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 1302 Collections and/or Records:
Chipperfield's Circus Programme, 1977
Blue and white photographs of two acts on the front cover and blue type over white background, programme inside in blue type, loose programme, souvenir booklet missing, 2p.p.
Chipperfield's Circus Programme, 1972
Blue and white illustration of woman in performing outfit with cape and feather head dress on the left hand side and wild animals around the bottom and right edges, on a white and blue background on the front cover, inside programme in blue type, 2p.p.
Chipperfield's Circus Programme, 1972
Colour illustration of woman in blue outfit with white cape and pink feather head piece and wild animals breaking through paper into the picture on a red background on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white and colour photographs of performers and acts with titles and some text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 8p.p
Chipperfield's Circus Programme, 1972 - 1973
Colour illustration of woman in blue outfit with white cape and pink feather head piece and wild animals breaking through paper into the picture on a red background on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white and colour photographs of performers and acts with titles and some text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 8p.p
Chipperfield's Circus Programme, 1964
Colour illustration of wild animals around the edges on a dark red background and blue and black type on a yellow background in the centre on the front cover, inside introduction and black and white photographs of acts and performers with text on colour and white background, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 12p.p
Chipperfield's Circus Programme, 1963
Colour illustration of wild animals around the edges on a dark red background and blue and black type on a yellow background in the centre on the front cover, inside introduction and black and white photographs of acts and performers with text on colour and white background, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 12p.p
Chipperfield's Circus Programme, 1959
Colour illustration of wild animals around the edges on a dark red background and blue and black type on a yellow background in the centre on the front cover, inside introduction and black and white photographs of acts and performers with text on colour and white background, insert with programme and commercial advertising, 12p.p
Chipperfield's Circus Programme, 1988
Black and white photocopies of programmes.
Chipperfield's Circus Programme, c1900 - 1999
Souvenir booklet containing an insert programme, the booklet has a colour illustration of circus animals including roaring tigers and lions, polar bears and elephants on a red background and black and gold type on the front cover, inside colour photographs of acts and perfomers with text and commercial advertising, the programme is black type on blue paper, 9p.p.
Chipperfield's Circus Ring Plan, 1954
Colour coded aerial plan of Chipperfield's circus ring, with admission prices according to location of seating.
Chipperfield's Circus Scrapbook, 1949 - 1990
Scrapbook containing black and white photographs, newspaper cuttings, programmes and some items of ephemera from Chipperfield Circus and other various other circuses including Wilkie's, Bertram Mills, MikkenieJoh Pearson and Billy Smart, some pages are blank, 84p.p.
Chipperfields Europe's Greatest Circus Poster, 1966
Poster announcing Chipperfield's move from Europe. Colour illustration of the circus being transported on a boat, with clowns, acrobats and animals including elephants, zebras, monkeys and polar bears, background blue, type multicoloured.
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
16 elephants, Arturos on the swaying mast, The Royal Percheron stallions, African lions, The Raluy's fired from a cannon, Ranee tiger riding an elephant, The Ortons gymnasts, 18 grizzly and polar bears, Les French comedy, golden Palomino horses, Royal Bengal tigers, Miss Stella's performing sea lions, camels, llamas, zebras, John's performing poodles, 4 Dresslers. Main background red, type multicoloured on multicoloured background.
Chipperfields Europe's Largest Circus and Menagerie Poster, c1950 - 1999
Chipperfields Europe's Largest Circus and Menagerie Poster, 1955
Chipperfields Present the King's Hall Circus Programme, 24 December 1977 - 22 January 1978
King's Hall, Derby. Black and white illustration of clown, bear, elephant, horse, tiger and poodle on a red background on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white photographs of performers and acts with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 4p.p
Christmas Circus Programmes, 1953 - 1983
Various Christmas circus programmes entitled Arbre de Noel, Le Crique de Noel and Noel au Cirque at various locations, containing colour illustrations on the front covers, inside black and white photographs of perfomers and acts with some text, introduction, programme and commercial advertising.
Circo Chen Programme, c1900 - 1999
Folding programme with woman in pink biking and white feathers, roaring lion's head, chimpanzee, trapeze act and clown's face over a black background on the front cover, inside laughing clown's face and inside programme and colour photographs of acts and performers.
Circus A. Fischer Programmes, 1954 - 1962
Circus A. Fischer programmes containing colour illustrations on the front covers, inside black and white photographs of perfomers and acts with some text, introduction and programme.