Brick, Hans, 1889 - 1972
Dates
- Existence: 4 November 1889 - 22 August 1972
Biography
Hans Brick was a circus animal trainer, born in Nuremberg, Germany on 4 November 1889. Hans came from a family of wild animal trainers. His father was killed by a tiger and his mother died at childbirth, thus Hans was born an orphan and was brought up in the circus by a guardian. He started travelling with the circus aged five and grew up travelling around Europe. Hans trained in clowning, trapeze, high school riding and wire walking and for a while he had an act with clown Grock called Brick and Brock, however his passion was always wild animals.
Hans started working in England and Ireland from 1932. In 1939, upon the beginning of the Second World War, he was interned in a prisoner of war camp on the Isle of Man due to his German nationality. After the war Hans was released and he continued travelling around the UK with several circuses including Rosaires, Pinders, Chipperfields and Robert Brothers. He also trained animals for the film industry including Tarzan films and The Dark Tower.
During his life as an animal trainer Hans travelled to Africa, India and North America in search for wild animals.
Hans retired in 1956 after sixty seven years working the circus. In 1960, he wrote a book compiling everything he knew about animal training entitled Jungle be Gentle.
Hans died on 22 August 1972 in Middlesex, England aged 83.
Found in 3 Collections and/or Records:
Circus Friends Association Collection
This collection consists of a large library of books and journals, as well as archival material including posters, programmes, photographs, films, handbills, research material, scrapbooks, original artwork and many other items of ephemera relating to British, Irish and European circuses
Newspaper Cuttings and Scapbooks, 1838 - 2007
A collection of newspaper cuttings on circus, circus proprietors and performers and scrapbooks containing newspaper cuttings, posters, programmes and other items of ephemera, covering mainly British circuses and venues such as Belle Vue and also some international circuses.
Photographs and Postcards, c1800 - 1999
Black and white and colour photographs, negatives and photographic albums mainly containing images of British circus, circus performers, animals and circus personalities but also some menageries such as Bostock and Wombwell and other associated entertainments and non-British circuses taken by David Jamieson, Lindsay Temple, Den Curtis, Capt. Middleton, Jack Niblett and other photographers.
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