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 73 Collections and/or Records:
Royal Agricultural Hall Islington Handbills, c1860 - 1889
Handbills for travelling shows, exhibitions and performances at Royal Agricultural Hall, Islington.
Royal Opera Gala Performance Programme, 27 May 1908
Covent Garden, by command of his Majesty the King in honour of the visit of The President of the French Republic, Greenish type on off white background and decorative border containing British royal and French cote of arms, flags and other symbols. Printed by Finden Brown & Co., Ltd, 1p.
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 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's Grand Hippodrome and Circus Programme, c1860 - 1869
Great Congress of the Monarchs and Sanger's Circus at Royal Agricultural Hall. Printed by Smith and Tarrant, next door to the Agricultural Hall, Liverpool Road.
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, 59p.p.
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.
Souvenir Box, c1800 - 1999
Souvenir metal box from Hall by the Sea, finished in gold paint containing a black and white photograph head and shoulders portrait of George Sanger on a transparent plastic window, General Manager Gustavus Foster on the lead, on the bottom embossed scene showing plants, a bird and a fan.
The Entracte Print, 20 February 1892
Black and white caricature depicting George Sanger talking to General Booth with legend along the bottom. Lithograph on card.
The Showmen's Year Book, 1909
Contains lists of Executive Council and Divisional Committee members with black and white photographs, an article entitled The Grand Old Man of Showland about George Sanger, the Showmen's nineteenth annual report, the chaplain's report, a list of honorary members, an article about St John's Ambulance Bridage, a list of wakes, fairs and feasts in England, Scotland and Wales and commercial advertising.
Tragic Death of George Sanger Obituary, 2 December 1911
Obituary dedicated to George Sanger in The Era, containing details about his life and career and black and white portrait of Sanger in the centre.
Various, c1800 - 1999
Various items of ephemera.