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Showing Collections: 1 - 19 of 19

Argyle Theatre Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0117
Scope and Contents

This collection contains a large number of posters as well as business records including records of artist bookings, accounts, scrapbooks, contracts and correspondence.

Dates: 1865 - 1941

Bill Barnes Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0172
Scope and Contents

Programmes, posters and photographs mainly related to the Poole family's travelling Myriorama show.

Dates: 1881 - 2017

Charles Taylor Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0069
Scope and Contents

The Charles Taylor collection is a fine example of Taylor’s of Wombwell printers’ posters, which highlight changes in printing techniques, fashion and taste within the popular entertainment industry. Included are examples of posters for pantomimes, fairs and circuses. The collection also contains handbills and other advertising material.

Dates: c1937 - 1989

Christopher Palmer Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0105
Scope and Contents

Circus programmes and VHS tapes from Billy Smart’s Circus and Chipperfields’s Circus collected during the 1970s and early 1980s by the TV producer, Christopher John Palmer. There are also a number of promotional photographs of artistes and other ephemera related to the circus.

Dates: 1973 - 1983

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

David Robinson Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0123
Scope and Contents

This collection contains rare posters, handbills, photographs, postcards, newspaper cuttings, catalogues and books on travelling exhibitions, speciality acts, magic, circus, performing animals and freak shows.

Dates: 1728 - 1997

Decar and Tomato Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0094
Scope and Contents

This collection contains black and white photographs and postcards of several generations of the Decar family with a strong focus on John Decar and his act as Decar and Tomato. It also includes other circus performers as well as autograph books and a scrapbook.

Dates: 1902 - 1951

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

Enquirer Printing Company Collection

 Collection
Reference code: NFA0125
Scope and Contents

This collection of printed material produced by the Enquirer Job Printing Company contains American sideshow and freak show posters mainly from the Ripley’s ‘Believe it or Not’ franchise and a poster sampler that was taken around by salesmen from the company.

Dates: 1869; c1930 - 1949

Handby Celeine Collection

 Collection
Reference code: NFA0107
Scope and Contents

Posters, photographs, programmes, 1 piece of sheet music for six instruments and a small amount of business records and correspondence relating to the dancing and burlesque comedy on skates.

Dates: c1920 - 1945; 2020

Lulu Adams Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0042
Scope and Contents

This collection contains business records, newspaper cuttings, programmes, notebooks and handbills, as well as a collection of black and white photographs, some original artwork and other items relating to Lulu Adam’s personal life and career

Dates: c1880 - 1959

Malcolm Airey Circus and Theatre Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0081
Scope and Contents

This collection contains a large number of books, programmes, photographs, research and related notebooks as well as correspondence. Many programmes contain inserts of tickets, notes from Malcolm Airey and other inserts. Amongst others the collection contains examples from the Bertram Mills Circus, Blackpool Tower Ballroom and Billy Smart's circus. There are also technical plans and drawings

Dates: c1900 - 1998

National Fairground and Circus Archive Collection

 Collection
Reference code: NFA0092
Scope and Contents

Contains thousands of posters, programmes, photographs, handbills, original documents, specialist journals, newspapers and a library containing publications on all the areas of collecting

Dates: c1700 - 2020

Norman Family Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0087
Scope and Contents

This collection contains photographs, business papers, newspaper cuttings typed pages and notes (probably for an autobiography) with some correspondence about a proposed book. There are also some costumes and props.

Dates: c1930 - 1969

O'Beirne Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0146
Scope and Contents

Amateur Super8 cine reels filmed by Thomas O’Beirne, black and white and colour photographs and slides, circus and theatre posters, a watercolour and a small amount of other ephemera.

Dates: 1950 - 1975

Sanger Circus Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0154
Scope and Contents

Black and white and some colour photographs, negatives, handbills, programmes and other items of ephemera relating George Sanger's circus and the Hall by the Sea.

Dates: c1850 - 1945

Sanger Family Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0166
Scope and Contents

This collection contains black and white photographs of George Sanger's Circus, photocopies of newspaper cuttings related to the Sanger Family and original drawings for costume designs by June Dick.

Dates: c1900 - 2018

Skinning the Cat Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0157
Scope and Contents

This collection contains the archive of Skinning the Cat, aerial circus company including press cuttings relating, promotional material, programmes, photographs, costumes and costume designs and business records. It also contains DVDs of footage of performances, a book by Rebecca Truman and digital born files.

Dates: 1988 - 2018

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  • Subject: Circus X
  • Subject: Variety X

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Subject
Animals 16
Music-halls 16
Showman 15
Showwoman 13
Clowning 11
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Language
German 8
French 7
Dutch; Flemish 4
Russian 3
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Names
Bertram Mills Circus (1920 - 1967) 4
Billy Smart's Circus (c1946 - 2006) 4
Cairoli, Charlie, 1910 - 1980 4
Circus Krone (Established 1905) 4
Lord George Sanger Circus (Established c1880) 4
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Lord John Sanger Circus (Established c1880) 4
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus (1919 - 2017) 4
Rosaire's Circus & Zoo (Established 1904) 4
Sanger, George, 1825 - 1911 4
Sanger, John, 1819 - 1889 4
Austen Brothers Circus (Established 1974) 3
Blackpool Tower Circus (Established 1894) 3
Boswell's Circus (1882 - 2015) 3
Chapman, Ellen, 1831 - 1899 3
Chipperfield's Circus (Established c1800) 3
Chipperfield, Mary, 1938 - 2014 3
Circus Pinder (Established 1854) 3
Clyde Beatty Cole Bros. Circus (Established c1957) 3
Dodd, Ken, 1927 - 2018 3
Fossett's Circus (Established c1870 - 1879) 3
Gandey's Circus (Established c1918) 3
Great Yarmouth Hippodrome (Established 1903) 3
Jolson, Al, c1886 - 1950 3
W. E. Berry Ltd (1888 - 2004) 3
Althoff Circus (c1675 - 1999) 2
Argyle Theatre of Varieties (c1868 - 1945) 2
Astley, Philip, 1742 - 1814 2
Barrett, Norman, Born 1935 2
Belle Vue (1836 - 1982) 2
Beverly Sisters (c1943 - 2009) 2
Blackpool Pleasure Beach (Established 1896) 2
Bostock and Wombwell Menagerie (c1846 - 1931) 2
Buller, Redvers Henry, General, Sir, 1839 - 1908 2
Chipperfield, Jimmy (James), 1912 - 1990 2
Circus Busch (1903 - 1999) 2
Circus Busch-Roland (c1884 - 2018) 2
Circus Friends Association of Great Britain (Established 1934) 2
Circus Knie (Established 1803) 2
Circus Medrano (Established 1875) 2
Cirkus Merano (1975 - 2015) 2
Cirque d'Hiver Bouglione (Established 1852) 2
Cole Bros. Circus (c1884 - 1957) 2
Cottle, Gerry, 1945 - 2021 2
Craston, Joe (Joseph), 1868 - 1948 2
Crystal Palace (1851 - 1936) 2
Denver, Hal, 1909 - 1994 2
Drury Lane Theatre (Established c1660) 2
Duffy's Circus (Established c1800) 2
Electric (Modern) Printing Company (c1930 - 1991) 2
Forde, Florrie, 1875 - 1940 2
Gerry Cottle's Circus (1974 - 2003) 2
Glasgow Empire Theatre (1897 - 1963) 2
Grimaldi, Joseph, 1778 - 1837 2
Hall by the Sea (1870 - 1919) 2
Hengler Grand Cirque (1844 - 1924) 2
Jamieson, David, 1949 - 2017 2
Jay, Peter, Born 1944 2
Karno, Fred, 1866 - 1941 2
King, Hetty, 1883 - 1972 2
Knight, Laura, Dame, 1877 - 1970 2
Leno, Dan, 1860 - 1904 2
Ling Soo, Chung, 1861 - 1918 2
Merchant, Billy (Little Billy), 1919 - 2001 2
Mills, Cyril Bertram, 1902 - 1991 2
Norman, Tom, 1860 - 1930 (The Silver King) 2
Ohmy Circus (c1867 - 1920) 2
Olympia London (Established 1886) 2
Paulo Circus (Established c1900 - 1910) 2
Popov, Oleg, 1930 - 2016 2
Robert Brothers Circus (Established 1944) 2
Roberts, Frederick Sleigh, 1st Earl Roberts, 1832 - 1914 2
Rogana, Born 1933 2
Sanger's Allied Circus (Established 1854) 2
Taylor's Printers, Wombwell, Yorks (Established c1890) 2
Thames Television (Established 1968) 2
The Agricultural Hall (1862 - 1943) 2
The Great Ohmy, c1852 - 1931 2
The London Palladium (Established 1910) 2
The Showmen's Guild of Great Britain (Established 1889) 2
Tilley, Vesta, 1864 - 1952 2
Toulmin, Vanessa, Professor, Born 1967 2
Victoria, Vesta, 1873 - 1951 2
Wilsons Group Services (Established c1860) 2
World's Fair Publications Limited (Established 1904) 2
Yokoi, Lilly, Born 1929 2
Adams, Albert Victor, 1890 - 1949 1
Adams, Lulu (Louise), c1900 - 1989 1
Adelphi Theatre (Established 1806) 1
Airey, Malcolm, c1938 -1998 1
Anderson, Moira, Born 1938 1
Anderton and Rowland (Established c1854 - 1879) 1
Arnold, Tom, 1897 - 1969 1
Askey, Arthur Bowden, 1900 - 1982 1
Assembly Rooms (1810 - 1819) 1
Astley's Amphitheatre (1773 - 1891) 1
Aznavour, Charles, 1924 - 2018 1
Barbette, 1899 - 1973 1
Barltrop, Chris, Born c1958 1
Barnes, Bill (William), 1920 - 2019 1
Barnum & Bailey Circus (1881 - 1919) 1
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