Lord George Sanger Circus (Established c1880)
Dates
- Existence: Established c1880
Biography
Lord George Sanger Circus was founded by George Sanger after disolving his business partnership with his brother John Sanger.
George and John were the founders of the Sanger Allied Circus in 1854, which they operated with a few family members and friends. The business 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. By the 1860s the Sanger emporium owned ten permanent circuses between Plymouth and Aberdeen.
The Sanger brother’s acquired 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.
George and John eventually decided to go their separate ways and split their various business ventures amicably.
During his career as a circus proprietor George Sanger presented two Royal performances before Queen Victoria, the first at Sandringham on 8 January 1885 and the second at Balmoral Castle on 17 June 1898.
George Sanger was a respected member of the showland community and although he spent most of his later life in the circus, he maintained a strong link to his fairground roots and was elected the first President of the Showmen's Guild of Great Britain in 1890, a post he held until 1909.
George Sanger was murdered on 28 November 1911, at Park Farm by one of his employees for unknown reasons. His circus and effects were auctioned off by showman Tom Norman aka ‘The Silver King’.
Found in 42 Collections and/or Records:
Performers at Lord George Sanger Circus Photograph, 1898
Photographs, c1850 - 1945
Black and white and some colour photographs and postcards of George and Jonh Sanger's circus.
Photographs, c1890 - 1959
Black and white photographs of George Sanger's Circus showing staff, family, performers, animals, living wagons and parades, including Topsy Sanger, Harry Austin, George Holloway, Cissie Holloway, Cissie Austin, George Sanger, James Holloway, Abe Holloway, George Austin, Bellevina Holloway, Kate Holloway, The Three Holloways, Cirque Angelo, The Four Holloways, Ellen Chapman, Harriet Sanger and June Dick. Also some copies of photographs of the Bostock and Wombwell menagerie.
Portrait of Ellen Coleman Photograph, c1890 - 1909
Cabinet card photograph of Ellen Coleman. The card is printed with 'A. M. Bliss & Co Lewes' on the front and 'A. M. Bliss & Co 34 Lansdowne Place, Lewes' on the reverse.
Portrait of Emma Coleman Photograph , 1897
Black and white head portrait of Emma Coleman, bareback rider in Sanger circus. Note on the back says 'Do Not Deframe. Return TO:- Mrs M.S. Bridser'.
Portrait of Emma Coleman Photograph, 1897
Black and white head portrait of Emma Coleman wearing a hat.
Portrait of Equestrian Girl Photograph, c1860 - 1879
Cartes des visites full body portrait of a girl in equestrian outfit. The card is printed with R. C. Arnold, Market Drayton.
Portrait of Marie Reeve Photograph, c1900 - 1919
Cabinet card photograph of Marie Reeve. The card is printed at the bottom with 'Hama Ltd, Studios, 22 Bedford Street, London'.
Portrait of Sarah Harriet Reeve Photograph, c1870 - 1889
Cartes des visites full body portrait of Sarah Harriet Reeve (nee Sanger) leaning onto an ornate pedestal in equestrian outfit, Inscribed Mrs Reeve in biro on the base of the photograph.
Portrait of The Austin Brothers Photograph, c1890 - 1899
Photograph of two equestrian performers believed to be (top to bottom) George and Harry Austin from Lord George Sanger Circus.
Posters, c1800 - 2011
A wide range of British and international circus and menagerie posters ranging from the 19th to the 21st century including Astley's Amphitheatre, Pablo Fanque, Polito, Bostock and Wombwell, Ducrow, Cooke, Hengler, Sanger, Smart, Gerry Cottle, Bertram Mills, Chipperfield's, Robert Brothers, Fossett, Blackpool Tower, Billy Russell, Belle Vue, Great Yarmouth Hippodrome, Austen Brothers and many more.
Programmes, c1800 - 2019
A collection of mainly British and international circus programmes and some variety and music hall programmes containing circus acts.
Reverse of Sanger Circus Performers Photograph, c1850 - 1910
Reverse of 178C114.173 showing performers' names inscrived by hand including; Claude Randall, Sam Hodgini, Georgina Coleman, Harry Hodgini, Dan Feeley, Kate Feeley, William Feeley, L. Feeley, Arthur Reeve, Clara Feeley, August la Place (Feeley, Dankey/O, George Coleman, Topsy Coleman, Little Claude Randall (Freddie Randall), Mr Philpott, Joe Cranston (Hodgini) and George Holloway.
Sanger Circus Collection
Black and white and some colour photographs, negatives, handbills, programmes and other items of ephemera relating to George Sanger's circus and the Hall by the Sea.
Sanger Circus Performers Photograph , c1850 - 1910
Sanger Circus Programmes, c1894 - 1999
Sanger Circus programmes including Lord George Sanger's Circus, Lord George Sanger and Pops Sanger Circus, Lord John Sanger's Circus and Sanger's Circus. Contain pantomime acts as well as circus performances in theatres venues.
Sanger Family Collection
This collection contains black and white photographs of George Sanger's Circus, photocopies of newspaper cuttings and some research material related to the Sanger Family, original drawings for costume designs by June Dick, an interview with June about her family and life and various other items related to the Sanger family.
Sangers Circus Performers Photograph, c1890 - 1899
Photograph of equestrian and acrobat performers. The male figure on the horse is Harry Austin. The female, far right, is believed to be Yetta Schultz. The two other women are believed to be either Henrietta, Florence or Lydia who were listed as performers on the 'Corde Elastique' during this time. The photograph is believed to have been taken at Balmoral on the Royal Estate in Scotland in 1898.
Sanger's Grand National Amphitheatre Programme, c1900 - 1999
Sanger's Grand Procession Poster, Friday 27 and Saturday 28 June 1863
Bath, Cricket Field, Pulteney Road. Sanger's grand procession on the occasion of the marriage of T. R. H. The Prince and Princess of Wales, equestrian acts, gymnastic acts, performing dromedaries, camels, llamas, cebras, Perubian God horses, elephants. Colour illustration showing procession of animals and carriages on a zig-zag line from the top to the bottom of the poster with text in between in black type on pale yellow background and title on red and yellow over blue background.