Circus in the Long Nineteenth Century

Gillian Arrighi is a researcher, author, teacher, consultant, and speaker. Her published research spans circus studies, popular entertainments of the late-nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, children and the stage, acting and new performance making, and digital methods for visualising historic research.Mark St Leon (PhD, CA) is a retired university lecturer. Descended from the St Leons, one of Australia’s earliest circus families, he has pioneered the study of Australia’s circus history and is the author of Circus: The Australian Story (Melbourne Books, 2011).

• Volume III: The Circus in AustraliaAcknowledgmentsGeneral IntroductionIntroduction to Volume 3 Part 1. Australian Circus Foundations, 1833-51Introduction1.1 Early Innovations1. ‘The Amphitheatre’, Moreton Bay Courier (Brisbane), 1 May 1847, 2.2.’Circus Royal of Tasmania’, Colonial Times (Hobart Town), 3 November 1848, 3.3. ‘Australian tightrope dancer’, Courier (Hobart Town), 18 November 1848, 2.4. ‘Circus, Little Bourke Street’, Port Phillip Gazette & Settler’s Journal (Melbourne), 5 June 1849, 5.5. John Askew, A Voyage to Australia and New Zealand (London: Simpkin Marshall and Co., 1857), 105-06.6. ‘Circus Royal of Tasmania’, Hobarton Guardian, or, True Friend of Tasmania, 4 October 1848, 2.7. ‘Circus Royal’, Hobarton Guardian, or, True Friend of Tasmania, 7 October 1848, 3.8.’The Amphitheatre’, Cornwall Chronicle (Launceston), 15 February 1851, 99.1.2 Luigi Dalle Case & his Foreign Gymnastic Company, 1841-43 9. ‘Royal Victoria Theatre’, Sydney Gazette & New South Wales Advertiser, 21 August 1841, 3.10. ‘Request For permissn. to erect Gymnasium’, 1841.11. ‘The Olympic’, Australian (Sydney), 29 January 1842, 2.12. ‘Signor Dalle Case’, Cornwall Chronicle (Launceston), 4 March 1843, 2.1.3 Radford’s Royal Circus, 1847-48 13. Radford’s licence application ‘for the public Exhibition of Horsemanship’, 1847.14. ‘Christmas Time’, Cornwall Chronicle (Launceston), 25 December 1847, 2.15. ‘The Circus’, Cornwall Chronicle (Launceston), 26 January 1848, 2.16. ‘The Circus’, Courier (Hobart Town), 5 April 1848, 2.17. ‘The Circus’, Hobart Town Advertiser, 8 September 1848, 2.18. ‘Radford’s Circus’, Cornwall Chronicle (Launceston), 5 August 1848, 3.1.4 Edward (Hughes) La Rosiere & John Jones, 1850-5119. Jones, request for a license to hold a circus of horsemanship, 1850.20. Rosier request for a license to hold a circus of horsemanship,1850.21. ‘Royal Australian Equestrian Circus’, Sydney Morning Herald, 15 October 1850, 1.22. ‘Royal Australian Circus’, Sydney Morning Herald, 24 December 1850, 1.23 ‘The Circus’, Sydney Morning Herald, 21 January 1851, 1.24. ‘Mr Jones’ Benefit’, Sydney Morning Herald, 1 March 1851, 1.Part 2. Australian Circus LifeIntroduction2.1 Indigenous Performers25. Aboriginal Protection Act, Victoria, 1869, 33 Vic c. 3.26. ‘Old Billy Jones’, Bulletin (Sydney), 9 March 1895, 9.27. ‘The Australian black … Little Alick’, Illustrated Sydney News, 23 June 1855, 71.28. ‘Death’, Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong), 7 July 1856, 6.29. ‘Serious Accident at Greta’, Newcastle Morning Herald & Miners’ Advocate, 17 August 1896, 4.30. ‘Inquest’, Newcastle Morning Herald & Miners’ Advocate, 20 August 1896, 8.31. ‘Alick, the aboriginal’, Bulletin (Sydney), 10 October 1896, 12.2.2 Social conditions32. ‘Monster Public Meeting of the Balaarat Diggers’, Banner (Melbourne), 25 November 1853, 10.33. ‘Clermont, Peak Downs’, Australian Town & Country Journal, 3 May 1873, 16.34. Mary Salmon, ‘An Old-Time Circus’, Australian Town & Country Journal, 3 August, 34.35. Te Whero, ‘A Morning in a Circus Tent: ‘Behind the Scenes’ at Fitzgerald’s Show’,Sydney Mail & New South Wales Advertiser, 26 April 1905, 1055.2.3 Daily routines36. Onlooker, ‘Spangles & Sawdust: A Chronicle of Colonial Circus Life’, Theatre: An Illustrated Theatrical Journal, (Sydney),No. 1, 2 December 1907, 12-14No. 2, 2 January 1908, 12-13No. 3, 1 February 1908, 12No. 4, 2 March 1908, 8-9No. 5, 1 April 1908, 11No. 6, 1 May 1908, 10No. 7, 1 June 1908, 16-17No. 8, 1 July 1908, 16-17No. 9, 1 August 1908, 14-15No. 10, 1 October 1908, 14-15No. 11, 1 December 1908, 15-16.2.4 Memorials37. ‘Wide Bay and Burnett Districts’, Brisbane Courier, 31 January 1889, 3.38. ‘A King of the Ring’, Port Fairy Gazette, 24 April 1900, 3.39. ‘Personal’, Age (Melbourne), 16 April 1903, 5.40. ‘At Poverty Point’, Bulletin, 16 May 1903, 30.41. ‘Death of Dan Fitzgerald, The Great Circus Proprietor’, Catholic Press, 8 February 1906, 22.2. 5 Children and the Circus42. 1887 Neglected Children’s Act, Victoria (excerpt)43. 1890 Infant Life Protection Act, Victoria (excerpt).44. 1892 NSW Child Protection Act, (excerpt)45. Obit, Mrs. Ellen R. Dowd (Nellie Ridgway), Nambour Chronicle and North Coast Advertiser (Queensland), 26 December 1952, 7.46. The Stage (UK), 22 February 1884, 3.47. ‘Ridgway’s Pavilion’, The Daily Telegraph (Sydney), 20 September 1886, 7.48. ‘Ridgeway’s Circus’, The Argus (Melbourne), 1 November 1886, 6.49. ‘Ridgway’s Pavilion of Varieties’’ Melbourne Punch, 16 December 1886, 8.50. ‘Ridgway’s Pavilion of Varieties’, Hamilton Spectator, 27 January 1887, 3.51. Contract for Ernest McMurtry (a.k.a. Ernie Shand), apprenticed to the FitzGerald Brothers’ Circus, 1894.52. ‘Hobart Police Court’, Launceston Examiner, 5 January 1889, 3.53. ‘Experiences of A Circus Boy’, Argus, 27 November 1891, 10.54. ‘Alleged Cruelty to a Child’, Sydney Morning Herald, 1 August 1893, 3.55. ‘FitzGerald Bros.’ New Circus: Interesting Chat with their Right-Hand Man’, (excerpt), New Zealand Mail, 21 March 1901, 30.56. Con Colleano, typescript memoir (excerpt), c. 1941. Part 3. Australian Circus BusinessIntroduction3.1 Business Conditions57. ‘Ten Mile Creek’, Albury Banner & Wodonga Express, 14 October 1871, 14.58. ‘St Leon’s Circus Troupe’, Gundagai Times & Tumut, Adelong and Murrumbidgee District Advertiser, 20 December 1878, 2.59. ‘Under the Tents: Capt. Jack Sutton, writing from Hawera’, New York Clipper, 12 June 1897, 235.3.2 Financial management60. Theatre Royal, Sydney – miscellaneous papers, together with some papers of Samuel Lazar, ca. 1864-1895, Theatrical Receipts & c, Mitchell Library, Sydney, A 652: The Asiatic Circus Troupe, Receipts March 3-9, 1875, 7; March 10-13, 1875, 6; March 15-20, 1875, 5; March 22-27, 1875, 4; March 29-April 5, 1875, unpaginated.61. ‘Running a Circus’, Referee (Sydney), 30 January 1907, 12.62. Charles Owen Peart, contract to perform with the FitzGerald Brothers’ Circus, 1895.3.3 Law & Order63. ‘To the Editor’, Geelong Advertiser & Intelligencer, 19 August 1852, 2.64. ‘Amusements at the Diggings’, Bell’s Life in Sydney and Sporting Reviewer, 30 April 1853, 1.65. ‘Supreme Court. New Court. Sitting at Nisi Prius, Friday, 11th May 1855. Before His Honour Mr Justice Barry and Special Juries of Four; Berg v. Lewis’, Argus (Melbourne), 14 May 1855, 6.66. ‘To the Editor’, Cornwall Chronicle (Launceston), 9 January 1864, 5.67. ‘St Leon’s Circus Company’, Wagga Wagga Advertiser, 20 February 1878, 2.Part 4. Visitors from OverseasIntroduction4.1 Worrell and Gardner North American Circus68. Worrell & Gardiner North American Circus Company seeking renewal of a theatrical licence to operate in the Colony of Victoria, 1860.4.2 Cooke Zoyara and Wilson’s World Circus69. ‘Cooke, Zoyara, and Wilson's Mammoth Circus’, Sydney Mail, March 10, 1866, 2.70. ‘Mr James Cooke, of the World Circus’, Illustrated Sydney News, March 16, 1866, 4.71. Tom Cringle, Ella Zoyara, The Beautiful; The Fairy of the Magic Ring (Melbourne: Clarson, Massina, & Co, 1866).72. ‘The Ella Zoyara Hoax’, Mount Alexander Mail (Victoria), July 23, 1870, 3.73. ‘Mummer Memoirs’, Truth (Perth), 26 November 1910, 6.4.3 Chiarini’s Royal Italian Circus74. ‘Chiarini’s Royal Italian Circus’, Sydney Morning Herald, June 18, 1873, 5.75. Chiarini Silk program, Haymarket Reserve, June 11, 1880.76. Program, Chiarini’s Royal Italian Circus and Performing Animals, Sydney, 1884.77. Letter, Chiarini to Sydney City Council, inviting Mayor and Aldermen to the circus for a special performance in their honour. 188078. Letter, from Chiarini’s agent, Guilo Agrati, to Sydney City Council, requesting reduction in rent, c. 9-17 June 1880.79. Chiarini in New Zealand, 1879 (image).80. Selection of brief newspaper articles, Chiarini’s in New Zealand 1879-1880.4.4 Cooper and Bailey (US)81. ‘The Australian Tour of Cooper, Bailey and Co’s great International Allied Shows 1877’.82. ‘The Circus Procession’, The Herald (Melbourne), January 18, 1877, p3,.83. ‘Cooper and Bailey’s Menagerie and Circus’, Argus (Melbourne), January 9, 1877, 6.84. Letter to the Chief Commissioner of Police, Melbourne, March 6, 1877, about loading/embarking animals, and paraphernalia at the Queen’s Wharf, Melbourne85. Cooper and Bailey accounts, tour of 1876-77.86. Letters of thanks to Cooper, Bailey & Co. from the Mayor and clergy in Auckland4.5. Harmstons from The East87. Harmston's Grand Circus & Royal Menagerie program, New Zealand, 1898.88. Announcement of ‘arrangement’ between Harmston’s and FitzGerald’s circuses, Sydney Morning Herald, November 27, 1897, 10.89. ‘Harmston’s Circus’, pre-show announcement, Age, December 8, 1897, 5.90. ‘Harmstons’ Circus’ (review), Age, December 15, 1897, 5.4.6 Frank Fillis Circus from South Africa91. ‘Sawdust and Spangles: Some Sketches of Circus Life’, Illustrated Sydney News, January 21, 1893, 18.92. ‘Arrival of the Innaminka’, Express and Telegraph (Adelaide), March 17, 1893, 2.93. ‘Mr F. E. Fillis: An Interesting Interview’, Express and Telegraph (Adelaide), March 18, 1893, 6.94. ‘Fillis’s Circus: The Water Pantomime’, Express and Telegraph (Adelaide), March 30, 1893, 4.4.7 Herbert Family case study95. Te Whero (pseud.), ‘A Morning in a Circus Tent: ‘Behind the Scenes’ at FitzGerald’s show’, Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser, April 26, 1905, 1055.96. ‘The English Circus’, Launceston Examiner, June 18, 1880, 2.97. ‘A Peep at the Shows’, Queensland Figaro (Brisbane), March 24, 1883, 7.98. John D. FitzGerald, ‘The Fitz-Gerald Brothers’ Circus: a narrative of adventure, of picturesque incident, and of Australian pluck and enterprise’, unpublished MS, 51-53.99. John D. FitzGerald, ‘The Fitz-Gerald Brothers’ Circus’, unpublished MS, 61.100. ‘Ridgway’s Circus’, Age (Melbourne), November 1, 1886, 5.101. ‘The Three-in-One Circus’, Western Star and Roma Advertiser, May 2, 1888, 2.102. ‘World’s Circus’, Sydney Morning Herald (advertisement), December 15, 1888, 2.103. ‘Sells’ Circus: The Opening Night’, Australian Star (Sydney), November 20, 1891. 7.4.8 The Wild West Show in Australia104. ‘Harmston’s Wild West Show and Circus’, Queensland Times, Ipswich Herald and General Advertiser, February 17, 1891, 3.105. ‘Wirth’s Wild West Show’, Auckland Star, September 26, 1890, 2.106. ‘Wirth Bros.’ Wild West Show’, Express and Telegraph (Adelaide) December 18, 1890, 4.107. ‘The Noble Red Man: American Indians before the courts. Deserted and Desperate,” Australian Star, July 23, 1891, 5.108. ‘Dr. Carver's “Wild” America’, Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser, 7 February 7, 1891, 314.109. ‘Alexandra Theatre – The Scout’, review of the show, produced by Dr. Carver, Alfred Dampier and Garnet Walch, Age, May 12, 1891, 6.110. Wild Australia, program, Festival of Empire, Crystal Palace, London, 1911.111. ‘Wild Australia’, Sporting Life (London), May 22, 1911112. Wild Australia (Image)Part 5. Australian Artistes OverseasIntroduction5.1 James [Munro] Melville113. ‘The Circus’, Moreton Bay Courier (Brisbane), 22 December 1855, 2.114. ‘The Circus’, Nashville Daily Union, 25 March 1864, 3.115. ‘Training a Circus Rider: Reminiscences of a Veteran in the Ring’, New York Times, 17 February 1881, 3.116. ‘Deaths in the Profession’, New York Clipper, 26 November 1892, 611.117. ‘Vaudeville’, Sioux City Journal, 29 November 1908, 18.5.2 Ella Zuila & George Loyal118. ‘Theatre Royal’, Evening Journal [Adelaide], 23 January 1869, 2.119. ‘The Loyals’, Telegraph [Brisbane], 9 February 1874, 3.120. ‘Shot from a Cannon’, New York Clipper, 26 July 1879, 142.121. ‘Arrested in Her Airy Flight’, Richmond Dispatch [Virginia], 25 August 1879, 3.122. ‘An Interview with Ella Zuila’, Era [London], 6 May 1893, 16.5.3 Alfred St Leon & Family123. ‘Under the Tents’, New York Clipper, 21 May 1898, 196.124. ‘Features at St Leon’s Circus’, Spokane Chronicle, 6 October 1898, 7.125. ‘How I Train My Trick Horses for Daring Feats in the Circus Ring’, San Francisco Examiner, 4 June 1899, 31.126. ‘The Reigning Equestrienne of the World … La Belle Leona’, Forepaugh & Sells Brothers Enormous United Shows, St Louis (Missouri), Courier dated 20 April 1903.127. ‘Notes from the Great Wm. P. Hall Shows’, New York Clipper, 15 July 1905, 535.128. ‘Pubillones’, Diario de la Marina (Havana), 9 November 1906, 6.5.4 The Wirth circuses, world tours, 1888-1900129. Extracts from ‘Under the Big Top: The Life Story of George Wirth, Circus Proprietor’, a series published in Life (Sydney), 1933.BibliographyIndex