Lord George Sanger Circus (Established c1880)
Dates
- Existence: Established c1880
Biography
Lord George Sanger Circus was founded by George Sanger after disolving his business partnership with his brother John Sanger.
George and John were the founders of the Sanger Allied Circus in 1854, which they operated with a few family members and friends. The business grew from strength to strength and by 1858 Sanger’s circus could boast of presenting the largest stud of horses ever seen in the European continent. By the 1860s the Sanger emporium owned ten permanent circuses between Plymouth and Aberdeen.
The Sanger brother’s acquired two of the most famous and reputable circus venues in London; the Royal Agricultural Hall at Islington in 1870 and Astley’s New Royal Amphitheatre in 1871.
George and John eventually decided to go their separate ways and split their various business ventures amicably.
During his career as a circus proprietor George Sanger presented two Royal performances before Queen Victoria, the first at Sandringham on 8 January 1885 and the second at Balmoral Castle on 17 June 1898.
George Sanger was a respected member of the showland community and although he spent most of his later life in the circus, he maintained a strong link to his fairground roots and was elected the first President of the Showmen's Guild of Great Britain in 1890, a post he held until 1909.
George Sanger was murdered on 28 November 1911, at Park Farm by one of his employees for unknown reasons. His circus and effects were auctioned off by showman Tom Norman aka ‘The Silver King’.
Found in 104 Collections and/or Records:
Research Material, c1900 - 2018
Various photocopies relating to Margate, Dreamland, Hall by the Sea, Sanger Circus and animal performance.
Sanger Circus Collection
Black and white and some colour photographs, negatives, handbills, programmes and other items of ephemera relating George Sanger's circus and the Hall by the Sea.
Sanger Circus Photographs, c1850 - 1945
Black and white photographs and postcards of Sanger's circus showing performers, animals and Sanger family members including George, Ellen, Victoria Florence also Queen Victoria and royal performances, some photos on the fairground and a colour photograph, also some negatives.
Sanger Circus Programmes, c1894 - 1999
Sanger Circus programmes including Lord George Sanger's Circus, Lord George Sanger and Pops Sanger Circus, Lord John Sanger's Circus and Sanger's Circus. Contain pantomime acts as well as circus performances in theatres venues.
Sanger Family Collection
This collection contains black and white photographs of George Sanger's Circus, photocopies of newspaper cuttings related to the Sanger Family and original drawings for costume designs by June Dick.
Sanger Family Correspondence, c1900 - 1999
Letters to Miss Sanger Reeve from Bernard and Mabel Harris and letter of invitation to Sunday service from G. K. Gillespie to the Sanger circus staff.
Sanger's Circus Photographs, c1800 - 1939
Black and white photographs and postcards of the Sanger circus and family, including family portraits, show fronts, performers, musicians, parades and carriages, some of the people on the photographs have been identified.
Photographs 178C108.502-515 show Lord George Sanger's Circus on a European tour.
Sanger’s Grand Circus Handbill, c1880
National Amphitheatre, Westminster Bridge Road, London, ‘To Conclude with the Fifth Act of Richard III and the great Battle of Bosworth Field and the death of White Surrey’, 4pp.
Sanger’s Grand National Amphitheatre Handbill, c1888 - 1891
Scenes in the Arena followed by the drama of Mazeppa or The Wild Horse of Tartary, at Sanger’s Grand National Amphitheatre. circus followed by ‘Mazeppa’ a drama, and the Grand Burlesque Christmas Pantomime entitled: Harlequin St. George and The Dragon’, 4pp.
Sanger's Grand National Amphitheatre Programme, c1900 - 1999
Westminster Bridge Road. Scenes in the Circle, Richard III and the Great Battle of Bosworth Field and the Death of White Surrey, Cinderella. Black type on off white background with embossed border, 2p.p.
Sanger's Grand National Amphitheatre Programme, c1900 - 1999
Sanger's Grand Procession Poster, Friday 27 and Saturday 28 June 1863
Bath, Cricket Field, Pulteney Road. Sanger's grand procession on the occasion of the marriage of T. R. H. The Prince and Princess of Wales, equestrian acts, gymnastic acts, performing dromedaries, camels, llamas, cebras, Perubian God horses, elephants. Colour illustration showing procession of animals and carriages on a zig-zag line from the top to the bottom of the poster with text in between in black type on pale yellow background and title on red and yellow over blue background.
Sanger's Royal Circus Handbill, c1898
Royal London Hippodrome. 23 different acts. Printed by Chamberlain, Landport.
Scrapbook of Multiple Circuses, c1900 - 1999
Scrapbook of newspaper cuttings and photographs, relating to multiple circuses and acts including George Wombwell, Lord George Sanger, Billy Smart and Bertram Mills, 102p.p.
Scrapbook of Multiple Circuses, 1952 - 1957
Scrapbook of newspaper cuttings from the World's Fair, black and white photographs, relating to multiple circuses and acts including Robert Fossett's, Blackpool Tower, Lord George Sanger's and Chipperfields.
Scrapbook of Multiple Circuses, 1930 - 1938
Scrapbook of newspaper cuttings, black and white photographs, programmes and advertisments, relating to multiple circuses and acts including Johnny Swallow's Broncho Bill's Circus, Chapman's Zoo Circus, Lord George Sanger's,34p.p.
Scrapbook of Multiple Circuses, 1928 - 1938
Scrapbook of newspaper cuttings, relating to multiple circuses and acts including Bertram Mills, Barnum and Bailey and George Sanger, 122p.p.
Script for Cinderella Pantomime, 1883 - 1884
Sanger National Amphitheatre. Manuscript for Cinderella pantomime for Sangers. Black ink and pencil with red underline on white paper and brown covers, written on one side of the pages only on ruled paper with corrections, 59pp.
Sketches of the Circus Photographic Album, c1985 - 1989
Lord John Sanger and Sons' Circus, featuring animals, carriages, workers and performers as well as Lord George Sanger on transit, parading and on circus site, contains some pen and ink drawins, photograph of Augustus Denton on front cover painting the circus, 12p.p.
Telegram from Miriam Claydon, c1940s
Telegram to John Everton Sanger from Miriam Claydon. Typescript.