Nostalgia...circus days.

I loved the tent itself! It absolutely fascinated me as a child how all that cloth was held together with rope and wooden poles and stakes-

The smell of cotton candy- The sequined costumes of the performers shimmering in the dim light- And I loved the trapeze artists and balancing acts- Some of the clowns kinda freaked me out ... But I always enjoyed the Sideshow ..

It must have left an impression on me, the idea of traveling from one place to the next, because I went on to work with a traveling midway in my late teens, early 20s ..

Well, we are just back from the 'Cirque Berserk', and very good it was, too!

We've had a lovely time (not one animal was seen) so thank you for the thread.

callgirl
"Reginald Dixon and his Mighty Organ" my Dad used to quip if anyone mentioned Blackpool. I was quite grown up before I realised why that was funny.

Mum thought circus and Blackpool far too common and strongly disapprove of the animals being 'made a fool of'.

It was Scarborough for us but never the 'common' end
We once met Charlie Carioli, he talked with my mother - and gave me half a crown.

I did eventually get to Blackpool on a works trip (do they still have those?} in my teens.

The men went straight to the pub, the girls walked arm in arm down the Golden Mile, wearing 'Kiss Me Quick' hats and we stopped to watch rock being made and bought some to take home.

Goodness knows why I wasted my money on that, it sat in the cupboard for years before it was thrown away!

When it got dark, we went back to the coach and it jooined the long, slow procession down the GM so we could see the Illuminations.

On the way home all the men were drunk and the coach kept having to stop so one or t'other of them could puke or piddle.

We pulled in at Harry Ramsden's for fish and chips and when we got home my Mum sniffed my coat and said, 'Have you been smoking?'

I was probably the only one on the bus who hadn't.

belong firmly in the pasta
Absolutely right MawB

I do, vaguely. He was a friend of my father and we used to regularly visit Blackpool, in summer much more than winter. The sea air is very bracing.
I have taken my children (when young) on long walks along the prom, once walking with 4 of them, one in a pram, from Thornton Cleveleys where we were staying, to the South Pier...and back.

Anyone remember Reginald Dixon on the Blackpool Tower organ? Brilliant!

Oh yes!
We had afternoon tea at the tower ballroom and watched the dancing.

The organist came out of the floor!

Oopsminty
Yes indeed, I did, many times as a child and young adult.
I also loved the fun house with the moving stairs and wobbly walkway, in fact, I think I'm overdue a weekend visit to an amusement park.
Blackpool illuminations will be just the time to go and I'll look online tonight and try to make it the week that Strictly does the Tower Ballroom episode.

Ooh yes, callgirl1! I'd forgotten about it filling with water!

As a child I was taken to the circus every year - usually Bertram Mills or Chipperfields that visited our city. I too remember the famous clowns Charlie Caroli and Paul. There was always a circus parade of animals through the town and the streets were crowded with people who went to see it. I have seen very few modern circuses but we did go to see the Moscow State Circus in one of our city when GS was younger and we all thought it was absolutely wonderful - the best we had ever seen. Very professional, exciting and enjoyable. And no animals.

I don't like circuses. I used to like the animals until I realised that they were often mistreated.

I've never liked trapeze artists, tumblers, clowns etc that you get in animal-less circuses. I find them really unintersting most of the time, although I do sometimes marvel at their skill.

I wish it was possible to guarantee the welfare of animals because I can't see that bareback riders and the like should need to be cruel to train the horses. Wild animals, of course, shouldn't be in circuses.

Does anyone else remember Coco the Clown visiting their school to teach about road safety?

I loved Blackpool Tower Circus as a child, especially at the end when the ring filled with water, and we were treated to a sort of water ballet. I was never a lover of traditional clowns, but loved Charlie Cairoli and his stooge.
Another Blackpool memory, Fairyland, on the corner of Chapel Street which is no more, as a child, I loved it!

Did you go on the Speedway at Southport Pleasureland, Gabriella? Fabulous memories!

player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-bertram-mills-circus-olympia-1935-online

Carillion

I don’t like circus don’t like clowns and hated seeing the animals I dont remember going as a child I may have done but I don’t remember a generation later I took my own children once I think there were horses and dogs again another generation on and I took my grandkids to a couple that were trapezes and acrobats which I thought was pretty good one was in a permanent building one a travelling one put up in a day
When I was in Russia I was taken to Moscow state circus which still had animals and I hated it there was a poor baby elephant in the entrance it’s face haunted me it looked so sad

No dont like them at all but I would like to see Cirque de soleil

Its another one, Dragonfly, but I can't remember the name.
Its similar though, I'm sure.

If it is Cirque de Soleil MissAdventure that is wonderful.

I've booked seats for the Cirque de whatsit for next Saturday

I've seen a man ride a motorbike across a chasm on a wire with a man balancing on his shoulders. Scary. ?

Oh yeah....??, the Wall of Death was famous in seaside resorts. Bikes go round and round then, when they're up to speed, the floor falls away and the riders are left riding around vertical walls about 10-12 feet above the dropped floor. They often did tricks such as standing on the seat and leaning over to steer...exhilarating.

Guy Martin did a tv programme about his learning to ride the Wall of Death.

We went with my DGC to a circus in May. It was horrendous. No animals of course but trapeze and high wire acts the worst thing was the motorbikes in the cage - very noisy, smelly and incredibly dangerous. I spent my time wondering how I could protect the children in the event of an accident.

As I left Tesco after collecting my keys, I crossed the road to the circus on the green. Music, not too loud, was in the air and the stripey big top and circle of red lorries and cream caravans, emptied of equipment and people for a moment in time, took me right back to Blackpool and not just the circus. The thump of music and someone's voice over the tannoy, spoke of the Spanish City and the waltzer, sumner sun and lads whizzing you round until you couldn't walk straight. It spoke of blustery days on the Big Dipper in Blackpool and the river caves, Noah's Ark, hall of mirrors and bobby horses in Southport fairground all wrapped into one. Sizzling hot-dogs loaded with fried onions and ketchup...those were the days my friend, we thought they'd never end...??????

No thanks! Never liked circuses even as a child - felt sorry for the animals even though I obviously had no real understanding of the cruelty they endured in order to entertain us, but it was clear even to a 5 year old that it wasn't a natural life for them.

Not keen on zoos either, although they are all trying to take the conservation route these days, but to see animals pacing up and down and obviously distressed .... I don't like it and never have.

We took DGD to one a few years ago. A poor girl fell from the trapeze and hit the ground with a thud. Awful.

A magical thread.

Annie reminded me of the name...Bertrand Mills! Joy!

We used to go on holiday always to North Wales but once went to Mablethorpe and went to the BM circus at Skegness starring Charlie Caroli, can still recall the technicolor effect.

This was a big treat for me and my late sister because we shared the same birthday in May, if that makes sense. I was born in the mid fifties and she was born five years later to the day...a big joke for our parents but I think it wore a little thin for them eventually!