Biography

Harry (1916-1996) showed signs of having inherited his family’s equestrian talents at an early age and began his professional career in the circus in a bareback riding act at the tender age of six. In the 1928-1929 season, age only 12, Harry joined the Bertram Mills circus at Olympia, where national and international talent was developed. Harry featured in Bertram Mills’ programme as his protégé and latest discovery under the name ‘Young Paulo’ wearing the colours of the Earl of Lonsdale who was president of the circus. A year later he appeared with the Bertram Mills show at Belle Vue, Manchester. In the years building up to WWII Harry worked at Chapman’s Circus with his brother Reggie in a riding act and it was here that he branched out into the trapeze. During his long career, Harry worked with some of the biggest British circus names of the twentieth century, including Chipperfield, Robert Bros, Fossetts, Lord George Sanger and at the Great Yarmouth Hippodrome. He could also often be found on variety bills.

Harry married Mary Elizabeth Sarah McCandless, ‘Betty’ (1915-1992). Betty wasn’t from a circus background but was a dancer and will become a wire walker performing under the name of ‘Bettina’. They had four children; Ronald Edward ‘Ronnie’ (1935-2015), Elizabeth Charmain ‘Betty’ (b.1940), Violetta Florence ‘Tina’ (b.1944) and Rosita Pauline (b.1947). Except for Rosita, who chose a career in teaching, the rest of the children continued the family tradition in the circus.

Tina married Carlos Rosaire (b.1940) of the famed Rosaire circus family and together they travelled a trampoline and a snake and crocodile act. Both Tina and Carlos were well rounded performers; Tina performed as Miss Shira with crocodiles and snakes and was a proficient acrobat and aerialist. Carlos also performed with crocodiles and was a trampolinist. They had one son; ‘Count’ Brenton Carlos Matthew (b.1963).

Betty, who was also an aerialist, married Joachim Krause (b. circa1939) a German circus performer. They worked in Europe as ‘The Paulos’ with their trapeze act and as the ‘Ron Ritas’ with their big wheel act until moving to America in 1971. They worked throughout the USA until settling for almost twenty years at Circus, Circus Hotel-Casino in Las Vegas, where Betty became Ringmistress. They had three children; daughters Jacqueline (b.1961) and Heidi (b.1963), both of whom continued the family tradition as aerialists, and son Paulo Krause (b.1981).

Ronnie was a clown and an aerialist. He married Helen Turner (b.1934) after meeting her working in pantomime at Birmingham. They had a daughter; Nicola.

In 1960, after over 40 years of circus career, Harry retired from the circus and settled down in Skegness with Betty. His last performance was at the Derbyshire Miner’s Welfare Holiday Camp at Skegness with the ‘Three Paulos’, an act he performed with Ronnie and Tina and his comedy wire act. Harry and Betty ran an amusement arcade in Skegness for many years. Betty died in 1991 and Harry on 26 June 1996 age 79.

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