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 277 Collections and/or Records:
Unidentified Man and Woman, c1920 - 1939
Photograph of a man and woman possibly Olive Austin.
Unidentified Man and Woman, c1920 - 1939
Photograph of a man and woman sitting on a wall.
Unidentified Woman, c1890 - 1909
Cabinet card studio portrait photograph of a woman believed to be from the Sanger Circus family. Card printed Goodman & Schmidt Margate on the front. Goodman and Schmidt Established 1858 Fort Studio Margate printed on reverse.
Unidentified Woman, c1890 - 1909
Cabinet card studio portrait of a seated woman. The card is printed with Stafford Johns, Walpole Avenue, Isle of Man
Unidentified Woman, c1880 - 1909
Cabinet card studio photograph of a woman. The card is printed with 'Henry Flett, Cheapside' on the front.
Unknown Family Group, c1920 - 1939
Photograph of a family group, man, woman and boy, probably circus performers, stood in front of a lorry. Possibly a member of the Moxon family of acrobats and jugglers.
Unknown Group, c1920 - 1939
Photograph of a group of people. The woman centre front is believed to be aerial performer Florence Austin.
Various, c1800 - 1999
Various items of ephemera.
Victorian, Edwardian and Georgian Circus Posters, c1800 - 1930
Early circus and menagerie posters including Polito's menagerie, Astley's Amphitheatre and Pablo Fanque's, Sanger's, Powell's, Ducrow's, Cooke's and Hengler's circuses among others.
Wild West Circus Performer, c1920 - 1939
Photograph of an unknown wild west circus performer.
Woman and Circus Tent, c1920 - 1939
Photograph of a woman standing in front of a circus tent, possibly Ellen (Topsy) Coleman.
Woman and Living Wagon, c1920 - 1939
Photograph of a woman seated on the steps of a circus living wagon or caravan.
Woman on a Beach, c1920 - 1939
Photograph of a woman on a beach. This is the same woman who appears in other circus related photographs in this collection.
Woman on a Horse, c1920 - 1939
Photograph of a woman sitting bareback on a circus pony. The woman is believed to be Olive Austin
Women Next to Circus Tent Photograph , c1890 - 1899
Photograph of two women looking at a paper and two other women peeping through a flap in a circus tent. Believed to be at Lord George Sanger Circus. The woman on top left, is believed to be Kate Holloway, niece of George Sanger.
Yetta Schultz Photograph, c1880 - 1899
Three quater portrait of tightrope performer Yetta Schultz.
Yetta Schultz Photograph , c1880 - 1899
Photograph of Yetta Schultz in her aerial performance costume. Yetta was a tightrope or wire walker with Lord George Sangers Circus.