Great Yarmouth Hippodrome (Established 1903)
Dates
- Existence: Established 1903
Biography
The Great Yarmouth Hippodrome was built by the showman George Gilbert in 1903 and designed by architect Ralph Scott Cockrill. It is one of only two purpose-built permanent circuses in England still in operation, and one of only three in the world with a circus floor that sinks into a pool.
Since its opening, the Hippodrome has operated as a circus venue, presenting other type of shows from time to time uninterrupted, except for the Second World War years, when it was requisitioned by the government and used by the RAF for shooting practice. Between the 1950s and 1960s the Hippodrome presented Billy Russell's Circus Spectacular, which included three televised circus shows in 1962, broadcasted by the BBC.
The current owner, 1960s pop start Peter Jay (b.1944), from ‘Peter Jay and the Jaywalkers’, bought the building in 1979 to stop it from being turned into a Bingo. In 1981 Peter presented the first circus show after restoring its iconic water feature and over the years added elements form his past career to the shows departing from the more traditional circus spectacle and creating a new identity with a strong pop music flair.
The Hippodrome produced four shows a year and Peter’s sons Jack and Ben eventually joined the family business. Jack is the current Ringmaster and Producer and Ben the Manager and they continue producing four shows a year at Halloween, Christmas, Easter and Summer showcasing international troupes of circus performers.
Found in 83 Collections and/or Records:
Billy Russell's Grand Circus Programme, 4 June - 22 September 1962
Hippodrome, Great Yarmouth. Black, red, white and blue type on blue, yellow and red background and colour illustration of cartoon clown's face with mouth open on top right on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white photographs of performers and acts with text, black illustrations, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 12p.p.
Billy Russell's Grand Circus Programme, 3 June - 21 September 1963
Hippodrome, Great Yarmouth. Black, red, white and blue type on blue, yellow and red background and colour illustration of cartoon clown's face with mouth open on top right on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white photographs of performers and acts with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 12p.p.
Billy Russell's Grand Family Circus and Water Spectacular Programme, 1953
Hippodrome, Great Yarmouth. Colour illustration of fountain act on top right, clown's head with a trumpet on top left, chimpanzees in band uniforms playing drums on bottom left and elephant's head on centre right in mainly red and blue on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white photographs of performers and acts with text, pink illustrations, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 6p.p.
Billy Russell's Grand Family Circus Programme, 1955
Hippodrome, Great Yarmouth. Colour illustration of seal, elephant, three men dressed as Mexicans around a pond and a woman in a long green skirt and bikini top with fruit head dress on the front cover, inside black and white photographs of performers and acts with text, pink illustrations, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 8p.p.
Billy Russell's Grand Family Circus Programme, 1952
Hippodrome, Great Yarmouth. Black, red, white and blue type on blue, orange and yellow background and colour illustration of cartoon clown's face with mouth open on top right on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white photographs of performers and acts with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 8p.p.
Billy Russell's Grand Family Circus, Zoo and Pets Corner Programme, 1956
Hippodrome, Great Yarmouth. Black, red, white and blue type on blue, orange and yellow background and colour illustration of cartoon clown's face with mouth open on top right on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white photographs of performers and acts with text, pink illustrations, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 8p.p.
Billy Russell's Grand Family Circus, Zoo and Pets Corner Programme, 1957
Hippodrome, Great Yarmouth. Black, red, white and blue type on blue, orange and yellow background and colour illustration of cartoon clown's face with mouth open on top right on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white photographs of performers and acts with text, blue illustrations, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 8p.p
Billy Russell's Grand Family Circus, Zoo and Pets Corner Programme, 1958
Hippodrome, Great Yarmouth. Black, red, white and blue type on blue, orange and yellow background and colour illustration of cartoon clown's face with mouth open on top right on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white photographs of performers and acts with text, blue illustrations, autographed programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 8p.p.
Billy Russell's Grand Family Circus, Zoo and Pets Corner Programme, 1959
Hippodrome, Great Yarmouth. Black, red, white and blue type on blue, orange and yellow background and colour illustration of cartoon clown's face with mouth open on top right on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white photographs of performers and acts with text, blue illustrations, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 8p.p.
British Circus and Variety Programmes, 1949 - 1970
British Circuses Programmes, 1921 - 2018
Christopher Palmer Collection
Circus programmes and VHS tapes from Billy Smart’s Circus and Chipperfields’s Circus collected during the 1970s and early 1980s by the TV producer, Christopher John Palmer. There are also a number of promotional photographs of artistes and other ephemera related to the circus.
Circus Friends Association Collection
This collection consists of a large library of books and journals, as well as archival material including posters, programmes, photographs, films, handbills, research material, scrapbooks, original artwork and many other items of ephemera relating to British, Irish and European circuses
Circus Friends Association of Great Britain's Notes Scrapbook, 1953 - 1954
Scrapbook of newspaper cuttings and photographs of The Circus Fans' Association Notes by 'Dicky Bird', 'The President' and 'The Hon Secretary', as well as articles on Billy Smart's, Chipperfield's, Rosaire's, Fossett's, Sanger's, Billy Russell's and Bertram Mills, 45p.p.
Cyril Critchlow Collection
Early Circus Programmes, c1800 - 1999
Early British circus and variety programmes including Astley's, Batty's and Lord George Sanger's circus.
Gandey's Circus Poster, 8 July - 6 September 1992
Hippodrome, Great Yarmouth. Contains colour illustration.
Great Yarmouth Hippodrome and Chipperfield Circus Programmes, c1900 - 1999
Great Yarmouth Hippodrome and Chipperfield Circus programmes.
Great Yarmouth Hippodrome Circus and Liverpool Stadium Programmes, c1900 - 2004
Great Yarmouth Hippodrome and Liverpool Stadium circus programmes including Billy Russell, Peter Jay, Jasmine Smart and Sally Chipperfield among others.
Great Yarmouth Hippodrome Leaflet, c1900 - 1999
Colour illustration of laughing clown's face on top left corner and showgirl in bikini seating on an elephant's head on centre right, over a blue background and yellow, red and black type on top section, on bottom section booking form and the hillarious Grumbleweed and other acts on reverse with colour photographs.