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 269 Collections and/or Records:
Portrait of Yetta Schultz Photograph, c1880 - 1899
Full body portrait of Yetta Schultz in aerial performance costume. Yetta was a tightrope or wire walker with Lord George Sanger Circus.
Portrait of Yetta Schultz Photograph, c1890 - 1899
Full body portrait of Yetta Schultz holding a parasol. Yetta was noted as a tightrope or wire walker with Lord George Sanger Circus.
Portrait of Yetta Schultz Photograph, c1880 - 1899
Cabinet card photograph of Yetta Schultz in her performance costume with a parasol. Yetta is noted as being a tightrope or wire walker with Lord George Sanger Circus. The card is printed Morgan, 33 Union Street, Aberdeen at the bottom.
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.
Proclamations, 1836 - 1888
Proclamations announcing Pablo Fanque's benefit event and speaches and appearances about the horse killing wolves incident at Lord George Sanger's theatre.
Programmes, c1800 - 2019
A collection of mainly British and international circus programmes and some variety and music hall programmes containing circus acts.
Programmes, c1875 - 1919
George Sanger Circus and Hall by the Sea programmes.
Programmes for Circus, Magic and Variety Shows, c1890 - 1999
Circus, magic and variety show programmes including the Great Ohmy Circus, John Sanger Circus, Bertram Mills Circus and variety shows at various locations in Blackpool, London, Manchester and other theatres in England. Some of the variety performers showcased are Morecambe and Wise, Hetty King, Mae West, Bob Hope, Shirley Bassey, Larry Lamb and Cliff Richards.
Queen Victoria at Windsor Circus Performance Photograph, 17 July 1899
Photograph of Queen Victoria and Princess in a carriage at Windsor Great Park watching Lord George Sanger Circus procession.
Research Material, c1900 - 2018
Various photocopies relating to Margate, Dreamland, Hall by the Sea, Sanger Circus and animal performance.
Retirement Presentation to George Sanger Photograph, 1905
Black and white group photograph showing George Sanger sat next to a trophy, a framed documen and a tea set with a large group of people outside a building. Inscription on the back reads "Presentation to Lord George Sanger on his retirement from the Circus [...], 1905 by his nephews".
Reverse of Retirement Presentation toGeorge Sanger Photograph, 1905
Reverse of photographs showing inscription reading "Presentation to Lord George Sanger on his retirement from the Circus [...], 1905 by his nephews".
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 Clown Photograph, c1880 - 1899
Photograph of a clown from Sanger's circus standing in between two chairs.
Sanger Circus Clown Photograph, c1880 - 1899
Photograph of a clown from Lord George Sanger Circus holding a mop.
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 Group Photograph, c1870 - 1889
Photograph of a group of women, the woman in the centre of the group is believed to be a member of the Sanger family.
Sanger Circus Living Wagon Photograph, c1880 - 1899
Photograph of a living wagon and tent at Lord George Sanger Circus with tableau wagons in the background. Two women are looking out of the windows of the living wagon and two men are standing in the foreground with horses. The woman in the window on the left is Kate Holloway and the man on the left is James Holloway from the Holloway acrobatic troupe.
Sanger Circus' Men Beside Circus Tent Photograph, c1880 - 1899
Photograph of four men standing beside a circus tent. The man on the left is believed to be equestrian performer George Austin. George, with his brother Harry, performed for many years with Lord George Sangers Circus. George was married to Kate Holloway.