Great Yarmouth Hippodrome (Established 1903)
Dates
- Existence: Established 1903
Biography
The Great Yarmouth Hippodrome was built by the showman George Gilbert in 1903 and designed by architect Ralph Scott Cockrill. It is one of only two purpose-built permanent circuses in England still in operation, and one of only three in the world with a circus floor that sinks into a pool.
Since its opening, the Hippodrome has operated as a circus venue, presenting other type of shows from time to time uninterrupted, except for the Second World War years, when it was requisitioned by the government and used by the RAF for shooting practice. Between the 1950s and 1960s the Hippodrome presented Billy Russell's Circus Spectacular, which included three televised circus shows in 1962, broadcasted by the BBC.
The current owner, 1960s pop start Peter Jay (b.1944), from ‘Peter Jay and the Jaywalkers’, bought the building in 1979 to stop it from being turned into a Bingo. In 1981 Peter presented the first circus show after restoring its iconic water feature and over the years added elements form his past career to the shows departing from the more traditional circus spectacle and creating a new identity with a strong pop music flair.
The Hippodrome produced four shows a year and Peter’s sons Jack and Ben eventually joined the family business. Jack is the current Ringmaster and Producer and Ben the Manager and they continue producing four shows a year at Halloween, Christmas, Easter and Summer showcasing international troupes of circus performers.
Found in 44 Collections and/or Records:
Billy Russell’s Circus Spectacular Programme, 1974
Billy Russell's Circus Spectacular Programme, From 1 June 1968
Hippodrome, Great Yarmouth. Colour illustration of woman in blue bikini and white and blue feather head dress seating on an elephant's head on front cover, inside introduction with brief history of circus and Astley related prints, black and white photographs of performers and acts with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 12p.p.
Billy Russell's Circus Spectacular Programme, 1974
Hippodrome, Great Yarmouth. Colour illustration of Cossack riders and dancers in red and white outfits and white and brown horses over a blue background on the front cover, inside black and white photographs of performers and acts with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 12p.p.
Billy Russell's Circus Spectacular Programme, 1970
Hippodrome, Great Yarmouth. Colour illustration of circus acts including trapeze on top section and clowns, performing animals and poodles with performers on the bottom section over a yellow and orange background on the front cover, inside black and white photographs of performers and acts with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 12p.p.
Billy Russell's Circus Spectacular Programme, 1972
Hippodrome, Great Yarmouth. Colour illustration of circus acts including trapeze on top section and Chinesse and Hungarian acrobats , woman riding a white horse and woman with poodels on the bottom section over a yellow and red background on the front cover, inside black and white photographs of performers and acts with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 12p.p.
Billy Russell’s Circus Spectacular Programme, 1975
Billy Russell’s Circus Spectacular Programme, 1976
Hippodrome, Great Yarmouth, Jerry, Jimmy and Johnny equestrians, Udo Heltano equilibrist, Mary Chipperfield’s kindergarten animals, chimpanzees and Liberty horses, Senorita Manolita aerial act, Miss Wendy’s Poodle Party, Jacko Fossett and Little Billy clowns, The Belios acrobats, The Halfwits comedy acrobats, The Tonitas Veracruz trapeze, Miss Conti balancing roller act, Jorge Tonito tightwire, The Herculeans moustachioed acrobats. Contains illustrations with photos, 24p.p.
Billy Russell’s Circus Spectacular Programme, 1977
The Two Bohumils jugglers, The Robert Brothers Camel Caravan, elephants and ponies, Skippy the Boxing Kangaroo, Blanini aerialist, Jacko Fossett and Little Billy clowns, Markus and Rosita strongman, The Valla Bertini Troupe trick cyclist, The Wychwoods magic and dog act, Chyfudey contortion, acrobatic and balancing act, The Bjoerlings equestrian act, Bobby Dixon comedy acrobat, The Tanger troupe tumblers. Contains illustration with photos, 24p.p.
Billy Russell's Grand Family Circus and Water Spectacular Programme, 1953
Hippodrome, Great Yarmouth. Colour illustration of fountain act on top right, clown's head with a trumpet on top left, chimpanzees in band uniforms playing drums on bottom left and elephant's head on centre right in mainly red and blue on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white photographs of performers and acts with text, pink illustrations, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 6p.p.
Billy Russell's Grand Family Circus Programme, 1955
Hippodrome, Great Yarmouth. Colour illustration of seal, elephant, three men dressed as Mexicans around a pond and a woman in a long green skirt and bikini top with fruit head dress on the front cover, inside black and white photographs of performers and acts with text, pink illustrations, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 8p.p.
Billy Russell's Grand Family Circus, Zoo and Pets Corner Programme, 1956
Hippodrome, Great Yarmouth. Black, red, white and blue type on blue, orange and yellow background and colour illustration of cartoon clown's face with mouth open on top right on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white photographs of performers and acts with text, pink illustrations, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 8p.p.
Christopher Palmer Collection
Circus programmes and VHS tapes from Billy Smart’s Circus and Chipperfields’s Circus collected during the 1970s and early 1980s by the TV producer, Christopher John Palmer. There are also a number of promotional photographs of artistes and other ephemera related to the circus.
Circus Friends Association Collection
This collection consists of a large library of books and journals, as well as archival material including posters, programmes, photographs, films, handbills, research material, scrapbooks, original artwork and many other items of ephemera relating to British, Irish and European circuses
Cyril Critchlow Collection
Early Circus Programmes, c1800 - 1999
Early British circus and variety programmes including Astley's, Batty's and Lord George Sanger's circus.
Great Yarmouth Hippodrome and Chipperfield Circus Programmes, c1900 - 1999
Great Yarmouth Hippodrome and Chipperfield Circus programmes.
Great Yarmouth Hippodrome Circus and Liverpool Stadium Programmes, c1900 - 2004
Great Yarmouth Hippodrome and Liverpool Stadium circus programmes including Billy Russell, Peter Jay, Jasmine Smart and Sally Chipperfield among others.
Hippodrome Circus Great Yarmouth Programme, 1934
Three fold programme with colour illustration of three clown faces breaking through a paper ring in the centre and four circus acts on the edges including weight lifting, equestrian act, trapeze act and balancing act over a redish background on the front cover, inside programme in the centre and commercial advertising on the sides, on reverse equestrian act with eight horses.
Hippodrome Circus Great Yarmouth Programme, 1935
Three fold programme with colour illustration of three clown faces breaking through a paper ring in the centre and four circus acts on the edges including weight lifting, equestrian act, trapeze act and balancing act over a redish background on the front cover, inside programme in the centre and commercial advertising on the sides, on reverse equestrian act with eight horses.
Hippodrome Circus Great Yarmouth Programme, 1938
Three fold programme with colour illustration of three clown faces breaking through a paper ring in the centre and four circus acts on the edges including weight lifting, equestrian act, trapeze act and balancing act over a redish background on the front cover, inside programme in the centre and commercial advertising on the sides, on reverse equestrian act with eight horses.