Sanger's Allied Circus (Established 1854)
Dates
- Existence: Established 1854
Biography
Sanger's Allied Circus was the first circus venture of brothers George and John Sanger.
The two brothers grew up on the fairground, working in the family’s peep show. In 1848 they bought some canaries and mice and trained them for exhibition. This humble beginning into animal performance within the fairground scene and their business ambition, built up to the formation of the Sanger's Allied Circus in 1854 at the King’s Lynn Charter Fair, which they operated with a few family members and friends. This small outfit was a far cry from what the Sanger name will became in the showmen community and history, but grew from strength to strength and by 1858 Sanger’s circus could boast of presenting the largest stud of horses ever seen in the European continent and visited over two hundred towns in a nine-month season, giving two shows a day. By the 1860s the Sanger emporium owned ten permanent circuses between Plymouth and Aberdeen.
One of the brothers’ popular shows was the pantomime ‘Lady Godiva’ featuring a well-known equestrienne, Ellen Chapman (1831-1899).
In 1856 George and John started added wild animals to their shows and two years later they had six lions and ten elephants.
The Sanger brother’s expansion into the circus business continued with the acquisition of two of the most famous and reputable circus venues in London; the Royal Agricultural Hall at Islington in 1870 and Astley’s New Royal Amphitheatre in 1871, which they bought from William Batty’s widow.
By this point Sanger's Circus travelling road train was said to be two miles long and reputedly had around ten wagons to carry the tent and seating, a lamp wagon, eight or ten living carriages, a foal wagon, ten wild animal wagons, a harness wagon, a portable blacksmith's forge, property wagons, wardrobe and dressing wagons, a band carriage and at least six great tableau parade cars.
From 1874 Sanger also presented tenting shows on the Continent for fifteen seasons, travelling up to 160 horses, eleven elephants, a dozen camels and about 330 staff.
George and John eventually decided to go their separate ways and split their various business ventures amicably.
Found in 20 Collections and/or Records:
Articles and Monographs, c1880 - 1899
Script for Cinderella and Life of George Sanger booklets.
Circus Friends Association Collection
This collection consists of a large library of books and journals, as well as archival material including posters, programmes, photographs, films, handbills, research material, scrapbooks, original artwork and many other items of ephemera relating to British, Irish and European circuses
Circus Friends Association of Great Britain's Notes Scrapbook, 1953 - 1954
Scrapbook of newspaper cuttings and photographs of The Circus Fans' Association Notes by 'Dicky Bird', 'The President' and 'The Hon Secretary', as well as articles on Billy Smart's, Chipperfield's, Rosaire's, Fossett's, Sanger's, Billy Russell's and Bertram Mills, 45p.p.
Den Curtis' Photographic Albums, 1936 - 1969
Photographic albums put together by Den Curtis, containing black and white photographs of circuses, performers and animals with annotations, including Sanger, Chipprefields, Bertram Mills, Smarts, Hoxie Bros, Blackpool Tower, Belle Vue, Robert Bros, Fossett and Luckens Continental Circus and others, also some loose photographs removed from the albums.
George Sanger Circus Performers Photographs, c1850 - 1910
Black and white photographs showing George Sanger Circus, performers and staff, living wagons, street parades and circus tents.
George Sanger Circus Photographs, c1850 - 1945
Black and white photographs of George Sanger's Circus, including a head and shoulders framed portrait of George Sanger.
George Sanger Circus Scrapbook, c1865
Scrapbook containing newspaper cuttings about George Sanger's Circus, some pages are empty, 31pp.
Handbills, c1786 - 1968
Handbills for travelling shows, fairs, exhibitions and performances in London.
John Bramwell Taylor Collection
Life of Lord Geo. Sanger, The World's Greatest Showman Article, c1880 - 1899
Interview and life story of George Sanger contained in a booklet with his portrait on the front page printed in several different colours, 6pp.
Newspaper Cuttings and Scapbooks, 1838 - 2007
A collection of newspaper cuttings on circus, circus proprietors and performers and scrapbooks containing newspaper cuttings, posters, programmes and other items of ephemera, covering mainly British circuses and venues such as Belle Vue and also some international circuses.
Newspaper Cuttings and Scrapbooks, c1865 - 1945
Newspaper cuttings related to George Sanger's circus and business.
Photographs, c1850 - 1945
Black and white photographs and postcards of George and Jonh Sanger's circus.
Royal Agricultural Hall Islington Handbills, c1860 - 1889
Handbills for travelling shows, exhibitions and performances at Royal Agricultural Hall, Islington.
Sanger Circus Collection
Black and white and some colour photographs, negatives, handbills, programmes and other items of ephemera relating George Sanger's circus and the Hall by the Sea.
Sanger Circus Photographs, c1850 - 1945
Black and white photographs and postcards of Sanger's circus showing performers, animals and Sanger family members including George, Ellen, Victoria Florence also Queen Victoria and royal performances, some photos on the fairground and a colour photograph, also some negatives.
Sanger's Grand Hippodrome and Circus Programme, c1860 - 1869
Great Congress of the Monarchs and Sanger's Circus at Royal Agricultural Hall. Printed by Smith and Tarrant, next door to the Agricultural Hall, Liverpool Road.
Scrapbook of Multiple Circuses, 1940 - 1950
Scrapbook of newspaper cuttings, mostly from the World's Fair, and black and white photographs relating to multiple circuses and acts including Cirque Molier and Sanger's Circus.
Scrapbook of Multiple Circuses, 1916 - 1958
Scrapbook of photographs, newspaper cuttings and advertisments, relating to multiple circuses and acts including Bertram Mills, Sanger's, Fossett's and Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey, 110p.p.
Script for Cinderella Pantomime, 1883 - 1884
Sanger National Amphitheatre. Manuscript for Cinderella pantomime for Sangers. Black ink and pencil with red underline on white paper and brown covers, written on one side of the pages only on ruled paper with corrections, 59pp.