Astley Philip - Father of the modern circus Billy Buttons: the life & times ofPhilip Astley

Father of the Modern Circus BILLY BUTTONS

F ather of the Modern Circus: The Life & Times of Philip Astley pulls together the wide range of information available on the great man (while even unearthing more) and ends up contributing a worthwhile tome to celebrate Circus 250.

Yes, Astley is considered the Father of Modern Circus but this book rightly places him within his historical and artistic context, honestly pointing out his faults and highlighting the innovations he implemented. Because of this we have the sense of the man, and not solely the mythology that links us to him. Those interested in the art form will learn about the roots of what we have today and those of us that have spent years within it will discover more of what we love about it.

Happy Birthday Circus, and with this book we have yet more to celebrate.

Tim Roberts

Directeur Pdagogique de la Formation Professionnelle

cole de Cirque de Qubec

The new book by Steve Ward, Billy Buttons , is a very well researched slice of the life and times of Philip Astley, the Father of the Circus.

It is not in any way a dry historical document, but pulls you into the story and the lives of the principals. It not only deals with Astley and his larger than life story, but fills in all the important historic events of Great Britain of the time. I was swept up in the story and found it hard to put down.

Chuck Johnson

Former President of the American Youth Circus Organisation

Billy Buttons offers a well-researched, factual account of the life and times of Phillip Astley; the man referred to as the Father of the Modern Circus.

It offers a fascinating and informative insight into the origins of the modern-day circus: shaped by a visionary entrepreneur who challenged and changed the fashions and mores of late eighteenth-century English society.

A welcome addition to the genre.

Ian Scott Owens

Circus Arts Education

Its a really lively read. I like your writing style and think it is engaging for people who dont already have an affinity with the subject. This is really good as we are keen for Astleys story to be shared widely.

Kat Evans

External Projects Manager, Institute for Research and

Knowledge Exchange, Staffordshire University

a thoroughly researched piece of colourful history. An astounding well of information for any circus lover.

Olli Ricken, professional clown and circus educator, New Zealand

The Life & Times of Philip Astley

Steve Ward

First published in Great Britain in 2018 by

Pen & Sword History

an imprint of

Pen & Sword Books Ltd

47 Church Street

Barnsley, South Yorkshire

S70 2AS

Copyright Steve Ward, 2018

ISBN 978 1 52670 687 4

eISBN 978 1 52670 689 8

Mobi ISBN 978 1 52670 688 1

The right of Steve Ward to be identified as Author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the Publisher in writing.

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For Linda, my constant encouragement and support

I n compiling this book I have received help and support from many people. Although they are far too numerous to mention in full, I am grateful for the assistance they have given me, but I would specifically like to mention the following:

The staff of the National Fairground Archive in Sheffield; the staff of the Brampton Museum in Newcastle-under-Lyme; the staff of the British Library, both in London and in Boston Spa; the staff of The Leeds Library; Andrew Van Buren; Marius Kwint; Claire Batley, Senior Archivist at the Parliamentary Archives; Stuart Ivinson of the Royal Armouries Library in Leeds; Martin Wills, Lisa Traynor and Henry Yallop of the Royal Armouries in Leeds and my wife Linda, whose help and support I wouldnt be without.

Dear, dear, what a place it looked, that Astleys; with all the paint, gilding, and looking-glass; the vague smell of horses suggestive of coming wonders; the curtain that hid such gorgeous mysteries; the clean white sawdust down in the circus the clown who ventured on such familiarities with the military man in boots the lady who jumped over the nine-and-twenty ribbons and came down safe upon the horses back everything was delightful, splendid, and surprising!

The Old Curiosity Shop , Charles Dickens, 1841

F or many of us who have been to a circus as a child, the wonderment of it all stays with us for the rest of our lives, just as with Charles Dickens above. The circus is a magical place a place where the impossible becomes possible; a place of dreams and imagination and it has entertained us for 250 years. Although feats of physical activities have been with us for thousands of years, the story of the rise of the modern circus is both fascinating and colourful. And it may not have happened had it not been for a man named Philip Astley. His story is the story of the foundations of the circus as we might recognise it today: the performing horses, the ringmaster, the acrobats, the clowns, and all the other paraphernalia of the circus world. Born out of war, this fashionable entertainment rapidly rose to popularity during the latter part of the eighteenth century and beyond; Astleys became the place to see and be seen. It was a place of entertainment for all ranks; from royalty to commoner, it had no boundaries.

The name of Astley is synonymous with the circus, and it is his story that is told in this book. From humble beginnings to an international impresario, researching his life and legacy has been a fascinating journey of discovery. I hope it will be entertaining as well as informative. Those of you who are circus fans will, I hope, find something new in this book; some aspect of circus you never knew about. For those with a passing interest, I hope to share with you a world as you might never have imagined it: the triumphs and disasters, the trials and tribulations, and the downright bizarre the world of the circus.

Steve Ward

Leeds, 2018

T he circus is a very British institution. It seems to permeate our cultural psyche. Stop anyone in the street and ask them if they know what a circus is and you will get a definite answer. There are very few who have no understanding of what a circus is, irrespective of their opinions. Circus imagery is around us everywhere; from brightly coloured circus posters to advertising motifs on television, the circus is with us. It has been written about in literature; it has been a source for some of the great artists; it has been the subject of many films; it appears on postage stamps and other ephemera; it is a basis of many childrens toys and games; it features in graffiti; and provides invaluable source material for schools and libraries. It has even infiltrated our very language. How often do we hear of juggling the finances, walking a fine wire, clowning around, and putting ones head into the lions jaw? On the other hand, the word is frequently used in a pejorative way to reflect something chaotic and anarchic. But this in itself reveals just how much the circus has been ingrained in our society across the years. It seems that it has been with us forever, but the circus as we know it today is a relevantly modern creation. The associated brightly coloured big top and the razzmatazz are very much an American import, but the foundations for all this were laid in eighteenth-century Britain.