written by John Moriarty and Robert Elliot I am currently writing about a particular Irish Circus when I found an old print-out about Irish Strongman John Moriarty. My family knew John slightly which was why we had a print-out of this interview of him. I had heard of this writing several times and seen it cited before in other circus articles but hadn't come across it myself. I am therefore putting in up on the website to make it easier for other people to find and so John's

written J.P. Browne Richard "Dickey" Henry Hunter (1886–1970) is best remembered in Belfast not for his distinguished medical career but for creating and sustaining a beloved Christmas circus tradition in the city during the 1940s and 1950s. Born in British Guiana and educated in Ulster, Hunter later pursued anatomy and embryology at Queen's University Belfast before becoming one of Northern Ireland’s most colourful cultural figures (Andrews, 2024). Though Hunter achieved not

written by J.P Browne The Buff Bill in Buff Bill’s Circus was William Kayes. Born in Peebles, Scotland in 1856 the Kayes were even at that stage one of the many show business families that travelled around the country performing in fairs and music halls. The fifth child in a family of ten siblings William was trained from an early age in a skill that would give him a trade as an entertainer learning knife throwing and sharp-shooting. Becoming a double act along with this brot

written by J.P. Browne For the last part of the Barry's Circus Dynasty we will be focusing on the family of Minnie Barry and her ambitious husband Jack Delino. Delino performed with Barry’s Circus for several years and had married Minnie Barry in 1925. They had at this stage invented their own “drunk on the wire” routine which was immensely popular in the day. Delino seems to have been an ambitious individual who was also quite capable. In 1928, Jack Delino persuaded his fri

written by J.P. Browne Last time I spoke about members of the Barry's Family breaking off to do their own acts. Jim Barry Jr. and his sister Pauline had also moved on, changing their act by developing a motor cycle wall of death show. Unfortunately, two of the Barrys' had died by this stage; Louisa in 1921 at the age of 24 and Lillian in 1924 at the age of 23, both from tuberculosis and by the season of 1926/7 the Barrys' seems to have finished as a family circus. But that by

written by J.P. Browne In 1912/3 a branch of the famous Chipperfield family emigrated to Ireland to go work for Chadwick Brothers Circus  that was touring Ireland at the time. James and Louisa Chipperfield and their 6 children consisting of 5 sisters Minnie, Pauline, Lilly, Louisa and Evelyn and one brother Jim Jnr all performers in their own right left Bristol via ferry to unwittingly found an Irish Branch of the famous Chipperfield Family. James Chipperfield was born in 187

written by J. P. Browne Jeserich's Circus is one of the exceptions to the rules in that it was a circus set up by a business consortium rather than a Circus Family and while this might not seem like a huge factor in the success of a Circus or not it can sometimes be the only factor that can make or break a circus. The sacrifices that a person will make for the Family show are not the same that will be made for an employer regardless of how well-liked they are and the Jeserich

by J.P. Browne Davies Circus was founded by Robert Davies and was a popular circus in Lancashire and Yorkshire during the early 1880’s. Robert Davies was born in Bolton, Lancashire (20). His family were circus folk, although his birth certificate listed his father as a forge laborer, which was common as many circus men took on other jobs to support the business. Robert met Mathilda Hall, whose family worked with the Davies Family Circus in England. The couple eloped to Belfas

written by J. P. Browne Hanneford’s Circus was founded by Edwin (Ned) Hanneford III. Ned born sometime in 1870 in England came from one of the most prominent Circus Families. His father Edwin II had his own circus in England for years known as ‘ Hanneford’s London Circus ’ and his grandfather Edwin Hanneford I was a famous juggler in the early 19th century.  The Hanneford’s were considered one of the top acts of the day performing throughout Ireland, Britain and the Continent

written by J.P. Browne Frisco Frank’s Western Circus is a tragedy in that it has largely being forgotten for numerous reasons. The main one being that it was only around for a very short time, a year or maybe even a few months before disappearing. The Circus family that set up the Frisco Frank’s Western Circus  was the Paulo family. Frank Paulo or ‘Frisco Frank’ was a talented Auguste clown (the most popular type of clown we have today) coming from a well-known English circus

written by J.P. Browne Ireland has had several famous clowns and some not so famous. The most famous by far would be Johnny Patterson...

Written by J.P. Browne Very little is known about Chadwick’s Circus except that it was meant to have being a premier Circus outfit that ran for several years in Ireland. It could have gone on to become one of the biggest show’s in Ireland if it wasn’t for the misfortune of it being founded at the start of World War I. Chadwick’s Circus was founded in Ireland in 1914 by an English man Henry ‘Valo’ Chadwick although he was better known as Henry Hazenberg until he changed it bac

Astley's Amphitheater (1851) from the Victoria & Albert collection Greetings! I'm delighted to welcome you to my blog dedicated to...