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Showing Collections: 1 - 20 of 25

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

Ben Jackson Collection

 Collection
Reference code: NFA0106
Scope and Contents

This collection contains 16 posters, 2 handbills, 2 programmes and a small amount of business records, trade material and correspondence relating to Ben Jackson's banjo variety act.

Dates: c1903 - 1923

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

Electric Modern Printing Company

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0196
Scope and Contents

Collection of posters on variety and music hall printed by Electric Modern Company, mainly on card.

Dates: c1920 - 1969

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

Hamilton Kaye Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0075
Scope and Contents

Programmes, handbills, photographs and a digital copy of Hamilton Kaye's notebook which contained jokes and stories that he kept for using in his act.

Dates: c1940 - 2000

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

Hodson Family Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0098
Scope and Contents

Photographs, newspaper cuttings, programmes, memoirs and other items relating to the Hodson family travelling theatre. Also includes family history research material.

Dates: 1828 - 1977

John Bramwell Taylor Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0086
Scope and Contents The collection consists of handbills, programmes and small flyers for shows, fairs, expositions and circus performances in the nineteenth century. The circus material in the Bramwell Taylor Collection was sponsored by the Circus Friends Association of Great Britain and consists of material relating to 19th century touring circuses, individual acts and purpose built hippodromes such as Hengler’s Circus and Astley’s Amphitheatre. Additionally this collection also contains a small amount of...
Dates: c1786 - 2003

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

Marisa Carnesky Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0095
Scope and Contents

This collection contains research material, business records, grant applications, project planning documents, contracts, programmes, posters, handbills, newpaper cuttings and other records relating to Marisa Carnesky's career as a showwoman. The records comprise the production and travelling of Marisa's shows including Carnesky's Ghost train, SmutFest, Jewess Tattoess, Dragon Ladies, Chamber of Horrors, Dystopia, Magic War, The Incredible Bleeding Woman and Tarot Drome.

Dates: 1970 - 2010

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

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  • Subject: Variety X

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Subject
Music-halls 22
Circus 19
Animals 18
Showman 16
Showwoman 15
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Language
French 8
German 8
Dutch; Flemish 6
Spanish; Castilian 4
Danish 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
Belle Vue (1836 - 1982) 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
Electric (Modern) Printing Company (c1930 - 1991) 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
The Agricultural Hall (1862 - 1943) 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
Battersea Park Amusement Park (1858 - 1972) 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
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 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
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