Circus and Great Yarmouth

In 2018 Circus celebrated 250 years since Philip Astley created the artform. A partnership between Time and Tide Museum, Museums Sheffield, Tyne and Wear Museums and the University of Sheffield celebrated this important anniversary with a series of exhibitions supported by Circus 250 and funded through a generous grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. This is an online record of the exhibition held at Time and Tide Museum along with some relevant artworks in other museum collections and videos which help tell the amazing story of circus.

The presence of animals in Circus dates back to its origins in Philip Astley’s riding school and equestrian performances. Over the course of its 250 year history, trained animals have been used to amaze crowds through both skill and novelty. The use of wild and exotic animals within circuses is interlinked with the development of public menageries, early forms of zoos. By the 1840s animal acts in circuses far outnumbered human performers. The popularity of animal circuses remained throughout the early 20th century but public attitude gradually changed and now it is a rare sight to see animals, other than perhaps horses, performing in a circus ring. 

They flew through the air, straddled their steeds, tamed wild beasts and accomplished feats of astonishing bravery and skill. Many thousands of women have entered the circus ring since trick rider Patty Astley first performed her equestrian act shrouded in a swarm of bees in 1768.   These women challenged social conventions and pushed boundaries. The circus provided both an opportunity and a refuge from society’s expectations. Here women’s limbs could be shown, their bodies could be strong and athletic, and fortunes could be made. The ability of women to command and impress large crowds with high expectations shattered beliefs of female fragility and dependence upon men. 

The Suspension Bridge disaster of May 1845, was one of the most tragic losses of life in Great Yarmouth’s history. Posters had appeared around the town advertising an amazing stunt to be performed by Nelson the Clown, as he sailed down the river in a washtub pulled by four geese. Upon hearing the shout “Here come the geese!” the dense crowd packed upon the bridge rushed in unison to the south side, eager to catch a glimpse of the Clown’s approach. Without warning, a suspension chain gave way and the bridge collapsed into the river. 78 were drowned, with half of the victims below the age of 15. A memorial stone now stands on the river bank marking the spot where the bridge once stood and a clown once performed.       

Born William Darby in Norwich, Fanque was apprenticed to Circus owner William Batty and made his first appearance in a circus ring aged 11. He originally trained as an acrobat, but it was his exceptional skills with horses that led to lifelong fame. He ran his own circus which toured across the country for over 30 years, becoming one of the most successful circus proprietors of the 19th century.   During Fanque’s early career, slavery in the UK was yet to be completely abolished and in light of the social and political attitudes of the day, his success is hugely significant.  Fanque travelled the country throughout his lifetime, occasionally returning to Norfolk but largely settling in the north of the country, He was known for taking on young apprentices for his shows, in a similar fashion to how he originally entered the ring as a boy. 

The story of Clown Roma is a complex one. Born ‘Arthur Edward La Touche Aston’ in Swaffham, Norfolk, the story of this ‘happy clown’ and accomplished animal trainer has many twists and turns. His story and adventures during his life transcend many important themes of this exhibition and Circus folklore, from running away with the Hungarian Circus as a child, to training animals and to suffering tragedy when his fiancée died in an acrobatic stunt. Upon his death in the 1980’s he had specified that his costume and a few of his personal items be donated to Norfolk Museums Service. A number of his show posters have also ended up in the Victoria and Albert Museum. 

Before circuses began to tour the country in tents, it was common for towns and resorts to have their own permanent circus building.  Built in 1903 by George Gilbert, the Great Yarmouth Hippodrome is now the only surviving purpose built circus building in the UK that is still regularly used for its original function. When a knee injury ended his circus performing career, Gilbert turned to management, opening Great Yarmouth’s first Hippodrome in 1898, a wooden and corrugated iron building on St Georges Road. The current building has survived bombings during the two word wars, a decline in audience numbers in the 1990's to record attendance today in circuses 250th year. 

Today the Great Yarmouth Hippodrome is a family operation run by Peter and Christine Jay and their sons. Peter and his father saved the building from demolition in the 1970's and decided to continue operating the building as a Circus. A successful musician, Peter Jay radically modernised British circus by producing his shows using modern music and combined lighting. He reinstated the water circus element of the shows after repairing and refurbishing the water area of the Hippodrome circus ring which hadn't been used for a number of years. Peter continues to adapt circus today, adjusting his role to one of Curator of a dedicated museum of the history of the Hippodrome and worldwide Circus housed beneath the hippodrome seating where the animals used to be kept.