Circus Friends Association of Great Britain (Established 1934)
Biography
The CFA, formerly known as the Circus Fans Association was stablished on Saturday 20th January 1934 in the ring of Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia, London by a group of enthusiasts. The CFA’s purpose remains the same as in its conception; to stimulate, foster and promote enthusiasm for circus and related performances as part of British culture.
During 1934, the pattern for CFA activities was established, with the formation of the library, the publication of The Sawdust Ring magazine and the first rallies, including ones to the Hippodrome Circus in Great Yarmouth and Blackpool Tower. The annual subscription at the time was one guinea for residents in a radius of 60 miles from London 'as defined by Automobile Association handbook', and half a guinea for those residing outside that area, in the provinces. 'For residents in the Colonies and foreign counties' the subscription was 7/6.
The first President of the CFA was Lady Eleanor Smith (1902-1945), the eldest child of the politician F. E. Smith. Lady Eleanor Smith was an author, a society reporter and cinema reviewer and worked as a publicist for circus companies.
Other notable presidents were; Dame Laura Knight (1877-1970), the most celebrated British impressionist female artist of all time and the first woman to ever be elected to the Royal Academy. The actor Sir Cedric Hardwicke (1893-1964), wine merchant and philanthropist Sir Walter Gilbey (1831-1914), theatrical manager and empresario Sir Charles B. Cochran (1872-1951), Sir William Savory (1882-1961), author Antony Hippisley Coxe and Commander W. J. Gerard.
The first five years of the CFA saw the firm establishment of the Association its activity, although it was active by Alfred 'Dickey' Bird. The post-war years were difficult but the CFA continued operating with the same aims and ambitions.
The library was started in 1937, as a gift of 30 books from A.C. McLachlan. Others titles were acquired by purchase or donation. It contains books on virtually every aspect of circus life from individual acts, to acts of Parliament, from erecting a Big Top, to the logistics of transporting circuses, works of fiction, photography and juvenile literature all of which help to create a greater understanding of the many contrasts in circus life; of the romance, tragedy, spectacle and hardships.
Notable authors who have contributed to the myth and legend of circus include Lady Eleanor Smith, who in 1945, donated all her circus books to the CFA, Ruth Manning-Sanders and Courtney Ryley Cooper, an American writer who, after having first joined a circus aged 16, went on to write crime books and ghost-wrote articles under J. Edgar Hoover’s name in the 1930s.
After the war lists of holdings were printed and distributed to members, who could borrow a book at a time by post. By the mid 1970s, the ‘Library Catalogue’ listed 525 books and a ‘Circusiana’ section was created for valuable books, for reference only.
The CFA continues maintaining the collection, ensuring its growth and establishing it as the primary, national collection of books on circus.
The CFA has also amassed one of the most fascinating and important collection of circus related material in the United Kingdom expanding over 200 years. This material has supported research and literature produced by its members over the years and has ensured that an important part of British circus history will be available for future generations of researchers and enthusiasts.
The association has always welcomed enthusiasts and circus artistes to it’s membership and has always produced a regular publication giving news, reviews and articles on circus artistes and personalities and reviews of British and foreign circuses. The current quarterly magazine King Pole, named after the masts, which support a circus tent, is regarded as one of the leading circus periodicals in the world.
The CFA continues to organise visits, formerly called rallies, for the members, to UK circuses and recognises the achievements of those involved in circus with special awards.
After almost 85 years in existence the CFA continues to flourish with membership being maintained in the region of 500 comprising both British and subscribers from abroad.
Found in 154 Collections and/or Records:
Chipperfield Circus Posters, c1950 - 1999
Chipperfield Circus posters including Chipperfield Circus, Chipperfield Brothers Circus, Sally Chipperfield's Circus, Circus Spectacular, Chipperfields Europe's Greatest Circus, Chipperfield's Bingley Hall Xmas Circus, Mary Chipperfield's Circus and Jimmy Chipperfield's Circus among others.
Chipperfield Circus Programmes, c1900 - 1999
Chipperfield Circus programmes including Chipperfield Brothers Circus and Sally Chipperfield Circus
Chipperfield's Circus Poster, c1950 - 1999
17 to 19 July. The Four Dressiers, The Royal Bengal tigers, The Five Caesars double perch act, black grizzly and polar bears, The Percheron stallions, Susan and Sidi high school act, The Cowboy round-up, Fiery Jack and Co, Chipperfield's zebras, The Golden Palomino horses, Bradfort Springboard Troupe, canine capers, Jackie Sloan, Los Argentinos, Chipperfield's elephantasia.
Chipperfields Europe's Largest Circus and Menagerie Poster, 1954
Miss Stella's sea lions, 16 elephants, Roman chariot racing, Ranee the only tiger to ride an elephant, 70 horses, The Raluy's fired from a canon, 18 grizzly and polar bears, The Dorchesters cowboy riders, The Cutanos aerial acrobats, giraffe, camels, llamas, zebras, Les French comedy, 12 African lions, high school act, The Domis wirewalkers, John's performing poodles, 3 Henris trapeze act. Colour illustration of chariot racers, type and background multicoloured.
Chipperfields Europe's Largest Circus and Menagerie Poster, c1950 - 1999
Chipperfields Europe's Largest Circus and Menagerie Poster, 1955
Circus Acts Gouache, c1900 - 1999
Gouache on card, poster design, signed by Leon Crossley. Colour illustrations of acrobats hanging from supports decorated as a rocket, the moon and a star, a man in Chinese outfit who appears to be flying, a group of cossack riders with swords and a woman in band costume playing a drum with three russian dancers behind her, background image of the night sky.
Circus Acts Notebooks Research Material, c1900 - 1999
Notebooks describing circus acts, include diagrams and drawings of routines on acrobatic, equestrian, animal, high wire, horizontal bars, juggling, trapeze, clowning, aerial acts, Illusionists in the circus ring and others by Hal Thomas (David Harold Thomas). Manuscript.
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
Circus Krone, Circus Knie, 7th Massy Festival and 24th Monte Carlo Circus Festival Films, 1999 - 2002
Circus Life No. 3, Whirlings, Circus and Vintage Thrill Makers 'Circus Edition' Films, c1927 - 1989
Circus Scene Drawing, c1920 - 1969
Ink on card drawing by CATT. Black and white comical illustration of circus ring with elephant, chasing a man dress in tails and top hat , equestrian act, two ladies on a trapeze, man smoking a pipe walking on a horizontal bar, lion tamer and clown.
Continental Circus Berlin Programme, 1991
Colour illustration of blond man leaping into another man's hands in the air, a circus ring on the bottom section with circus master, a blue border and pink, yellow, red and blue type on the front cover, inside poster showing colour photographs of circus performers and acts on a yellow background, on back cover programme with circus performers around the edges, 2p.p.
Cooke's Circus Poster, c1800 - 1899
David Smart's Super Circus Poster, c1946 - 1999
Battersea Park, London Summer Season. Colour illustration of female equestrian in long red gown and top hat riding a white horse, trapeze act on bottom left and clown and female face on centre right, also aerial act on crescent moon on top left corner, over a blue background and blue and white borders. Printed in England by W. E. Berry Ltd. Bradford.
David Smart's Super Circus Poster, c1946 - 1999
Battersea Park. Colour illustration of female equestrian in long red gown and top hat riding a white horse, trapeze act on bottom left and clown and female face on centre right, also aerial act on crescent moon on top left corner, over a blue background. Printed in England by W. E. Berry Ltd. Bradford.
Ducrow Royal Amphitheatre Poster, 29 October 1829
Ducrow's Benefit Poster, 7 September 1829
Bonaparte's Passage of the Great St. Bernard, panoramic drama, Mr. Ducrow's enactment of the Venetian Statue, Mr. Ducrow and Miss Woolford double tightrope act, St. George and the Dragon, Miss Woolford equestrian act, Herr Adolphe Berg equestrian act, Liberty or the Flight of the Saracens, Messrs. J. Ducrow, Lloyd and MacDonald clowns, Messrs. Yates and Widdicomb equestrian act, Cataract of the Ganges. Black type on off white background.
Ducrow's Royal Amphitheatre Poster, Monday 26 October - Wednesday 28 October 1829
Early Circus Programmes, c1800 - 1999
Early British circus and variety programmes including Astley's, Batty's and Lord George Sanger's circus.