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.

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

Circus posters printed by Taylor's of Wombwell.

Circus posters printed by Taylor's of Wombwell.

Compilation of circus films showing acts on the ring as well as interviews with performers and proprietors, mainly produced by tv companies in the UK and Europe. Many of them narrated in German.

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

Poster left blank for over-printing location and date. Featuring Chi-Lahn-illusionist, Apache Braves-Red Indian Fire Eating Rituals, Brett Mentona-Knife Throwing, Reyall’s Dogs, Alec Halls and his cavalcade of junk, Commanche Spotted Stallion, Tommy the TV Pony, Dr Sparks-the First ever Tour of the UK. The Electric Man, 3 show in one. Circus, Variety, Wild West.

Running Fox and Juanita Apache Fire Rituals, Brett and Rosa Montana Wild West Sports, Jacqueline trapeze artist, Alun Davies and his 10 poodle all with photographs. Yellow, red and blue type on white background.

Poster left blank for overprinting location and date. Crazy circus clowns, speciality acts, wild west, novelty animal acts. Blue and red type on yellow background and illustration.

Contains Illustration of roaring lion. Printed by Derek Simpson.

Llangefni. Colour illustration of clown and animals.

Holyhead. Including Billy Wilson Smart’s Elephants. Contains colour photograph of elephants.

Sunderland Empire Theatre. The Montas, Achmed the Llama, Dr. Sparks the electronic man, Cheeko, Tommy the T.V. pony, Schumann Brothers, Alec Halls. Red, blue and yellow type on white background.

English Single Most Circus International, Featuring Granada Television Documentary, Delmarrs Equilibrists, Trevor Doolottle acrobatic, comedy and juggling, Cheeko minute Trick Pony, Caprice Alpine Goat, Billy Diamond and Sioux City Sue Knife Throwing, Prince Kahn And Co., Running fox and Juanita Apache Fire Rituals.

A collection of newspaper cuttings on circus, circus proprietors and performers and scrapbooks containing newspaper cuttings, posters, programmes and other items of ephemera, covering mainly British circuses and venues such as Belle Vue and also some international circuses.

A large collection of films entitled Circusama containing amateur and professional films on the themes of circus, performing animals and zoos, and edited clips from commercial Western and comedy films. The films are in a variety of formats including 8mm, Super8, 9.5mm and 16mm and contain related correspondence and notes. This collection also contains some sound reels mainly of fairground music.

Circus posters printed by Taylor's of Wombwell.

Posters printed by Taylor's of Wombwell including variety and music hall, fairgrounds and circus.

Black and white and colour photographs, negatives and photographic albums mainly containing images of British circus, circus performers, animals and circus personalities but also some menageries such as Bostock and Wombwell and other associated entertainments and non-British circuses taken by David Jamieson, Lindsay Temple, Den Curtis, Capt. Middleton, Jack Niblett and other photographers.