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

Items of correspondence including personal and business letters and Christmas greetings.

Letter regarding a summons by an inspector on the handling of wild beasts addressed to Mr Heather/

Early British circus and variety programmes including Astley's, Batty's and Lord George Sanger's circus.

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

Photograph of a lion cage circus wagon with lion tamer Captain Frank Taylor seated inside with several lions wearing a suite and top hat.

Photograph of George Sanger and his wife Ellen with elephants and camels and animal handlers. George is marked on the photograph in pen as 'Dada' and Ellen as 'Mama'. The man standing furthest right is William Sanger, George's brother. The photograph was taken at the 'Hall by the Sea' in Margate.

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

Letter regarding a summons by an inspector on the handling of wild beasts, addressed to Mr Heather. Includes letterhead advertising Miss Ella’s imported forest-bred lions including text and a black and white promotional photograph of lions, with with animal trainer, Ellen Sanger, 1p.

Cartoon illustration of a flying source with clowns, a lion and a bear and an animal trainer and ringmaster hanging from it on a step ladder over a circus tent in pink and black on a yellow background on front cover, inside programme and brief history of the Sanger circus on back cover. Printed by Hasting Printing Co., Portland Place, Hastings, 2p.p.

Photograph of Lord George Sanger Circus with tent, equestrian performers and circus workers, trainers and grooms on the Royal Estate in Scotland in Balmoral, Scotland.

Photograph of a man with an orangutan. The man is wearing a uniform and peaked cap. The orangutan is wearing a gold jacket and purple neckerchief. The man could be James Holloway (aka Jimmy Nervo).

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.

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.

Photograph of Ellen Sanger nee Chapman standing by a lion cub that is lying down at the door of a living wagon.'Mrs G Sanger 1893' is written on the reverse of the photograph.

A wide range of British and international circus and menagerie posters ranging from the 19th to the 21st century including Astley's Amphitheatre, Pablo Fanque, Polito, Bostock and Wombwell, Ducrow, Cooke, Hengler, Sanger, Smart, Gerry Cottle, Bertram Mills, Chipperfield's, Robert Brothers, Fossett, Blackpool Tower, Billy Russell, Belle Vue, Great Yarmouth Hippodrome, Austen Brothers and many more.