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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 1288 Collections and/or Records:

Tower Circus Blackpool Programme, Summer Season, 15 April - 16 October 1954

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.61
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: Summer Season, 15 April - 16 October 1954

Tower Circus Blackpool Programme, Summer Season, 7 April - 15 October 1955

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.62
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: Summer Season, 7 April - 15 October 1955

Tower Circus Blackpool Programme, Summer Season, 29 March - 20 October 1956

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.63
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: Summer Season, 29 March - 20 October 1956

Tower Circus Blackpool Programme, Summer Season, 26 March - 17 October 1959

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.65
Scope and Contents

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, 8p.p.

Dates: Summer Season, 26 March - 17 October 1959

Tower Circus Blackpool Programme, Summer Season, 14 April - 15 October 1960

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.66
Scope and Contents

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, 8p.p.

Dates: Summer Season, 14 April - 15 October 1960

Tower Circus Blackpool Programme, 1961

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.67
Scope and Contents

Silk cover with red ribbon, containing colour illustration of a cartoon clown wearing blue trousers and red braces riding a rocket into space on an off white background, inside programme with same clown holding tring of world flags at the bottom from a circus ring which raise up to the top of the cover across space into earth on a black background on the front cover, inside black and white photographs of performers and acts and programme in the centre, 6p.p.

Dates: 1961

Tower Circus, Blackpool Programme, 1947 - 1948

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.46
Scope and Contents

Black and white photocopy of programme, 4p.p.

Dates: 1947 - 1948

Tower Circus Centenary Programme, 1994

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.41
Scope and Contents

Colour illustration of clown climbing the Tower holding a glass of champagne on one hand and an cake with candels on the other on a white and blue background, colour photographs of performers and acts inside with text and programme in the centre over a photograph of the circus ring, 8p.p.

Dates: 1994

Tower Circus Gala Show Programme, 1996

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.87
Scope and Contents

Colour illustration of jester in red and yellow outfit on a white background with mask on top section and red curtains opened on the sides on the front cover, inside introduction and colour photographs of acts and performers text on glossy paper, 6p.p.

Dates: 1996

Tower Circus Jubilee Season Programme, 1944

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.44
Scope and Contents

Black and white photocopy of programme, 2p.p.

Dates: 1944

Tower Circus Programme, 1934

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.39
Scope and Contents

Black and white photographs of elephant stood on a stool on one leg and three bears standing on their back legs on the front cover, sepia photographs of acts and performers with text inside and programme on back cover, 2p.p.

Dates: 1934

Tower Circus Programme, 1942

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.53
Scope and Contents

Black and white portrait photograph of two clowns in the centre and red outline illustrations of different circus acts in red on a yellow background on the sides on front cover, inside and on back cover programme, 2p.p.

Dates: 1942

Tower Circus Programme, 1943

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.54
Scope and Contents

Black and white portrait photograph of two clowns in the centre and red outline illustrations of different circus acts in red on a yellow background on the sides on front cover, inside and on back cover programme, 2p.p.

Dates: 1943

Tower Circus Programme, 1948

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.55
Scope and Contents

Colour illustration of colour balloons with act names on a black background on front cover, inside and on back cover programme, 2p.p.

Dates: 1948

Tower Circus Programme, 1949

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.56
Scope and Contents

Colour portrait photograph of clown in black bowler's hat on a blue background on front cover, inside black and white photographs and performers and acts and colour illustrations of tower scenes, programme in the center, 8p.p.

Dates: 1949

Tower Place and Grand Programme, 1927

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.50
Scope and Contents

Colour illustration of the Tower and Winter Gardens from the beach and male and female harlequins on a pale yellow background on the front cover, inside blue and white photographs of performers and colour illustrations of tower scenes with text, circus and other event programmes and commercial advertising, 18p.p.

Dates: 1927

Tower Place and Grand Programme, 1923

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.51
Scope and Contents

Colour illustration of the Tower and Winter Gardens from the beach and circus and animal scenes around it on the front cover, inside blue and white photographs of performers and colour illustrations of tower scenes with text, circus and other event programmes and commercial advertising, 20p.p.

Dates: 1923

Trade and Advertising Material, c1900 - 1999

 Series
Reference code: 178I22
Scope and Contents

A range of items of promotion and advertising from a range of circus companies and performers, including artistes' photographs with act descriptions used for seeking employment in circuses and pamphlets advertising independent performances and circus companies' literature and souvenirs for public distribution and promotion including Gerry Cottle's Circus, Belle Vue, Blackpool Tower, Bertram Mills Circus, Gandey's, Ringling Bros and Barnum and Bailey, Knie and many more.

Dates: c1900 - 1999

Tragic Death of George Sanger Obituary, 2 December 1911

 Item
Reference code: 178Q6.1
Scope and Contents

Obituary dedicated to George Sanger in The Era, containing details about his life and career and black and white portrait of Sanger in the centre.

Dates: 2 December 1911

Translations of French Articles on Circus Acts Research Material, 1951 - 1968

 File
Reference code: 178B30.11
Scope and Contents Notebooks cotaning research and articles on circus acts written by Raoul Monbar, Henry Thetard, H.J. Lissien, Tristan Remy, H Cazier, Robert Mulle, J. Baudez, Michael Louis, Jacques Garnier, Pierre Couderc and Alfred Court, translated by Hal Thomas (David Harold Thomas) from French to English. Titles include: 'Circus Families, Directors, Dynasties, Personalities', 'The Ricono', 'Les Merveilleuse Histoire du Cirque', 'Les Clowns', 'Voltage Riding, 'The Cairoli Troupe', 'Haute Ecole', 'Circus...
Dates: 1951 - 1968