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Showing Collections: 1 - 20 of 29

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

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

Dick Scott-Stewart Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0072
Scope and Contents

Slide transparencies created for the 'Fairground Snaps' book and later projects. The material in this archive is all of Scott-Stewart's work relating to fairs and circuses, particularly from an artistic and social angle. This collection covers all the field work completed by the artist in preparing his book, as well as trips following the publication.

Dates: 1970 - 1990

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 Tucker Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0020
Scope and Contents

This collection comprises fairground photographs and 3 members' cards, two from Yorkshire Stall Holders Association and one from the Yorkshire section of the Showmen's Guild

Dates: c1912 - 1969

Gerry Cottle Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0097
Scope and Contents

This collection contains material from Gerry Cottle’s personal collection and has examples of flyers, programmes, vouchers and posters from Cottle and Austen, Circus of Horrors and Cottle’s Circus

Dates: c1920 - 2013

Harry Paulo Family Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0144
Scope and Contents

This collection contains black and white photographs, postcards and negatives, newspaper cuttings, scrapbooks, posters, programmes, books and other miscellaneous items related to the Paulo Circus family. Other circuses and performers are also represented.

Dates: 1921 - 2000

Jack Wilkinson Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0168
Scope and Contents Black and white and colour photographs and negatives of fairgrounds, fairground organs, steam engines and other transportation systems with annotations by Jack Wilkinson and other sources, such as William Keating, James Davidson, Philip Bradley and Jack Mellor, as well as notebooks, scrapbooks, journals, books, correspondence, research material, audio tapes of fairground organ music and some 3D items including Jack's recording equipment and a model of a fairground organ. Jack Wilkinson’s...
Dates: c1900 - 1979

John F. C. Heather Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0056
Scope and Contents

Black and white photographs related to Joseph Charles Heather, the Sanger Circus and the Bostock Jungle.

Dates: c1897 - 1953

John Gale Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0033
Scope and Contents

Photographs taken by John Gale, including a collection of negatives from his favourite fairs: Newcastle Town Moor, Durham Miners' Gala, Houghton Feast, Northallerton and his home town of Wolsingham. There are also a number of newspaper cuttings, circus and rally programmes.

Dates: c1920 - 1989

John Martin Turner's Circus Research Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0063
Scope and Contents

This collection contains John Turner’s research on circus people indexes, which lists circus performers from the Victorian age onwards. It contains notebooks, index cards, photocopies and pictures gathered from a number of repositories and libraries during John Turner’s life and used for articles published in a variety of journals and magazines, and for the numerous books that he published during his lifetime. The collection also contains some posters and programmes

Dates: 1990 - 2007

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

Marshall and Scott Family Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0028
Scope and Contents

Black and white photographs of the Marshall and Scott families, including photographs and correspondence related to Walter Marshall while serving on the RAF during WWII, the Kayes Brothers' Family Circus, the Baker Family and some images of members of the Testo family as well as other performers and acts. Additionally there are circus programmes, correspondence, newspaper cuttings, birth, marriage and death certificates and Wills.

Dates: c1880 - 1999

Monte-Williams Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0161
Scope and Contents

Research material by Pauline Tindale and a small amount of original archive related to Randall Williams and his descendants, including birth, death and marriage certificates and photographs.

Dates: 1797 - 1998; 2018 - 2021

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

Filtered By

  • Subject: Showwoman X
  • Subject: Circus X

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Subject
Showman 28
Performers 24
Animals 19
Fairs 19
Sideshows 15
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Language
German 6
French 5
Dutch; Flemish 2
Italian 2
Russian 2
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Names
Sanger, George, 1825 - 1911 5
Bertram Mills Circus (1920 - 1967) 4
Billy Smart's Circus (c1946 - 2006) 4
Fossett's Circus (Established c1870 - 1879) 4
Lord George Sanger Circus (Established c1880) 4
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Lord John Sanger Circus (Established c1880) 4
Sanger, John, 1819 - 1889 4
The Showmen's Guild of Great Britain (Established 1889) 4
World's Fair Publications Limited (Established 1904) 4
Bostock and Wombwell Menagerie (c1846 - 1931) 3
Cairoli, Charlie, 1910 - 1980 3
Chapman, Ellen, 1831 - 1899 3
Chipperfield's Circus (Established c1800) 3
Dodd, Ken, 1927 - 2018 3
Duffy's Circus (Established c1800) 3
Gandey's Circus (Established c1918) 3
Jolson, Al, c1886 - 1950 3
Paulo Circus (Established c1900 - 1910) 3
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus (1919 - 2017) 3
Rosaire's Circus & Zoo (Established 1904) 3
Anderton and Rowland (Established c1854 - 1879) 2
Astley, Philip, 1742 - 1814 2
Austen Brothers Circus (Established 1974) 2
Beverly Sisters (c1943 - 2009) 2
Blackpool Pleasure Beach (Established 1896) 2
Blackpool Tower Circus (Established 1894) 2
Buffalo Bill, 1846 - 1917 2
Chipperfield, Mary, 1938 - 2014 2
Circus Busch-Roland (c1884 - 2018) 2
Circus Friends Association of Great Britain (Established 1934) 2
Circus Krone (Established 1905) 2
Circus Pinder (Established 1854) 2
Clyde Beatty Cole Bros. Circus (Established c1957) 2
Collins, Pat (Patrick), 1859 - 1943 2
Cottle, Gerry, 1945 - 2021 2
Craston, Joe (Joseph), 1868 - 1948 2
Crystal Palace (1851 - 1936) 2
Drury Lane Theatre (Established c1660) 2
Electric (Modern) Printing Company (c1930 - 1991) 2
Forde, Florrie, 1875 - 1940 2
Great Yarmouth Hippodrome (Established 1903) 2
Grimaldi, Joseph, 1778 - 1837 2
Hall by the Sea (1870 - 1919) 2
Hengler Grand Cirque (1844 - 1924) 2
Holland Amusements (Initiated c1870) 2
J.W. Shaw Amusements (Initiated c1860 - 1889) 2
Jay, Peter, Born 1944 2
King, Hetty, 1883 - 1972 2
Leno, Dan, 1860 - 1904 2
Ling's Family Amusements (Initiated c1850 - 1859) 2
Mellor, Jack, c1894 - 1979 (Fairground Enthusiast) 2
Ohmy Circus (c1867 - 1920) 2
Olympia London (Established 1886) 2
Robert Brothers Circus (Established 1944) 2
Sanger's Allied Circus (Established 1854) 2
Shufflebottom Family, c1870 - 1998 2
Taylor's Printers, Wombwell, Yorks (Established c1890) 2
The Agricultural Hall (1862 - 1943) 2
The Great Ohmy, c1852 - 1931 2
The London Palladium (Established 1910) 2
Toulmin, Vanessa, Professor, Born 1967 2
Victoria, Vesta, 1873 - 1951 2
W. E. Berry Ltd (1888 - 2004) 2
Waddington's Funfairs (Initiated c1860 - 1899) 2
Whimsical Walker, 1851 - 1934 2
Williams, Randall Kay, 1846 - 1898 2
Wilsons Group Services (Established c1860) 2
Adams, Albert Victor, 1890 - 1949 1
Adams, Lulu (Louise), c1900 - 1989 1
Adelphi Theatre (Established 1806) 1
Airey, Malcolm, c1938 -1998 1
Althoff Circus (c1675 - 1999) 1
Argyle Theatre of Varieties (c1868 - 1945) 1
Arnold, Tom, 1897 - 1969 1
Askey, Arthur Bowden, 1900 - 1982 1
Assembly Rooms (1810 - 1819) 1
Astley's Amphitheatre (1773 - 1891) 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
Barrett, Norman, Born 1935 1
Battersea Park Amusement Park (1858 - 1972) 1
Batty, William, 1801 - 1868 1
Beatty, Clyde, 1903 - 1965 1
Belle Vue (1836 - 1982) 1
Big Daddy, 1930 - 1997 1
Bingley Hall (1850 - 1984) 1
Bird, Margaret, c1900 - 1999 1
Blackpool Hippodrome (1895 - 2014) 1
Blondin, Charles, 1824 - 1897 1
Bobby Robert's Super Circus (1993 - 2011) 1
Booth, William, 1829 - 1912 (The General) 1
Bostock, Frank C., 1866 - 1912 1
Boswell's Circus (1882 - 2015) 1
Brick, Hans, 1889 - 1972 1
British Fairground Society (BFS) (Established c1950) 1
Bruce, Thomas, 7th Earl of Elgin, 1766 - 1841 1
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