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:
Scrapbook of Multiple Circuses, 1935 - 1954
Scrapbook of newspaper cuttings, posters and photographs relating to multiple circuses and acts including Billy Smart's, Bertram Mills, Belle Vue and Rosaire's, 94p.p.
Scrapbook of Multiple Circuses, 1963 - 1978
Scrapbook of newspaper cuttings, photographs, advertisments and correspondance, relating to multiple circuses and acts including Belle Vue, Cottle and Austen and Billy Smart's, 196p.p.
Scrapbook of Multiple Circuses, 1934 - 1952
Scrapbook of newspaper cuttings, relating to multiple circuses and acts including Chipperfield's, Blackpool Tower, Billy Smart's and Bertram Mills, 202p.p.
Scrapbook of Multiple Circuses, c1900 - 1999
Scrapbook of newspaper cuttings and photographs, relating to multiple circuses and acts including George Wombwell, Lord George Sanger, Billy Smart and Bertram Mills, 102p.p.
Scrapbook of Multiple Circuses, 1937 - 1976
Scrapbook of posters, newspaper cuttings and photographs, relating to multiple circuses and acts including Chipperfield's and Billy Smart's, 48p.p
Scrapbook of Newspaper Cuttings, 1978 - 2004
Scrapbook of newspaper cuttings, relating to multiple circus subjects including animal cruelty allegations and accidental deaths and injuries of performers, 39p.p.
Serge Panorama du Cirque Portfolio of Prints, 1944
Artist portfolio of circus prints by Serge Maurice Feaudierre, limited edition of 1000, contains fold out pages with text in French, containing an introduction to the portfolio and circus with colour illustrations and 80 loose monochrome lithographs themed around different circus focus areas such as caged animals, trapeze acts, clowning, equestrian acts, acrobatics, aerial acts, etc, signed in print, with title on bottom right corner. Published by Arc en Ciel, Paris.
Sir Robert Fossett British and International Circus Programme, c1900 - 1999
Red and blue type on off white background and monochrome illustrations of circus acts on reverse with programme of perfomers. Printed by Parkes and Mainwarings, Ltd, Printers Coleshill Street, Birmingham.
Sir Robert Fossett's Big Zoo Circus Programme, 1942
Black type on green background with Black green illustration of circus ring in the centre with elephant, clowns, lion, equestrian act and trapeze act on the front cover, inside programme and illustration of female equestrian act on back cover. Printed by Willsons Printers, Leicester, 2p.p.
Sir Robert Fossett's Big Zoo Circus Programme, c1943
Black illustrations of circus acts including female equestrian, lion tamer and clown on pink background on the front cover, inside programme. Printed by G. W. McKane and Son, Keswick, 2p.p.
Sir Robert Fossett's Circus and Zoo Business Card, c1900 - 1999
Blue type on off white background with monochrome equestrian scene in red on right hand side.
Sir Robert Fossett's Circus Plan, c1900 - 1999
Brigg. Black and white coded aerial plan of Fossett's circus ring and seating plan, Wednesday 21 to Thursday 22 October.
Sir Robert Fossett's Circus Programme, 1957
Black and white photographs of acts and black type on off white background on the front cover, inside programme with black and white illustrations of circus acts on the corners and black and white photographs of acts and performers on back cover, 2p.p.
Sir Robert Fossett's Circus Programme, 1951
Black and white photocopy of original programme with lion's face on front cover, inside separate photocopy containing programme and illustration of two clowns, one on each side, on reverse details of zoo with illsutration of tiger seating on a circus platform, 2p.p.
Sir Robert Fossett's Circus Programme, 1950
Black type on green background and black illustration of elephant's head in profile on top section on front cover, inside programme, 2p.p.
Sir Robert Fossett's Circus Programme, 1940
Black type on blue background, programme on front page, blank on reverse.
Sir Robert Fossett's Circus Programme, 1974
Colour photograph of tiger leaping through the paper on front cover and red and blue type on yellow on the right hand side, inside introduction, colour photographs of acts and performers with text and loose page with programme red type on yellow background. Designed and printed by Clarke and Sherwell Ltd, Northampton, 7p.p.
Sir Robert Fossett's Circus Programme, 1973
Colour photograph of tiger leaping through the paper on front cover and red and blue type on yellow on the right hand side, inside introduction, colour and black and white photographs of acts and performers with text and programme in the centre. Designed and printed by Clarke and Sherwell Ltd, Northampton, 8p.p.
Sir Robert Fossett's Circus Programme, 1973
Colour photograph of tiger leaping through the paper on front cover and red and blue type on yellow on the right hand side, inside introduction, colour and black and white photographs of acts and performers with text and programme in the centre. Designed and printed by Clarke and Sherwell Ltd, Northampton, 8p.p.
Sir Robert Fossett's Circus Programme, 1972
Colour photograph of tiger leaping through the paper on front cover and red and blue type on yellow on the right hand side, inside introduction, colour and black and white photographs of acts and performers with text and programme in the centre. Designed and printed by Clarke and Sherwell Ltd, Northampton, 8p.p.