Guide to the Records of Ashton's Circus

Collection Summary

Creator

Ashton's Circus

Title

Records of Ashton's Circus

Date Range

ca. 1900-ca. 2006

Collection Number

MS 9477, MS Acc06.115

Extent

5.43 metres (4 boxes, 8 folio boxes, 1 folio packet, 1 file)

Language of Materials

English

Repository

National Library of Australia

Introduction

Scope and Contents

The collection is chiefly comprised of paper clippings relating to Ashton's and other circuses, the bulk of which have been pasted into scrapbooks. Obtained from a range of Australian regional and daily newspapers, as well as overseas papers and journals, the cuttings have been grouped in some of the albums according to chronological period or by subject. Other scrapbooks contain memorabilia such as sample tickets, publicity materials, flyers and programs, and a few examples of correspondence.

As a group, the clippings formed the basis of Judy Cannon's historical study of the circus Take a drum and beat it : the story of the astonishing Ashtons, 1848-1990s. A number of the scrapbooks retain book marks and short notes made by Cannon in the course of her research. Other items such as an Ashton family tree and photocopied records and articles also add to the historical interest of the collection.

As well as documenting the activities of Ashton's Circus, other performing troupes are represented in the records, and there are sequences of cuttings relating to the Australian tours of the Great Moscow Circus (1971), the German National Circus (1972) and Los Muchachos Spanish boys circus (1975). A number of scrapbooks concern the joint Ashton's Circus and Degrey-Williams-Kendall production 'The Clown Who Lost His Circus', which toured rural New South Wales and interstate centres in 1975. This unusual circus pantomine, which combined performing acts with a play, featured Sydney actors Colin Croft, Anna Russell, Keith Little, Anita Roberts, Peter Williams and Ron May. In addition, further groupings of cuttings record aspects of the careers of the entertainers Tommy Hanlon, Paul Hogan and Will 'Sugarfoot' Hutchins.

The clippings also provide interesting insights into animal welfare issues and the pro- and anti-circus movements, such as the Save the Circus Association. On matters relating to these topics there are cuttings albums about the Bacchus Marsh Lion Safari, other lion parks and zoos, and the treatment of circus animals, within the collection.

Conditions Governing Access

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn617430).

Conditions Governing Use

Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.

Preferred Citation

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Records of Ashton's Circus, National Library of Australia, [class number, box number and series and/or file number]'.

Provenance

The papers were forwarded to the National Library on behalf of Ashton's Circus by Judy Cannon, and were received in two instalments in 1998.

Related Materials

In addition to the papers contained in MS 9477, four albums of photographs of Ashton's Circus performers, taken by Gypsy Pennefeather in 1995-96, are housed in the Pictorial Collection at PIC P1473/1-312/R LOC albums. Two interviews recorded with Douglas, Phyllis and Jan Ashton in 1976 and 1993 form part of the Oral History Collection at ORAL TRC 560/7 and ORAL TRC 2590/DAT-57.

Arrangement

The records have been placed in manuscript and folio boxes in three sequences according to size. A chronological arrangement has been imposed by Library staff within each sequence.

Finding Aid Source(s)

Please note: This finding aid may comprise or contain descriptive information provided by donors, researchers and/or volunteers.

Collection Retrieval Advice

Please note: each consignment in this collection has a separate box number sequence (i.e. there may be multiple Box 1s). Please cite the relevant Class number as well as the Box number when requesting retrieval of material from the collection.