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Circus Friends Association of Great Britain (Established 1934)

 Organisation

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

 Sub-Series
Reference code: 178R47.213-354
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: c1950 - 1999

Chipperfield Circus Programmes, c1900 - 1999

 Sub-Series
Reference code: 178K43.230-280
Scope and Contents

Chipperfield Circus programmes including Chipperfield Brothers Circus and Sally Chipperfield Circus

Dates: c1900 - 1999

Chipperfield's Circus Poster, c1950 - 1999

 Item
Reference code: 178R47.218
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: c1950 - 1999

Chipperfields Europe's Largest Circus and Menagerie Poster, 1954

 Item
Reference code: 178R47.220
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: 1954

Chipperfields Europe's Largest Circus and Menagerie Poster, c1950 - 1999

 Item
Reference code: 178R47.224
Scope and Contents Cheeky Chimps, featuring the stilt walking chimp, Fiery Jack and his streamlined car, the horse riding sea lion troupe, great group of polar and brown bears, Western carousel, Raluy presents the triple somersaulting car, the horse on the flying trapeze, Cheif Eagle Eye sharp-shooting, Alola the Jungle princess with her Bengal tigers, 3 Henris thrills in the air, elephant spectacle presented by Wenzel Kossmayer, 12 thoroughbred racehorses and Palominos, Valnohas, unicycles, exotic act...
Dates: c1950 - 1999

Chipperfields Europe's Largest Circus and Menagerie Poster, 1955

 Item
Reference code: 178R47.225
Scope and Contents Miss Stella's sea lions, 16 elephants, Roman chariot racing, The Camileo Mayer high wire troupe, 70 horses, the exotic group, camels, llamas, zebras and George the giraffe, 18 grizzly and polar bears, The Kalev's human statues, The Tarzanovas flying trapeze, Chipperfields cheeky chimps, Les French comedy, 12 African lions, high school act, The Domis wirewalkers, John's performing poodles, 3 Henris trapeze. Colour illustration of Roman chariot racers, announcement that the show is new glued...
Dates: 1955

Circus Acts Gouache, c1900 - 1999

 Item
Reference code: 178V11.48
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: c1900 - 1999

Circus Acts Notebooks Research Material, c1900 - 1999

 Sub-Series
Reference code: 178B30.21
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: c1900 - 1999

Circus Friends Association Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0122
Scope and Contents

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

Dates: 1795 - 2020

Circus Krone, Circus Knie, 7th Massy Festival and 24th Monte Carlo Circus Festival Films, 1999 - 2002

 Item
Reference code: 178D13.9
Scope and Contents SAT1 TV, 3SAT TV, MDR TV. Colour, sound and background music. DVD1 documentary about Circus Krone showing behind the scenes footage, interviews, performers and acts, build up and take down of the circus and circus children in school, narrated in German, Knie Circus documentary narrated in German, showing behind the scenes footage of animal act rehersals, performers and general workers, taking down the circus and on the road, commercial advertising, American TV sitcom, 03:04:24 mins. DVD2 7th...
Dates: 1999 - 2002

Circus Life No. 3, Whirlings, Circus and Vintage Thrill Makers 'Circus Edition' Films, c1927 - 1989

 Item
Reference code: 178D13.5
Scope and Contents Vintage Video Productions, Peak Film Productions. Colour and black and white, sound and background music. DVD 1 'I Want to be a Lion Tamer', documentary narrated in English by Zac Radcliffe who talk about life in Whirlings circus, shows the circus travelling, setting up, acts in the ring and back stage scenes c1980s, 'Here's the Circus' documentary, scenes in black and white, narrated in English, c1950s-c1960s, 'American Circus Life Vol 2', black and white scenes of circus performers,...
Dates: c1927 - 1989

Circus Scene Drawing, c1920 - 1969

 Item
Reference code: 178V11.6
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: c1920 - 1969

Continental Circus Berlin Programme, 1991

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.439
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: 1991

Cooke's Circus Poster, c1800 - 1899

 Item
Reference code: 178R47.20
Scope and Contents Bootham Bar, York, for the benefit of Paul Pietro, The Indian flying equestrian and Mr. Boulter clown, Spanish parade of eight beautiful barbs, Mr. Bridges will go through the wonderful feast performed by Juan Bellinck on the cord volante and pyramid of men, Still Vaulting, Mr. Gibson clarinet concert, Mr. Evans comedian, Madame Louise equestrian act, Mr. Evans wonderful Polanders, On the Key Bugle concerto, Paul Pietro war Indian, Monsier Cline tightrope act, Mr. Woolford equestrian act,...
Dates: c1800 - 1899

David Smart's Super Circus Poster, c1946 - 1999

 Item
Reference code: 178R47.54
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: c1946 - 1999

David Smart's Super Circus Poster, c1946 - 1999

 Item
Reference code: 178R47.136
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: c1946 - 1999

Ducrow Royal Amphitheatre Poster, 29 October 1829

 Item
Reference code: 178R47.21
Scope and Contents Splendid Cavalcade by 12 horses, Master Brown as The Greek Youth, Mr. Ducrow and Pegasus, My Grandmother on Horseback, Mr. Ducrow on The Tar's Vicissitudes, The Lilliputian Bonaparte and his War Horse, Miss Woolford, J. Ducrow and Lloyd clows, Messrs. Fillingham, Yates and Widdicomb riding masters, Master Bridges on the elastic cord, Crusaders, Grand Tournament, A L'Outrance, The Games of Cupid and Zephyr, Mademoiselle Lucie de Fanconi, The Courier of St. Petersburgh. Black type on off...
Dates: 29 October 1829

Ducrow's Benefit Poster, 7 September 1829

 Item
Reference code: 178R47.24
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: 7 September 1829

Ducrow's Royal Amphitheatre Poster, Monday 26 October - Wednesday 28 October 1829

 Item
Reference code: 178R47.28
Scope and Contents The Union of the Nations, Master Brown as The Young Lancer and his Charger, The Countess of Lilliput, My Grandmother on Horseback, The Roman Galdiator, The Flight of Mercury, Greek Soldier, Fairy Horses, Mock Combat, Miss Woolford and Master Bridges on the elastic cord, Madamoiselle Lucie de Franconi, The Enebriated Huzzar, Yorkshire Sportsman and his Bareback Hunters. Black type on off white background with illustration of male rider standing on two horses while jumping an obstacle on top...
Dates: Monday 26 October - Wednesday 28 October 1829

Early Circus Programmes, c1800 - 1999

 Sub-Series
Reference code: 178K43.1-28
Scope and Contents

Early British circus and variety programmes including Astley's, Batty's and Lord George Sanger's circus.

Dates: c1800 - 1999