 1947

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.136
Scope and Contents

Hip Hip Zoo Ray Circus, presented by The Robert Brothers,. Candem Town. Blue and white illlustration of a large building and landscape and blue type on white background on the front cover, inside programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 4p.p.

Dates: week commencing Monday 29 December 1947