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:
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.
Superdrome Circus Programme, 1993
Blackpool Pleasure Beach. Folding programme with poster inside with colour photographs of acts and performers and programme in the centre.
The Acrobats Print, c1920 - 1939
Drypoint on paper by Dame Laura Knight. Black and white illustration of two circus acrobats performing in mid-air on the trapeze inside a circus tent on top section, fairground rides and stalls on the background and the audience on the bottom section.
The Aerial Falcons, Trick Cycling Act Advertising Pamphlet, c1900 - 1999
Black and blue illustration of the act with blue and black type on off white background on front cover, inside black and white photographs, some illustrations in blue and text in black, 4p.p.
The Amazing Derricos Aerial Act Advertising Pamphlet, c1900 - 1999
Blue and white photograph of high wire act and red and blue text on white background on front cover, inside and on back cover blue and white photographs showing a variety of tricks, text in red and blue and contact details, 2p.p.
The Bedford Theatre Programme, week commencing Monday 29 December 1947
Hip Hip Zoo Ray Circus, presented by The Robert Brothers,. Candem Town. Blue and white illlustration of a large building and landscape and blue type on white background on the front cover, inside programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 4p.p.
The Big Top Programme, c1900 - 1999
W. H. Wilkie's circus programme contining black and white photographs of the acts and the circus and short paragraphs as well as some advertising and illustrations inside, also colour illustration of a circus tent, a clown's torso on the foreground and a female aerial act on the right, 18p.p.
The Billy Smart Circus Ball Programme, 1966
Blue type on white background and commercial advertising on back cover, 2p.p.
The Billy Smart Circus Ball Programme, 1966
Blue type on white background and commercial advertising on back cover, 2p.p.
The Cairoli Family Circus and Chipperfield's Circus Films, c1950 - 1959
The Circus Fans Association Scrapbook, 1950 - 1951
Scrapbook of newspaper cuttings of 'The Circus Fans' Association Notes' by Dicky Bird and 'British Circus Ring Notes' by Hurd, and The Circus Fan's Association Bulletin No 7, 11, 13 and 14, 38p.p.
The Circus of Horrors Brochure, c1900 - 1999
Colour cartoon illustrations of circus performers with name on scroll around a larger figure in the centre in red, black and off white colours, on black background on the front cover, inside introduction, colour photographs of the acts and performers with text, circus merchandise on the last page and commercial advertising, 10p.p.
The Circus of Horrors Official Tour Brochure, c1900 - 1999
Black and white illustration of a Dr Haze's face sticking his tonge out and wearing a hat on the front cover, he has red snake like eyes on a black and red background, inside introduction, colour and black and white photographs of acts and performers and text and commercial adversting, 10p.p.
The Circus of Horrors Programme, c1900 - 1999
Colour photograph of female vampire's face showing behind an open metal hatch in a box with metal spears on the front cover, inside programme and colour photographs of acts and performers with text, on back cover save the rhino campaign article, 6p.p.
The Circus of Horrors Programme, c2000
Red type on black background on front cover, on gloosy card, inside introduction, colour photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, also circus merchandise advertising, 10p.p.
The Circus of Horrors, The Evolution Brochure, c1900 - 1999
Colour photograph of a female aerial act wearing a white outfit with red stains on the chest hanging upside down over a red background on the front cover, inside introduction, colour and black and white photographs of the acts and performers with text, circus merchandise on the last page and commercial advertising, 10p.p.
The Fearless Bauers Aerial Act Advertising Material, c1900 - 1999
Plastic folder containing information about the act, black and white photographs in plastic sleeves of some of their tricks and list of past performing venues and loose photocopy of 1930s Proctor's Royal Circus show, 9p.p.
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.