Circus Pinder (Established 1854)
Biography
The story of Pinder Circus is a story of union and separation. The British branch of the circus was born out of the union of Selina Ord and Edwin Pinder. The Ord’s Equestrian Arena was founded by Thomas Ord in 1812. Thomas (b.1784) was the son of a reverend and joined the circus in c1798 after running away from home. After fourteen years working for other circus proprietors, Thomas founded his own circus The Ords Equestrian Arena, which soon became a household name in Scotland and the north of England.
Thomas died in 1859 aged 75 and his circus passed to his daughter Selina who continued with the business. In 1861 Selina married Edwin Pinder whose uncles, George and William Pinder were the founders of Pinders Circus in 1854. Upon his marriage to Selina, Edwin left his family to create the Ord Pinders Circus in Scotland. Meanwhile, the Pinders Circus started touring Europe where they gained great fame and eventually settled down in France, where the Pinder’s Circus remains to this day. Whereas the French branch of the circus did not maintain the Pinder family links, the Scottish branch remained a family affair.
The Pinder's Ord Circus also became very successful and could boast the delivered of three Royal Command Performances at Balmoral Castle for Queen Victoria in 1877, 1892 and 1898.
Edwin and Selina had five children, all of whom joined the family business or joined other British circus families through marriage, such as the Connors on the Isle of Man and the Fossetts.
Today Pinder’s Circus is managed by Edwin’s great great grandson, Eddy, his wife and their business partner Mike Lea.
Found in 52 Collections and/or Records:
Pinder's Circus Poster, 2 June - 4 June 1977
Brechin Victoria FC. Red, blue, orange type and white background.
Pinder's Circus Poster, 9 - 11 June 1977
Banchoy. Red, blue, orange type and white background.
Pinder's Circus Poster, c1970 - 1979
Poster left blank for over-printing location and date. Red, black, orange type and white background.
Pinders Circus Ticket Booklets, c1900 - 1999
Booklet of circus tickets containing duplicate tickets from No.3201 to No.3299 with prices for reserved seats, black type on off white background and off white covers and booklet of free tickets containing duplicate tickets in red type. Various sizes.
Posters, c1937 - 1989
A collection of posters printed by Taylor's of Wombwell for music hall and variety, circus, pantomime and fairgrounds.
Programmes, c1800 - 2019
A collection of mainly British and international circus programmes and some variety and music hall programmes containing circus acts.
Programmes, 1949 - 1970
Programmes from British, European and American circuses and some variety venues in the United Kingdom, in various languages. Also includes a Boswell-Wilkie Circus programme from South Africa.
Trade and Advertising Material, c1900 - 1999
A range of items of promotion and advertising from a range of circus companies and performers, including artistes' photographs with act descriptions used for seeking employment in circuses and pamphlets advertising independent performances and circus companies' literature and souvenirs for public distribution and promotion including Gerry Cottle's Circus, Belle Vue, Blackpool Tower, Bertram Mills Circus, Gandey's, Ringling Bros and Barnum and Bailey, Knie and many more.
Various Circuses' Promotional Newspapers, c1950 - 1989
Various circuses' promotional newspapers including Circus Barlay, Gleich, Amar, Pinder, Cirque Rancy, Busch, Barum, Olympia, Chipperfield and Boswell and Wilkie, containing images and text including an article on the Chinese National Circus.
Various Items, c1800 - 2019
A range of circus related items related to Hassan Ali, Adha Issacs Menken, Barnum and Bailey, funeral items, illustrations of circus parades, circus tickets, discount vouchers and booking forms, circus themed stickers, famous clown clay models, circus themed jigsaw puzzles, circus model figures, comics books and children's books, Circus Friends Association related material, Montecarlo Circus Festival related items, Jesse Fossett's throwing knives and other items.
Various Items of Correpondence, 1966 - 1980
Various items of correspondence including Christmas greetings and letters. Most greeting cards have circus illustrations. Also a letter from Willson's Show Printers to the Pinder Family with a business quote.
Zoological Gardens and Zoos Trade and Advertising Material, c1950 - 1989
Various booklets from zoological gardens and zoos including Woburn Wild Animal Kingdom, African Lion Safari, Longleat, The Parks and Reserves of Natal and Zululand, Edinburgh Zoo, Zoo Berlin, Amar Circus Zoo, Pinder Circus Zoo, The Dark Continent in Tampa and Le Village Hindou at Jardin Zoologique D'Acclimatation, which is a human village.