Circus Friends Association of Great Britain (Established 1934)
Biography
The CFA, formerly known as the Circus Fans Association was stablished on Saturday 20th January 1934 in the ring of Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia, London by a group of enthusiasts. The CFA’s purpose remains the same as in its conception; to stimulate, foster and promote enthusiasm for circus and related performances as part of British culture.
During 1934, the pattern for CFA activities was established, with the formation of the library, the publication of The Sawdust Ring magazine and the first rallies, including ones to the Hippodrome Circus in Great Yarmouth and Blackpool Tower. The annual subscription at the time was one guinea for residents in a radius of 60 miles from London 'as defined by Automobile Association handbook', and half a guinea for those residing outside that area, in the provinces. 'For residents in the Colonies and foreign counties' the subscription was 7/6.
The first President of the CFA was Lady Eleanor Smith (1902-1945), the eldest child of the politician F. E. Smith. Lady Eleanor Smith was an author, a society reporter and cinema reviewer and worked as a publicist for circus companies.
Other notable presidents were; Dame Laura Knight (1877-1970), the most celebrated British impressionist female artist of all time and the first woman to ever be elected to the Royal Academy. The actor Sir Cedric Hardwicke (1893-1964), wine merchant and philanthropist Sir Walter Gilbey (1831-1914), theatrical manager and empresario Sir Charles B. Cochran (1872-1951), Sir William Savory (1882-1961), author Antony Hippisley Coxe and Commander W. J. Gerard.
The first five years of the CFA saw the firm establishment of the Association its activity, although it was active by Alfred 'Dickey' Bird. The post-war years were difficult but the CFA continued operating with the same aims and ambitions.
The library was started in 1937, as a gift of 30 books from A.C. McLachlan. Others titles were acquired by purchase or donation. It contains books on virtually every aspect of circus life from individual acts, to acts of Parliament, from erecting a Big Top, to the logistics of transporting circuses, works of fiction, photography and juvenile literature all of which help to create a greater understanding of the many contrasts in circus life; of the romance, tragedy, spectacle and hardships.
Notable authors who have contributed to the myth and legend of circus include Lady Eleanor Smith, who in 1945, donated all her circus books to the CFA, Ruth Manning-Sanders and Courtney Ryley Cooper, an American writer who, after having first joined a circus aged 16, went on to write crime books and ghost-wrote articles under J. Edgar Hoover’s name in the 1930s.
After the war lists of holdings were printed and distributed to members, who could borrow a book at a time by post. By the mid 1970s, the ‘Library Catalogue’ listed 525 books and a ‘Circusiana’ section was created for valuable books, for reference only.
The CFA continues maintaining the collection, ensuring its growth and establishing it as the primary, national collection of books on circus.
The CFA has also amassed one of the most fascinating and important collection of circus related material in the United Kingdom expanding over 200 years. This material has supported research and literature produced by its members over the years and has ensured that an important part of British circus history will be available for future generations of researchers and enthusiasts.
The association has always welcomed enthusiasts and circus artistes to it’s membership and has always produced a regular publication giving news, reviews and articles on circus artistes and personalities and reviews of British and foreign circuses. The current quarterly magazine King Pole, named after the masts, which support a circus tent, is regarded as one of the leading circus periodicals in the world.
The CFA continues to organise visits, formerly called rallies, for the members, to UK circuses and recognises the achievements of those involved in circus with special awards.
After almost 85 years in existence the CFA continues to flourish with membership being maintained in the region of 500 comprising both British and subscribers from abroad.
Found in 1288 Collections and/or Records:
Billy Smart's New World Circus Programme, 1966
Colour illustration of pink elephant wearing a pointy hat and seating on a circus platform and a tamer in a red, gold and black outfit holding a whip on a blue background on the front page, inside introduction, report on royal visit, black and white photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 14p.p.
Billy Smart's New World Circus Programme, 1965
Colour illustration of pink elephant wearing a pointy hat and seating on a circus platform and a tamer in a red, gold and black outfit holding a whip on a blue background on the front page, inside introduction, report on royal visit, black and white photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 14p.p.
Billy Smart's New World Circus Programme, 1964 - 1965
Colour illustration of pink elephant wearing a pointy hat and seating on a circus platform and a tamer in a red, gold and black outfit holding a whip on a blue background on the front page, inside introduction, report on royal visit, black and white photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 10p.p.
Billy Smart's New World Circus Programme, 1965
Colour illustration of pink elephant wearing a pointy hat and seating on a circus platform and a tamer in a red, gold and black outfit holding a whip on a blue background on the front page, inside introduction, report on royal visit, black and white photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 14p.p.
Billy Smart's New World Circus Programme, 1966
Colour illustration of pink elephant wearing a pointy hat and seating on a circus platform and a tamer in a red, gold and black outfit holding a whip on a blue background on the front page, inside introduction, report on royal visit, black and white photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 14p.p.
Billy Smart's New World Circus Programme, 1964
Colour illustration of pink elephant wearing a pointy hat and seating on a circus platform and a tamer in a red, gold and black outfit holding a whip on a blue background on the front page, inside introduction, black and white photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 14p.p.
Billy Smart's New World Circus Programme, 1966
Colour illustration of show girl in green outfit and large feather head dress standing on an elephant's leg while the elephant is balancing on a circus platform on a blue background on the front cover, inside introduction, report on royal visit, black and white photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 6p.p
Billy Smart's New World Circus Programme, 1967
Colour illustration of pink elephant wearing a pointy hat and seating on a circus platform and a tamer in a red, gold and black outfit holding a whip on a blue background on the front page, inside introduction, article on the late Billy Smart, black and white photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 14p.p
Billy Smart's New World Circus, Star Gala Performance Programme, 1960
Golden cover with red heart and type on bottom right, inside programme with colour illustration of show girl in green outfit and large feather head dress standing on an elephant's leg while the elephant is balancing on a circus platform on a blue background on the front cover, inside introduction, report on royal visit, black and white photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 18p.p
Billy Smart's New World Circus, Star Gala Performance Programme, 1961
Golden cover with red heart and type on bottom right, inside programme with colour illustration of show girl in green outfit and large feather head dress standing on an elephant's leg while the elephant is balancing on a circus platform on a blue background on the front cover, inside introduction, report on royal visit, black and white photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 18p.p
Billy Smart's Programme, 1996
Colour illustration of harlequin on the front cover, inside introduction, colour and black and white photographs of acts and performers, commercial advertising and insert programme, 11p.p
Billy Smart's Programme, c1900 - 1999
Colour illustration of large harlequin behind a circus tent holding the entrance open and performers emerging from it on the front cover, inside introduction, colour and black and white photographs of acts and performers, commercial advertising and insert programme, 9p.p
Billy Smart's Quality Big Top Show Poster, c1946 - 1999
Richmond Old Deer Park, Friday 15 October. Colour illustration showing a clown's face on centre right, over a Smart circus tent opening the entrace curtains and letting all the performers come out, over a blue background. Signed by Chris Pavely.
Billy Smart's Quality Big Top Show Programme, 1993
Richmond. Colour illustration of harlequin's torso holding a batton with a harlequin's head shape handle on a white background with red and golden type on the front cover, inside introduction, colour and black and white photographs of the Smart family members and some stories, programme on a blue insert and commercial advertising, 8p.p.
Billy Smart's Super Circus Programme, c1900 - 1999
Colour illustration of pink baby elephant leading a circus parade on a wagon folowed by other animals and two clowns on an orange background on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, also contains tickets stapled to the inside of the front cover, 14p.p.
Bingley Hall Christmas Circus Programme, 1981 - 1982
Programme in black type on white background on front cover, black and white photographs of performers and acts with text in the centre and back cover, 2p.p
Blackpool Spectacular Tower Circus Programme, 1997
Colour photograph of clown on a black background with colour balls and scrolls on the front cover, inside introduction, colour photographs of performers and acts with text, and programme in the centre on glossy paper, 6p.p.
Blackpool Tower and Chipperfield Circus Photographic Album, 1940 - 1951
Black and white photographs and postcards of acts and performers on and off the ring with annotations, 15p.p.
Blackpool Tower and Winter Gardens Programme, 1941
Green and white illustration of the promenade with the tower and the beach at night on front cover, inside blue and white photographs of performers with text and event programmes, 7p.p.
Blackpool Tower and Winter Garderns Programme, 1940
Golden embossed illustration of the Tower and the Winter Gardens on red and blue background, colour illustrations, some black and white photographs and programmes of events, also commercial adverstising inside, 24p.p.