This volume of documentary sources and critical commentary provides a history of circus in Australia in the long nineteenth century. Taking root by the 1840s, Australia’s lively circus culture became the region’s dominant entertainment by the century’s end. Cultivated through exchanges with visiting international circuses and nurtured by the energetic synergy that flourished between colonial audiences and home-grown enterprises, the region’s largest circuses were also touring internationally by late in the century, contributing to global circus networks. Sources from newspapers, journals, private collections, and government archives track the growth and diversification of circus in Australia, providing insight into its business, aesthetics, experience, and social life.
This volume of documentary sources and critical commentary provides a history of circus in Australia in the long nineteenth century.
Volume III: The Circus in Australia
Acknowledgments
General Introduction
Introduction to Volume 3
Part
1. Australian Circus Foundations, 1833-51
Introduction
1.1 Early Innovations
1. 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 & Settlers 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 Radfords Royal Circus, 1847-48
13. Radfords 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. Radfords Circus, Cornwall Chronicle (Launceston), 5 August 1848,
3.
1.4 Edward (Hughes) La Rosiere & John Jones, 1850-51
19. 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 Life
Introduction
2.1 Indigenous Performers
25. 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 conditions
32. 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
Fitzgeralds Show,
Sydney Mail & New South Wales Advertiser, 26 April 1905,
1055.
2.3 Daily routines
36. Onlooker, Spangles & Sawdust: A Chronicle of Colonial Circus Life,
Theatre: An Illustrated Theatrical Journal, (Sydney),
No. 1, 2 December 1907, 12-14
No. 2, 2 January 1908, 12-13
No. 3, 1 February 1908, 12
No. 4, 2 March 1908, 8-9
No. 5, 1 April 1908, 11
No. 6, 1 May 1908, 10
No. 7, 1 June 1908, 16-17
No. 8, 1 July 1908, 16-17
No. 9, 1 August 1908, 14-15
No. 10, 1 October 1908, 14-15
No. 11, 1 December 1908, 15-16.
2.4 Memorials
37. 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 Circus
42. 1887 Neglected Childrens 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. Ridgways Pavilion, The Daily Telegraph (Sydney), 20 September 1886,
7.
48. Ridgeways Circus, The Argus (Melbourne), 1 November 1886,
6.
49. Ridgways Pavilion of Varieties Melbourne Punch, 16 December 1886,
8.
50. Ridgways 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 Business
Introduction
3.1 Business Conditions
57. Ten Mile Creek, Albury Banner & Wodonga Express, 14 October 1871,
14.
58. St Leons 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 management
60. 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 & Order
63. To the Editor, Geelong Advertiser & Intelligencer, 19 August 1852,
2.
64. Amusements at the Diggings, Bells 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 Leons Circus Company, Wagga Wagga Advertiser, 20 February 1878,
2.
Part
4. Visitors from Overseas
Introduction
4.1 Worrell and Gardner North American Circus
68. 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 Wilsons World Circus
69. 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 Chiarinis Royal Italian Circus
74. Chiarinis Royal Italian Circus, Sydney Morning Herald, June 18, 1873,
5.
75. Chiarini Silk program, Haymarket Reserve, June 11,
1880.
76. Program, Chiarinis 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. 1880
78. Letter, from Chiarinis 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, Chiarinis in New Zealand
1879-1880.
4.4 Cooper and Bailey (US)
81. The Australian Tour of Cooper, Bailey and Cos great International
Allied Shows
1877.
82. The Circus Procession, The Herald (Melbourne), January 18, 1877, p3,.
83. Cooper and Baileys 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 Queens Wharf,
Melbourne
85. Cooper and Bailey accounts, tour of 1876-77.
86. Letters of thanks to Cooper, Bailey & Co. from the Mayor and clergy in
Auckland
4.5. Harmstons from The East
87. Harmston's Grand Circus & Royal Menagerie program, New Zealand,
1898.
88. Announcement of arrangement between Harmstons and FitzGeralds
circuses, Sydney Morning Herald, November 27, 1897,
10.
89. Harmstons 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 Africa
91. 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. Filliss Circus: The Water Pantomime, Express and Telegraph (Adelaide),
March 30, 1893,
4.
4.7 Herbert Family case study
95. Te Whero (pseud.), A Morning in a Circus Tent: Behind the Scenes at
FitzGeralds 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. Ridgways Circus, Age (Melbourne), November 1, 1886,
5.
101. The Three-in-One Circus, Western Star and Roma Advertiser, May 2,
1888,
2.
102. Worlds 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 Australia
104. Harmstons Wild West Show and Circus, Queensland Times, Ipswich Herald
and General Advertiser, February 17, 1891,
3.
105. Wirths 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, 1911
112. Wild Australia (Image)
Part
5. Australian Artistes Overseas
Introduction
5.1 James [ Munro] Melville
113. 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 Loyal
118. 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 & Family
123. Under the Tents, New York Clipper, 21 May 1898,
196.
124. Features at St Leons 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, 1888-1900
129. Extracts from Under the Big Top: The Life Story of George Wirth, Circus
Proprietor, a series published in Life (Sydney),
1933.
Bibliography
Index
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 Australias earliest circus families, he has pioneered the study of Australias circus history and is the author of Circus: The Australian Story (Melbourne Books, 2011).
