Pugh, John Wallace, Born 1938

Person

Dates

Existence: Born 18 June 1938

Biography

John Wallace Pugh was born was born on 18 June 1938 in the Kennington district of London, to John 'Digger' Pugh and Sheila Smale Pugh.is the son of Digger Pugh, who is an internationally renowned circus showman, who became President and CEO of Cole Bros and has been credited with reinventing and revitalising The World's Largest Circus Under The Big Top in America. His ingenuity spurred him to design a radically different Big Top arena in American circuses and revolutionised the way circuses travelled in the country.

At the request of H.S.H. Rainier III, John served as a judge of the prestigious International Circus Festival in Monte Carlo. The United Kingdom's World's Fair Association presented him its 'International Award' and John received Sarasota's Ringling Museum's 'Power Behind the Scenes' Award.

In 2010 John Pugh was inducted into the Circus Ring of Fame which noted, 'Few have done more to preserve the traditions of the traveling, 3-Ring Tented American Circus.'

Found in 4 Collections and/or Records:

Circus Films, c1950 - 1959

Item

Reference code: 178D24.2

Scope and Contents Copy of film on DVD showing scenery and cities around the world including Berlin, China, Paris, New York City, Coney Island, women lifting weights on the beach, acrobatics, scenes at Clyde Beatty circus and elephants at Sarasota among others. Also people ice skating, people on a cruise ship, a plane taking off, a lorry on fire, people parachuting from a metal contraption, warships being sunk, a street festival in Africa, a football match, scenes in India including a burial, a female...

Dates: c1950 - 1959

Found in: National Fairground and Circus Archive / Digger Pugh Collection / Films

Circus Films, c1950 - 1959

Item

Reference code: 178D24.5

Scope and Contents

Copy of films on DVD showing trampolin scene, female tumbling and acrobatics, female aerial acts, a religious ceremony in a circus tent, a circus parade, equestrian act, foot juggling, wild animal acts, Chinese flag jumping act, dancing, slack rope act, trapeze, clowning, skating, military band, cycling act, rolling ball act, various animal acts, chair balancing act and knife throwing. Colour and black and white, silent.

Dates: c1950 - 1959

Found in: National Fairground and Circus Archive / Digger Pugh Collection / Films

Digger Pugh Collection

Fonds

Reference code: NFA0179

Scope and Contents

Archive of the Digger Pugh family including newspaper cuttings, photographs, negatives, business records, programmes, research material, posters and films.

Dates: c1930 - 2010

Found in: National Fairground and Circus Archive

Films, c1950 - 1959

Series

Reference code: 178D24

Scope and Contents

Please notice that 178D24.4 contains scenes of animal cruelty and human fatalities. Copies of films on DVD format showing performers at various circus around the world, travelling scenes, scenic views, performers behind the scenes, film sets. Black and white and colour, sound.

Dates: c1950 - 1959

Found in: National Fairground and Circus Archive / Digger Pugh Collection