Sanger, George, 1825 - 1911
Biography
George was born in Newbury, a historic market town in Berkshire in 1825 and grew up on the fairground working in the family’s peep show. In 1848 George and his brother John bought some canaries and mice and trained them for exhibition. This humble beginning into animal performance within the fairground scene and their business ambition, built up to the formation of the Sanger's Allied Circus in 1854 at the King’s Lynn Charter Fair, which they operated with a few family members and friends. By 1858 Sanger’s circus boasted of presenting the largest stud of horses ever seen in the European continent and visited over two hundred towns in a nine-month season, giving two shows a day. By the 1860s the Sanger emporium owned ten permanent circuses between Plymouth and Aberdeen.
One of the brothers’ popular shows was the pantomime ‘Lady Godiva’ featuring a well-known equestrienne, Ellen Chapman (1831-1899).
George and Ellen married in 1850 in Sheffield and Ellen immediately became a key act on the family shows. She appeared in pantomimes, performing the serpentine dance in the lions' den and impersonating 'Brittannia' in the acclaimed Sanger's circus processions.
George and Ellen had three children; a son who died as a baby, Laurina (1853-1882) and Sarah Harriet (1854-1929).
In 1856, when George and John added wild animals to their circus, Ellen returned to her former profession as a lion tamer. By 1858 they had added six lions and ten elephants to the show which proved to be a big winner with the public.
The Sanger brother’s expansion into circus greatness continued with the acquisition of 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, which they bought from William Batty’s widow.
By this point Sanger's Circus travelling road train was said to be two miles long and reputedly had around ten wagons to carry the tent and seating, a lamp wagon, eight or ten living carriages, a foal wagon, ten wild animal wagons, a harness wagon, a portable blacksmith's forge, property wagons, wardrobe and dressing wagons, a band carriage and at least six great tableau parade cars.
From 1874 Sanger also presented tenting shows on the Continent for fifteen seasons, travelling up to 160 horses, eleven elephants, a dozen camels and about 330 staff.
George and John eventually decided to go their separate ways and split their various business ventures amicably.
During his extensive and impressive 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 75 Collections and/or Records:
Lord George Sanger's Hall by the Sea Zoological and Pleasure Gardens Handbill, c1875 - 1919
Margate. Under the personal direction of Mr and Mrs Arthur Reeve. Circus, dancing, marvellous equestrian and gymnastic talent. Black type on green paper, printed on front and reverse. Printed by the Thanet Times Ltd.
Lord George Sanger's Hall by the Sea Zoological and Pleasure Gardens Handbill, c1875 - 1919
Margate. Under the personal direction of Mr and Mrs Arthur Reeve. Circus, dancing, marvellous equestrian and gymnastic talent. Black type on green paper, printed on front and reverse. Printed by the Thanet Times Ltd.
Lord George Sanger's Horses and Equipment Catalogue of Sale, 4 January 1912
Park Farm, East Finchley, London, to be sold at auction by Tom Norman. Catalogue of sale of Lord George Sanger's stud of horses and related equipment. Black type on off white paper, 2p.p.
Lord George Sanger's Royal Circus, Hippodrome and Grand Military Spectacle Programme, c1899 - 1910
Lord George Sanger's Two Day Great Sale Catalogue, 31 October - 1 November 1905
Park Farm, East Finchley, London, to be sold at auction by Tom Norman. Catalogue of sale of Lord George Sanger's business possessions including animals and equipment. Black type on off white paper with hand written prices against items. Printed by E.S. Wheatley, Steam Printer, Barnet, 12pp.
Lord John Sanger Scrapbook, 1911
Scrapbook of newspaper cuttings on the death and funeral of Lord George Sanger, also contains some correspondence and other items of ephemera, 17p.p.
Newspaper Cuttings, 1903 - 1911
Photocopies of newspaper cuttings about George Sanger's Circus and George Sanger's murder.
Newspaper Cuttings and Scapbooks, 1838 - 2007
A collection of newspaper cuttings on circus, circus proprietors and performers and scrapbooks containing newspaper cuttings, posters, programmes and other items of ephemera, covering mainly British circuses and venues such as Belle Vue and also some international circuses.
Newspaper Cuttings and Scrapbooks, c1832 - 1999
Various newspaper cuttings and scrapbooks about variety and circus performers including the Ohmy and Sanger families.
Newspaper Cuttings and Scrapbooks, c1865 - 1945
Newspaper cuttings related to George Sanger's circus and business.
Obituaries, 2 December 1911
George Sanger's Obituary.
Obituaries and Funeral Cards, 1911 - 2019
Obituaries and funeral cards for George Sanger, Dame Laura Knight, Billy Merchant and Carmen Rosaire among others.
Original Artwork, 1892 - 1999
Various items of orginal artwork.
Photographs, c1890 - 1959
Black and white photographs of George Sanger's Circus showing staff, family, performers, animals, living wagons and parades, including Topsy Sanger, Harry Austin, George Holloway, Cissie Holloway, Cissie Austin, George Sanger, James Holloway, Abe Holloway, George Austin, Bellevina Holloway, Kate Holloway, The Three Holloways, Cirque Angelo, The Four Holloways, Ellen Chapman, Harriet Sanger and June Dick.
Photographs, c1850 - 1945
Black and white photographs and postcards of George and Jonh Sanger's circus.
Photographs and Postcards, c1800 - 1999
Black and white and colour photographs, negatives and photographic albums mainly containing images of British circus, circus performers, animals and circus personalities but also some menageries such as Bostock and Wombwell and other associated entertainments and non-British circuses taken by David Jamieson, Lindsay Temple, Den Curtis, Capt. Middleton, Jack Niblett and other photographers.
Photographs and Postcards, 1908 - 1975
Black and white photographs and postcards of the Ohmy, the Smart and the Sanger circuses and family members, including John Sanger in sailor’s uniform. Also a variety of circus performers including Mme. Morelli from the Bostock menagerie. Many of the postcards have been used for correspondence.
Photographs of Circus Performers and Showmen, 1903
Black and white photographs of circus performers and personalities including a portrait of Buffalo Bill dedicated to Lord George Sanger and Sanger's Britannia tableau waggon.
Programmes, c1875 - 1919
George Sanger Circus and Hall by the Sea programmes.
Research Material, c1900 - 2018
Various photocopies relating to Margate, Dreamland, Hall by the Sea, Sanger Circus and animal performance.