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Showing Collections: 1 - 8 of 8

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

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

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

George Dawson Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0018
Scope and Contents

The collection contains numerous photographs, newspaper cuttings relating to traction engines and 40 rally programmes.

Dates: 1902 - 1983

George McIndoe Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0181
Scope and Contents

Photographs, slides, newspaper cuttings related to the Biddall family and photographs of Kirkaldy Fair created for a documentary on Scottish fairs.

Dates: c1880 - 1969; 18 May 1981

Smart Family Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0079
Scope and Contents

This collection contains posters, programmes, letters, film, business records and a large number of family and circus photographs. This unique family collection charts the history of the Smart family from their beginnings as fairground showmen to presenting one of the greatest British circuses.

Dates: c1890 - 2014

The Showmen's Guild of Great Britain Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0054
Scope and Contents

The main extent of the collection contains yearbooks, meetings and minutes, correspondence and a record of day to day activities within The Showmen's Guild of Great Britain.

Dates: 1904 - 2023

Filtered By

  • Subject: Fairs X
  • Subject: Clowning X

Filter Results

Additional filters:

Subject
Animals 7
Circus 7
Performers 7
Showman 7
Showwoman 6
∨ more  
Language
Chinese 2
Dutch; Flemish 2
French 2
German 2
Italian 2
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Names
The Showmen's Guild of Great Britain (Established 1889) 3
Billy Smart's Circus (c1946 - 2006) 2
Blackpool Pleasure Beach (Established 1896) 2
Cairoli, Charlie, 1910 - 1980 2
Chipperfield, Mary, 1938 - 2014 2
∨ more
Circus Pinder (Established 1854) 2
Clyde Beatty Cole Bros. Circus (Established c1957) 2
David Smart's Super Circus (c1980 - 1983) 2
Dodd, Ken, 1927 - 2018 2
Drury Lane Theatre (Established c1660) 2
Fossett's Circus (Established c1870 - 1879) 2
Gandey's Circus (Established c1918) 2
Hengler Grand Cirque (1844 - 1924) 2
Jolson, Al, c1886 - 1950 2
Polyakov, Nikolai Petrovich, 1900 - 1974 (Coco the Clown) 2
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus (1919 - 2017) 2
Rosaire's Circus & Zoo (Established 1904) 2
Smart, Billy (William), 1894 - 1966 2
The Agricultural Hall (1862 - 1943) 2
Whimsical Walker, 1851 - 1934 2
Althoff Circus (c1675 - 1999) 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
Astley, Philip, 1742 - 1814 1
Austen Brothers Circus (Established 1974) 1
Barbette, 1899 - 1973 1
Barltrop, Chris, Born c1958 1
Barnes, Bill (William), 1920 - 2019 1
Barnum & Bailey Circus (1881 - 1919) 1
Barnum, P. T., 1810 - 1891 1
Barrett's Canadian Circus (1925 - 1956) 1
Battersea Park Amusement Park (1858 - 1972) 1
Batty, William, 1801 - 1868 1
Beatty, Clyde, 1903 - 1965 1
Belle Vue (1836 - 1982) 1
Bertram Mills Circus (1920 - 1967) 1
Beverly Sisters (c1943 - 2009) 1
Biddall, c1880 - 1914 1
Bingley Hall (1850 - 1984) 1
Blackpool Tower Circus (Established 1894) 1
Blondin, Charles, 1824 - 1897 1
Bostock and Wombwell Menagerie (c1846 - 1931) 1
Bostock, Frank C., 1866 - 1912 1
Boswell's Circus (1882 - 2015) 1
Brick, Hans, 1889 - 1972 1
Bruce, Thomas, 7th Earl of Elgin, 1766 - 1841 1
Buffalo Bill, 1846 - 1917 1
Buller, Redvers Henry, General, Sir, 1839 - 1908 1
Burnaby, Frederick Gustavus, Colonel, 1842 - 1885 1
C. Doubtfire (Amusements) Limited (Active c1950 - 1999) 1
Carl Hagenbeck Circus (c1893 - 1907) 1
Chapman Circus (1928 - 1940) 1
Chapman, Ellen, 1831 - 1899 1
Chessington World of Adventures (Established 1987) 1
Chipperfield's Circus (Established c1800) 1
Chipperfield, Jimmy (James), 1912 - 1990 1
Circus Archaos (Established 1986) 1
Circus Barum (1878 - 2008) 1
Circus Busch (1903 - 1999) 1
Circus Busch-Roland (c1884 - 2018) 1
Circus Friends Association of Great Britain (Established 1934) 1
Circus Ginnett (Established c1800) 1
Circus Knie (Established 1803) 1
Circus Krone (Established 1905) 1
Circus Medrano (Established 1875) 1
Circus Roncalli (Established 1976) 1
Circus Sarrasani (c1902 - 1977) 1
Circus of Horrors (Established 1995) 1
Cirque Jean Richard (c1957 - 1990) 1
Cirque d'Hiver Bouglione (Established 1852) 1
Cirque du Soleil (Established 1984) 1
Cole Bros. Circus (c1884 - 1957) 1
Collins, Pat (Patrick), 1859 - 1943 1
Corrigan, Albert, c1920 - 2008 1
Cottle, Gerry, 1945 - 2021 1
Court, Alfred, 1883 - 1977 1
Craston, Joe (Joseph), 1868 - 1948 1
Cruikshank, George, 1792 - 1878 1
Crystal Palace (1851 - 1936) 1
Dawson, George, c1938 - 2018 (Fairground Enthusiast) 1
Denver, Hal, 1909 - 1994 1
Doddles, c1877 - 1967 1
Ducrow, Andrew (1793-1842) 1
Duffy's Circus (Established c1800) 1
Enquirer Job Printing Co. (Founded c1880) 1
Farrar's Fun Fairs (Established 1876) 1
Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain (Established 1977) 1
Ford, Clifton, 1931 - 2009 1
Forde, Florrie, 1875 - 1940 1
G.R. Tucker and Sons Funfairs (Established 1976) 1
Gerry Cottle's Circus (1974 - 2003) 1
Giffords Circus (Established 2000) 1
Glasgow Empire Theatre (1897 - 1963) 1
Gompertz. Moses (c1812 - 1893) 1
Gordon, Charles George, General, 1833 - 1885 1
Great Yarmouth Hippodrome (Established 1903) 1
Grimaldi, Joseph, 1778 - 1837 1
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