Van Buren, Fred, Born c1930
Dates
- Existence: Born c1930
Biography
Fred Van Buren was born in Sandbach, Cheshire. Fred first became intersted in circus at four years old when his parents took him to see Chapman's Circus. After this, the family started to visit Blackpool Tower regularly, where Fred met Bob Gandey, who started to teach him about circus. Fred trained in trapeze, clowning, magic and showmanship in general and soon started to organise his own small shows. Upon leaving school, he became an apprentice to a cabinet maker, which allowed him to start building his own magic tricks.
In 1953 Fred made his full professional debut with Gandey's Circus. In 1955, Fred met Connie Greta, who became his assistant and the pairs started to perform as the Yoxanis and they moved into variety scene. By the 1960s their act was travelling around the country and featured in several TV programmes. In 1961 Fred and Great got married, they had a son Andrew, who followed his parents footsteps into magic and showmanship.
By the 1980s the Van Burens were travelling internationally.
In 1997 Fred and Greta retired from active performance.
Found in 3 Collections and/or Records:
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
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.
Van Buren Magic Act Advertising Material, c1900 - 1999
Colour photographs and illustrations of man in black tail suit, showgirls and different magic acts, including a man riding a motorbike and a woman riding a motorbike out of a box on red background with yellow stars pamphlet and a black and white pamphlet with photographs and text including a photograph of the perfomers with the Duke of Edinburgh on the back cover 2p.p.
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