Billy Smart's Circus (c1946 - 2006)
Biography
Billly Smart's Circus was established by William 'Billy' Smart (1894-1966). Billy came from a fairground family from London with an interest in horses and circuses. In 1946 Billy came across Cody's Circus and bought the big top.
Billy Smart's New World Circus made its debut at Southall Park, Middlesex, on 5 April 1946, for the first full season after the end of the war. Initially, Billy run his circus in conjunction with his fun fair, which was being run by his children, but by 1952 the fun fair, which was overshadowed by the circus, disappeared. The success of the circus side of the business however continued to increase and in 1955, Billy Smart's Circus grew from its two-pole tentto a 6,000 seat, four-pole round big top with a hippodrome track around the ring, and a vast entrance tent, thus enabling the staging of spectacular parades, which became a Billy Smart's Circus trademark.
Billy's greatest innovation, however, was his relationship with the newly established television networks when he agreed to broadcast his circus live on the BBC in 1947. Over the years, Billy Smart's Christmas Spectacular became a BBC holiday tradition, which ITV took over in 1979 and carried on until 1982. The BBC's first-ever colour broadcast was a 'Tribute to Billy Smart', while Royal Performances took place in London, raising thousands of pounds for charity.
A large part of the success of the circus was the showmanship that Billy brought to the operation of the circus, the large family he could draw upon to run the shows and his ability as a showman to market and capture opportunities to advertise. Whilst other circus proprietors were threatened by the rise in popularity of television and shunned the cameras, Billy Smart embraced them. Smart's Circus grew to be one of the largest in the world, touring every part of the British Isles, and with permanent quarters and an associated zoo at Winkfield, Berkshire, not far from where Smart began his fairground career. His success took the circus through twenty-six tenting tours, winter seasons, frequent TV appearances and the provision of animal acts to other circuses.
Billy died in his caravan on 25 September 1966 and the circus passed onto his sons Ronnie, David and Billy Jr. who continued travelling Billy Smart's New World Circus until around 1971.
In the 1990s Ronnie and his sons Gary and Lord revived the Smart Circus and started to tour a smaller scale version of the original circus. However, the Smart Circus was never the same after the dead of Billy and soon after, the Smart name was rented out to other circus operators until it stopped operating in the early 2000s.
Found in 1051 Collections and/or Records:
Radio Circus Programme, c1957
Front cover: a framed drawing of circus performers, a man in the bottom right corner pointing up at the framed drawing. Inside: programme order runs throughout the booklet, introduction from Marcel Fort, photos of the acts, commercial advertisement. Back cover: advertisement for home electronics and appliances. 16 pages.
Radio Circus Programme, c1960
Front cover: large radio tower over a circus tent, large crowd walking into the tent. Inside: programme order runs throughout the booklet, information on the 1959 Radio Circus, commerical advertisements. Back cover: information about other performing acts in France. 8 pages.
Receipt of Application from the Berkshire County Council , 4 December 1951
Notice of receipt of application from the Berkshire County Council for a proposal for a petrol filling station. Application No. 1523/51.
Receipts and Quotation from A.W. Champion LTD., 1951 - 1954
Two receipts and a quotation for seating from A.W. Champion LTD.
Receipts from Southern & Co. Ltd., 21 September - 15 November 1954
Business records related to the Smart family and Smart circus.
Reproduction of Smart's Circus Painting Shirtsleeves and Spangles by Terence Cuneo, 1958
Printed in Great Britain on wood. Description of the scene depicted on the back of the item. Accompanied by a typescript letter which gives more information on the item.
Research Material Billy Smart Statue in Park, c1966 - 1990
Information about Billy Smart from statue in park. Typescript 1 page.
Research Material Early Fairground Memories by Alan Ingram, 13 May 2003
Early fairground memories by Alan Ingram. Typescript 3 pages.
Research Material from Circus Hall of Fame, 12 September 1970
Information about the Circus Hall of Fame enshrining Mayme Ward, Rieffenach Sisters, Ira Millette and Billy Smart. Typescript 4 pages.
Research Material 'The Smart Life', 1993
Information about the Billy Smart's Big Top show coming back since the last live show in 1971. Typescript 2 pages.
Ringling Bros and Barnum and Bailey 125 Anniversary Edition Up Close and Personal Programme, c1995
Front cover features pink and purple cover with colour illustration of David Larible the clown surrounded by circus animals. Programme contains photographs and information about the circus and performers.
Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus Poster, 1965
Wedneday 11 - Tuesday 24 August. Black and green type on black and green background with illustrations of circus acts and the portraits of the Ringling brothers, printed on front and reverse listing acts on newspaper.
Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Programme, 1955
Front page only. Has a drawing of a female performer standing on an elephant's trunk with a leopard on top of the elephant's head. Cigarette advertisement on the reverse side.
Ringling Bros Barnmun & Bailey Handbill, 25 January - 29 January 1961
Front side: title, drawing of a clown, 'The Greatest Show on Earth' logo, dates and times. Back side: blank. 1 page.
Rod Spooner Collection
The collection includes photographs taken by Jack Mellor and includes images of fairground rides, sideshows and traction engines. There are copies of Rod Spooner's photographs of South and Midland Fairs from 1952-1953. Also included is a cassette recording of an interview With Kay Smart and other showmen/women.
Ronnie Smart's Notes for European Tour, 1954
Business records related to the Smart family and Smart circus.
Route Sheets and 6 Route Cards for Billy Smart's Circus, c1960 - 1969
Various items of ephemera.
Rowland Scott Collection
Photographs related to all aspects of British travelling fairgrounds including; rides, transport, living wagons, showpeople, fairground shows, circuses and organs by Rowland Scott and other authors, a selection of manuscripts by Rowland Scott and a small amount of correspondence.
Royal Gala Performance Billy Smart's Circus Programme, 1964
Colour illustration of people on the front cover, inside programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 42p.p
Royal Windsor Big Top Programme, 1977
Held on 28 May 1977 at Home Park, Windsor and was attended by The Queen and Prince Philip.