Circus comes to town? Mid 60's?

[Guest Reddles]

Hi,

I know everyone will think I an positively ga-ga........but have been out today checking some of the areas that my family lived and site contributors have pointed out still exist! This set off some odd memories!! I distinctly remember going with my Grandad to Midland Station to watch the circus arrive off the train. I seem to think they were walking the animals down to Victoria Station but I could be wrong, I was definitely very little so mid to late sixties. there were camels, horses and I think a giraffe but I could be over egging the pudding at that!

Please can anyone confirm that senile dementia has not arrived just yet???

Many Thanks in anticipation

Reddles x

[Guest Jakers]

Hi,

I know everyone will think I an positively ga-ga........but have been out today checking some of the areas that my family lived and site contributors have pointed out still exist! This set off some odd memories!! I distinctly remember going with my Grandad to Midland Station to watch the circus arrive off the train. I seem to think they were walking the animals down to Victoria Station but I could be wrong, I was definitely very little so mid to late sixties. there were camels, horses and I think a giraffe but I could be over egging the pudding at that!

Please can anyone confirm that senile dementia has not arrived just yet???

Many Thanks in anticipation

Reddles x

We must be suffering from the same dementia because I can remember it too. I seem to remember they came from the far end of Midland Station somewhere on Suffolk Road, they opened some huge gates, I think. I was very young so I think it was early 60s. I seem to remember Mr Pastry heading the line, or am I imagining that? I seem to remember being more excited being told I was going to see Mr Pastry but to see the elephants it was beyond expectation. It was so colourful and exciting, I never forgot it. I am glad someone else remembers it because when I ask others they think I have imagined it all.

[SteveHB]

I to have a vague memory of seeing the animals as I lived near the Midland Station at that time,

the gates that Jakers mensions were and still are on the corner of Suffolk Rd and Shrewsbury Rd

here Flash Earth

The Circus used to pitch up on the spare ground at the top of Fitzwilliam Street in the early 60's,

but I can't seem remember any other sites near the Town center.

[Stuart0742]

I to have a vague memory of seeing the animals as I lived near the Midland Station at that time,

the gates that Jakers mensions were and still are on the corner of Suffolk Rd and Shrewsbury Rd

here Flash Earth

The Circus used to pitch up on the spare ground at the top of Fitzwilliam Street in the early 60's,

but I can't seem remember any other sites near the Town center.

Like Steve I have vague memories of this, one other site for the circus, could have been the old Bridgehouse Railway Yard, but this is quite a distance from Suffolk Rd.

I remember the site at the top of Fitzwilliam st, I was taken to a cinema show with a 180 degree screen there in the 60's. That was in a circus type tent

[Guest Reddles]

Yeeeh I knew I was still hanging on to sanity!

Yes Jakers I do see the gates now in my memories. My Grandad and Grandma lived at Vincent Road Sharrow so we must have had a fair walk to see it , I don't recall ever part taking of public transport when on a jaunt with him, I think he was a big believer in Shanks pony (Good grief, now all the sayings are coming back....I'll go to the foot of our stairs!!)

It must have been quite an occasion because I seem to think we were lining the street to see a proper procession go by!

I don't remember Mr Pastry was he a relative of the Pilsbury Dough man ???????

[Guest tsavo]

See this site for the full SP on Mr Pastry.

http://www.whirligig-tv.co.uk/tv/children/other/mrpastry.htm

[Guest Reddles]

Thanks for the link its really interesting as the character holds no memories for me at all - I obviously wasn't in the right place at the right time!

[Guest george m]

The circus was for years on the what is now devonshire area near west street,and thinking back i can remember that they used to be Billy Smarts circus,Chippenfields Circus,Robert Bro Circus, who had animals and you could go round and look at the animals before and after the shows.

The 50s and early 60s,And i used to go to springfield school on broomspring lane and when the circus came the circus kids used to attend the school.

[Guest Jakers]

It was great to see Mr Pastry again.

[Guest peter spooner]

I recall co co the clown coming in for a quick drink at my uncles pub on west street <the hallamshire> when on a walk about to promote the circus. the site was on devonshire green,All so my friend tells a tale of a car test in that area in the 60;s when asked by the examiner to take the next left going up west street by the roal hospital,he did not but took the second left, when asked why he did not take the first left,Earnest stated ,well there was an elephant coming up that road and I didnot think it safe !!! spot on said the tester and passed him!

[Guest Nimrod]

I remember Roberts Bros and Chipperfields Circuses in the '50s. I also remember taking the kids to Hillsborough Park in the '70s to a circus. Nearly 3 hours on the hardest wooden benches I have ever encountered. To me Circus=numb bum.

[ukelele lady]

When I was young I remember circus's being in the Granville Road area, exactly where I don't know.

[SteveHB]

When I was young I remember circus's being in the Granville Road area, exactly where I don't know.

I can remember Funfair's in the Granville Road area,

but can't ever remember a circus being pitched in the area?

I'm going back forty five years or so.

[DaveH]

I can remember Funfair's in the Granville Road area,

but can't ever remember a circus being pitched in the area?

I'm going back forty five years or so.

Taken as recently as 1979 here is the Circus Big Top in Norfolk Park, at the bottom end accesible from the Granville Road entrance

Sometime around this time the City Council banned animal acts, so this circus had no animals, - just clowns, magicians and acrobats.

Later there seemed to be a total ban on circuses in the City and the nearest ones were just outside the City boundary like the one still held every October at Bowshaw Roundabout on the A61 on the way to Dronfield.

[SteveHB]

Taken as recently as 1979 here is the Circus Big Top in Norfolk Park, at the bottom end accesible from the Granville Road entrance

Still can't remember it Dave,

Thanks for the photo.

[vox]

I can remember Funfair's in the Granville Road area,

but can't ever remember a circus being pitched in the area?

I'm going back forty five years or so.

My dad worked for The Telegraph and Star and would always be at the "Star Gala" which was held at Farm Grounds, Bottom of Granville Rd on the right going up. Opposite Granville College.

It was a massive do with acrobats, jugglers, knife, throwers and all that stuff, but I don't think there was ever a circus as such. More a gigantic fair with side-shows.

I think enough time has passed now to be able to say (Quietly) that all our family used to get in free.

The Star had a/some mobile offices which were called "Bush Vans" after the small "Bush" printing press inside it. This was taken round all these types of events like the Gala, Bakewell show etc. It was equipped with a telephone to keep in touch with head office who would send more papers when required. Also any breaking news was relayed, and The "Bush Machine" was used to print the Racing results and Stop Press (which was constantly updated) into a column on the front page which was left blank for that purpose. (I've never noticed if they still do that or not) When I was a bit older, late 1950's early 1960's I used to run the papers through the machine and then dash round all the paper sellers on the site with updated supplies.

Mom's got a photo of the said vehicle somewhere.

[DaveH]

My dad worked for The Telegraph and Star and would always be at the "Star Gala" which was held at Farm Grounds, Bottom of Granville Rd on the right going up. Opposite Granville College.

Isn't that the site of All Saints R.C. school?

[RichardB]

Here's Sangers from the '80's, 1880's that is.

PictureSheffield link : http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/pi...ff.refno=s18847

Sanger's Circus Procession, Upper Hanover Street

http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/pi...ff.refno=s18847

[ukelele lady]

Taken as recently as 1979 here is the Circus Big Top in Norfolk Park, at the bottom end accesible from the Granville Road entrance

Sometime around this time the City Council banned animal acts, so this circus had no animals, - just clowns, magicians and acrobats.

Later there seemed to be a total ban on circuses in the City and the nearest ones were just outside the City boundary like the one still held every October at Bowshaw Roundabout on the A61 on the way to Dronfield.

That must be the one I'm thinking of. OK maybe I wasn't that young in 1979 but passed 21. :rolleyes:

[vox]

Isn't that the site of All Saints R.C. school?

Well it's definitely some sort of educational building. Exactly what I don't know.

I thought it was part of Granville College because there's a bridge over Granville Road which joins the two buildings.

Just looked it up.

Yes it's The RC School.

[DaveH]

Well it's definitely some sort of educational building. Exactly what I don't know.

I thought it was part of Granville College because there's a bridge over Granville Road which joins the two buildings.

Just looked it up.

Yes it's The RC School.

Thought it was, the Sheffield College now occupies a site just below it and the school is higher up the hill, however it does have a large field (big enough for a circus in fact) and a large "yard" (hard surfaced area) which used to be used on Saturday mornings for cycling profifiency tests and initial motorcycle training for new riders, - riding around a set of cones and that sort of thing, without the added hazard for a learner rider of actually being on the road amongst traffic.

[vox]

Thought it was, the Sheffield College now occupies a site just below it and the school is higher up the hill, however it does have a large field (big enough for a circus in fact) and a large "yard" (hard surfaced area) which used to be used on Saturday mornings for cycling profifiency tests and initial motorcycle training for new riders, - riding around a set of cones and that sort of thing, without the added hazard for a learner rider of actually being on the road amongst traffic.

I was an RAC ACU instructor at that site, 1970's?? well a long time ago anyway.

They had a load of old BSA Bantams for people to use whilst training.

[DaveH]

I was an RAC ACU instructor at that site, 1970's?? well a long time ago anyway.

They had a load of old BSA Bantams for people to use whilst training.

Never had that privelege vox.

Certainly being offered an old BSA Bantam, either 125 or 175cc to use to learn on was not an option.

As I bought my first bike privately no training was offered and when I bought my first one from a dealer, still a learner rider, no training was offered as I had been riding previously and so was not new to it.

However when my younger brother bought his first bike from Richardsons on Mansfield Road in 1979 he was offered training at Granville Road straight away and his new bike, a Honda CD 200B, was delivered by Richardsons to the Granville Road training site one Saturday morning for him to have a few hours tuition before venturing out onto the road. Can't remember who provided the training but I don't think it was the RAC, got a feeling it was run by South Yorkshire Police.

[vox]

Never had that privelege vox.

Certainly being offered an old BSA Bantam, either 125 or 175cc to use to learn on was not an option.

As I bought my first bike privately no training was offered and when I bought my first one from a dealer, still a learner rider, no training was offered as I had been riding previously and so was not new to it.

However when my younger brother bought his first bike from Richardsons on Mansfield Road in 1979 he was offered training at Granville Road straight away and his new bike, a Honda CD 200B, was delivered by Richardsons to the Granville Road training site one Saturday morning for him to have a few hours tuition before venturing out onto the road. Can't remember who provided the training but I don't think it was the RAC, got a feeling it was run by South Yorkshire Police.

My first 2 wheels was a 2nd hand Vespa in about '65. £15.00 (Nearly 3 weeks apprentice wages. I remember it well.)

Your brother's "brand spanker" must have been a sight to see in the 70's

I had my first "lesson" riding up and down a nearby garage site a few times then out on the road.

According to this:

http://www.lpmcc.net/training/training_mins8204.htm

The RAC/ACU voluntary scheme finished in 1982. I don't know what happened after that. I was only a volunteer instructor for about a year in mid 70's

[mammybear]

i can remember seeing the elephants unloaded at the bottom of granville road, then being paraded up through the wicker, the circus was just through the wicker arches on what was spare land at that time.