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Jay, Peter, Born 1944

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: Born 29 January 1944

Biography

Peter Jay born 29 January 1944 in Southgate, North London, is a musician and circus showman best known for being the owner of the iconic Great Yarmouth Hippodrome and forming sixties band Peter Jay and the Jaywalkers, which toured with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.

Peter is the son of Jack Jay, who owned the Windmill Theatre as well as several cinemas and nightclubs in Great Yarmouth. In the late 1970s, father and son acquired the Great Yarmouth Hippodrome and restored it as a theatre and circus venue. They managed the Hippodrome together until Jack’s death in 1985, when Peter took sole ownership.

Peter also leased another iconic cirucs building in England int he 1980s, the Blackpool Tower, which he managed briefly.

Found in 11 Collections and/or Records:

Blackpool Tower Circus Posters, c1930 - 1990

 Sub-Series
Reference code: 178R47.141-212
Scope and Contents

Posters for Blackpool Tower Circus including shows by Knie's Circus, Circus Krone, Circus Schumann, Bertram Mills Circus, Robert Brothers Circus and performances by Charlie Cairoli, Doddles, Coco the Clown, The Rosaires, Lilly Yokoi, Alfred Court, Vojtek Trubka, The Great Wallendas and Mary Chipperfield among others.

Dates: c1930 - 1990

Circus Friends Association Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0122
Scope and Contents

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

Dates: 1795 - 2020

Cyril Critchlow Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0089
Scope and Contents The Cyril Critchlow collection contains programmes, posters, handbills, books and magic journals, many of which relate to shows in Blackpool where Cyril resided and includes material on entertainment venues such as Blackpool’s North Pier, Central Pier, South Pier, Tower Circus and a small collection of programmes from other national venues. Additionally, it contains circus photographs and postcards mainly of the Ohmy Circus and Sanger Circus including individual circus troupes and performers...
Dates: c1837 - 2008

Great Yarmouth Hippodrome Circus and Liverpool Stadium Programmes, c1900 - 2004

 Sub-Series
Reference code: 178K43.281-335
Scope and Contents

Great Yarmouth Hippodrome and Liverpool Stadium circus programmes including Billy Russell, Peter Jay, Jasmine Smart and Sally Chipperfield among others.

Dates: c1900 - 2004

Hippodrome Circus Great Yarmouth Programme, 1987

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.318
Scope and Contents

Presented by Peter Jay. Colour illustration of smiley clown's face on top left, Chinese acrobats and dragon, aerial act, woman seating on elephant's head, Bulgarian troupe of acrobats and fountain in centre on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white photographs of performers and acts with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 10p.p.

Dates: 1987

International Super Circus Programme, 1982

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.310
Scope and Contents

Hippodrome, Great Yarmouth. Presented by Jack and Peter Jay. Colour illustrations of circus acts including roaring tiger's face on top left, trapeze act, acrobatic troupe, elephants, horses, clowns, mermaides and ventriloquist with monkey doll on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white photographs of performers and acts with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 6p.p.

Dates: 1982

Peter Jay's International Circus Poster, 26 May - 4 November 1989

 Item
Reference code: 178R47.211
Scope and Contents

Colour illustrations of two clowns, an acrobat, horses, an elephant, BMX riders, a lion and a tiger, background is blue, type is red, orange, yellow and white.

Dates: 26 May - 4 November 1989

Posters, c1800 - 2011

 Series
Reference code: 178R47
Scope and Contents

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.

Dates: c1800 - 2011

Posters, c1887 - 2010

 Series
Reference code: 178R27
Scope and Contents

Circus, variety, pantomime and magic posters including Argyle theatre, Liverpool Empire, Blackpool Tower Circus, Robert Brothers, Austen Brothers, Sorcar, Vesta Tilley, Ken Dodd, Dan Leno, Florrie Forde and others.

Dates: c1887 - 2010

Programmes, c1800 - 2019

 Series
Reference code: 178K43
Scope and Contents

A collection of mainly British and international circus programmes and some variety and music hall programmes containing circus acts.

Dates: c1800 - 2019

Super Circus '85 Poster, 1985

 Item
Reference code: 178R47.209
Scope and Contents

Peter Jay presents All New Super Circus '85, at Blackpool Tower. Colour illustrations of three clowns, sea lions, acrobats and a fountain, black and white illustration of Blackpool Tower, photograph of wrestler Big Daddy, main background pink, type multicoloured.

Dates: 1985