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Sanger, George, 1825 - 1911

 Person

Biography

George was born in Newbury, a historic market town in Berkshire in 1825 and grew up on the fairground working in the family’s peep show. In 1848 George and his brother John bought some canaries and mice and trained them for exhibition. This humble beginning into animal performance within the fairground scene and their business ambition, built up to the formation of the Sanger's Allied Circus in 1854 at the King’s Lynn Charter Fair, which they operated with a few family members and friends. By 1858 Sanger’s circus boasted of presenting the largest stud of horses ever seen in the European continent and visited over two hundred towns in a nine-month season, giving two shows a day. By the 1860s the Sanger emporium owned ten permanent circuses between Plymouth and Aberdeen.

One of the brothers’ popular shows was the pantomime ‘Lady Godiva’ featuring a well-known equestrienne, Ellen Chapman (1831-1899).

George and Ellen married in 1850 in Sheffield and Ellen immediately became a key act on the family shows. She appeared in pantomimes, performing the serpentine dance in the lions' den and impersonating 'Brittannia' in the acclaimed Sanger's circus processions.

George and Ellen had three children; a son who died as a baby, Laurina (1853-1882) and Sarah Harriet (1854-1929).

In 1856, when George and John added wild animals to their circus, Ellen returned to her former profession as a lion tamer. By 1858 they had added six lions and ten elephants to the show which proved to be a big winner with the public.

The Sanger brother’s expansion into circus greatness continued with the acquisition of 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, which they bought from William Batty’s widow.

By this point Sanger's Circus travelling road train was said to be two miles long and reputedly had around ten wagons to carry the tent and seating, a lamp wagon, eight or ten living carriages, a foal wagon, ten wild animal wagons, a harness wagon, a portable blacksmith's forge, property wagons, wardrobe and dressing wagons, a band carriage and at least six great tableau parade cars.

From 1874 Sanger also presented tenting shows on the Continent for fifteen seasons, travelling up to 160 horses, eleven elephants, a dozen camels and about 330 staff.

George and John eventually decided to go their separate ways and split their various business ventures amicably.

During his extensive and impressive 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 104 Collections and/or Records:

A Biography of George Sanger, c1990 - 2000

 Item — Box Sanger Family Box 1
Reference code: 178B40.2
Scope and Contents

Manuscript by June Dick about George Sanger's life, 10pp. Black pen and ink on ruled paper, text only on one side of the pages.

Dates: c1990 - 2000

Articles and Monographs, c1880 - 1899

 Series
Reference code: 178B39
Scope and Contents

Script for Cinderella and Life of George Sanger booklets.

Dates: c1880 - 1899

Carriage And Pair, c1860-1900

 Item — Box Sanger Circus Box 4: Series 178C114
Reference code: 178C114.186
Scope and Contents

Black and white photograph of a small carriage drawn by two ponies. A family stands on one end of the carriage while the handler stands near the ponies. A hand written note on the back reads "Carriage and Pair, presented by Lord George Sanger to the children of the Prince of Wales, King Edward VII)".

Dates: c1860-1900

Carriage And Ponies, c1860-1900

 Item — Box Sanger Circus Box 4: Series 178C114
Reference code: 178C114.183
Scope and Contents

Black and white photograph of George Sanger with ponies and carriage. Writing on the back gives full description "Carriage ponies presented to the children of the Prince of Wales (Edward VII). Taken at Park Farm".

Dates: c1860-1900

Catalogues of Sale, 1905 - 1912

 Series
Reference code: 178J11
Scope and Contents

Catalogues for the sale of George Sanger's equiptment and animals.

Dates: 1905 - 1912

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

Correspondence, 1873 - 1888

 Series
Reference code: 178F37
Scope and Contents

Business and personal correspondence related to George Sanger.

Dates: 1873 - 1888

Correspondence, c1900 - 2008

 Series
Reference code: 178F20
Scope and Contents

Items of personal correspondence and correspondence related to the Sanger and Ohmy families.

Dates: c1900 - 2008

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

Films, c1930 - 1990

 Series
Reference code: 178D5
Scope and Contents

Amateur and commercial films on multiple formats, focusing mainly on Circus but also including transport, fairs, fairground rides and other types of travelling entertainments.

Dates: c1930 - 1990

Freehold Properties and Building Land Booklet, 26 August 1907

 Item
Reference code: 178Z54.3
Scope and Contents

Particulars, plans and conditions of sale of the estate of the late Thomas Dalby Reeve, Margate. Sale by auction by Messrs Crockett & Henderson. Black type on brown paper on cover, inside black type on white paper and coloured plans of the properties for sale, 11pp.

Dates: 26 August 1907

George And Ellen Sanger, c1880-1899

 Item — Box Sanger Circus Box 2: Series 178B39; Series 178C114
Reference code: 178C114.165
Scope and Contents

Black and white framed photograph of George and Ellen Sanger. Frame is stamped G.E.Fry, Castle Studio Northgate, Pontefract

Dates: c1880-1899

George And Ellen Sanger In Carriage, c1880-1899

 Item — Box Sanger Circus Box 3: Series 178B39; Series 178C114
Reference code: 178C114.157
Scope and Contents

Black and white framed photograph of 'Lord' George and Ellen Sanger in a horse drawn carriage with grooms mounted on the horses. (Framed and larger version of 178C114.72).

Dates: c1880-1899

George And Ellen Sanger In Carriage, c1880-1899

 Item — Box Sanger Circus Box 3: Series 178B39; Series 178C114
Reference code: 178C114.164
Scope and Contents

Black and white framed photograph of 'Lord' George and Ellen Sanger in a horse drawn carriage with grooms mounted on the horses. (Framed version of 178C114.72 and 178C114.157).

Dates: c1880-1899

George Sanger Circus, c1850-1890

 Item — Box Sanger Circus Box 4: Series 178C114
Reference code: 178C114.182
Scope and Contents

Black and white photograph stuck to cardboard of a full circus party workers and performers. All stood in front of a big top and carts.

Dates: c1850-1890

George Sanger Circus, c1850-1890

 Item — Box Sanger Circus Box 4: Series 178C114
Reference code: 178C114.184
Scope and Contents

Black and white photograph of a large group of people, George and Ellen Sanger sat in the middle. Presumably a picture of Sanger with his circus workers.

Dates: c1850-1890

George Sanger Circus Scrapbook, c1865

 Item
Reference code: 178G51.2
Scope and Contents

Scrapbook containing newspaper cuttings about George Sanger's Circus, some pages are empty, 31pp.

Dates: c1865

George Sanger's Last Will and Testament, c1890 - 1910

 Item — Box Sanger Family Box 1
Reference code: 178Q32.1
Scope and Contents

Photocopy of George Sanger's Will and Last Testament. Typewrite, 3pp. typed on one side of the page.

Dates: c1890 - 1910

George Sanger's Obituary, 2 December 1911

 Item
Reference code: 178Q31.1
Scope and Contents

In Memoriam, tragic Death of George Sanger. Obituary from The Era. Black type on white paper with black border and black and white head and shoulders portrait of George Sanger in the centre, contains a prayer by Thomas Horne, 1p.

Dates: 2 December 1911

George Sanger's Obituary, 2 December 1911

 Item
Reference code: 178Q31.2
Scope and Contents

In Memoriam, tragic Death of George Sanger. Obituary from The Era. Black type on white paper with black border and black and white head and shoulders portrait of George Sanger in the centre, contains a prayer by Thomas Horne, 1p.

Dates: 2 December 1911