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 415 Collections and/or Records:
Spanish National Circus Programme, 2006
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.
Super Circus '84 Poster, 1984
Peter Jay presents All New Super Circus '84, at Blackpool Tower. The Rodogels, The Coco-Tots. Colour illustrations of a clown and an elephant, black and white illustration of Blackpool Tower, photographs of the Water Spectaculer, seven clowns and wrestler Big Daddy, main background red, type multicoloured. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd.
Super Circus '84 Poster, 1984
Peter Jay presents All New Super Circus '84, at Blackpool Tower. The Rodogels, The Coco-Tots. Colour illustrations of a clown and an elephant, black and white illustration of Blackpool Tower, photographs of the Water Spectaculer, seven clowns and wrestler Big Daddy, main background red, type multicoloured.
Super Circus '85 Poster, 1985
Peter Jay presents All New Super Circus '85, at Blackpool Tower. Colour illustrations of three clowns, sea lions, acrobats and a fountain, black and white illustration of Blackpool Tower, photograph of wrestler Big Daddy, main background pink, type multicoloured.
Super Circus Programme, 1984
Hippodrome, Great Yarmouth. Presented by Peter Jay. Colour illustration of smily clown face on top left, water fountain act on bottom left, wheel of death act and elephant's head on blue and black background on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white photographs of performers and acts with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 8p.p.
Super Circus Programme, 1984
Hippodrome, Great Yarmouth. Presented by Peter Jay. Colour illustration of smily clown face on top left, water fountain act on bottom left, wheel of death act and elephant's head on blue and black background on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white photographs of performers and acts with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 8p.p.
Superdome Circus Poster, c1930 - 1990
Peter Jay's Superdome Circus at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, starring Mary Chipperfield. 22nd May to 8th November. Colour illustrations of Mary Chipperfield with a white tiger, a monkey in clothes, a clown, horses and an elephant, background black with multicoloured stripes, type multicoloured.
The Cairoli Family Circus and Chipperfield's Circus Films, c1950 - 1959
The Francescos and Roman Games Gouache, c1900 - 1999
Gouache on card, type and photographs glued on seperately poster design. Bertram Mills Circus. The Francescos clowns and Roman Games with Douglas Kossmayer, the 'Ben Hur' of the circus. Two black and white photographs, one of three clowns, the other of a man in roman armour holding the reigns of three horses in a row, standing with one foot each on the back of the two outer horses, background orange type black.
The Great Carmo's Circus and Menagerie Poster, 1929
Baby June the cycling elephant, the only one in the world. Colour illustration in the centre, of elephant on trycicle with girl in white dress on the right and hobo clown on the left within a blue circle and yellow margins containing illustrations of elephants, horse and carriage with performers and elephant and the face of a man on top left also within a circle.
The Great Olympia Hippodrome and Circus Programme, 1887
The Mount Olivet Circus Programme, 29 July 1939
Red type on orange paper with small clown illustrations on front cover, inside programme and commercial advertising on back cover. Printed by Langham Printer, Farnham, 2p.p.
The Original Sir Robert Fossett's Circus Programme, 1936
Monochrome illustration of female equestrian act, clown and man riding elephant in blue over a yellow and red background on the front cover, inside programme in blue type on yellow background, 2p.p.
The Original Sir Robert Fossett's Circus Programme, 1935
Blue type on blue background with illustration of smiling clown's face in centre on blue on the front cover, inside programme. Printed by Parkes and Mainwarings Ltd, Printers, Coleshill Street, Birmingham, 2p.p.
The Original Sir Robert Fossett's Circus Programme, 1935
Blue type on blue background with illustration of smiling clown's face in centre on blue on the front cover, inside programme. Printed by Parkes and Mainwarings Ltd, Printers, Coleshill Street, Birmingham, 2p.p.
The World Famous Moscow State Circus Programme, 1998 - 2000
Colour photograph of clowning act on a hot air balloon with a clown in the basket trying to hook an umbrella onto another clown, which is hanging in the air's foot on a black background on the front cover, inside introduction and colour photographs of acts and performers with text and programme in the centre. Printed by Perfectaprint, Byfleet, Surrey KT14 7JG, 8p.p.
Tony Felix's New Royal English Circus Programme, c1800 - 1899
Tower Circus Blackpool Programme, Summer Season, 15 April - 16 October 1954
Silk cover with red ribbon, containing colour illustration of a cartoon clown wearing blue trousers and red braces from behind holdind a can of paint and a brush on an off white background, inside programme with same illustration on a red background on the front cover, inside black and white photographs of performers and acts and programme in the centre, autographed on back cover, 8p.p.
Tower Circus Blackpool Programme, Summer Season, 7 April - 15 October 1955
Silk cover with red ribbon, containing colour illustration of a cartoon clown wearing blue trousers and red braces from behind holdind a can of paint and a brush on an off white background, inside programme with same illustration on a red background on the front cover, inside black and white photographs of performers and acts and programme in the centre, autographed on back cover, 8p.p.
Tower Circus Blackpool Programme, Summer Season, 29 March - 20 October 1956
Silk cover with red ribbon, containing colour illustration of a cartoon clown wearing blue trousers and red braces from behind holdind a can of paint and a brush on an off white background, inside programme with same illustration on a red background on the front cover, inside black and white photographs of performers and acts and programme in the centre, autographed on back cover, 8p.p.