# Circus Life and Circus Celebrities

An audiobook by Thomas Frost, read by LibriVox volunteers (7 h, English).

Discover the exciting, shocking, and sometimes strange world of the 19th century big top! In Circus Life and Circus Celebrities, you'll read real-life stories of circus performers, animal acts, scandals, accidents and more. Note: This book uses racial terms and descriptions reflective of colonial attitudes from the 19th century. These views are outdated and offensive by today’s standards. Additionally, it features descriptions of animal performances that may involve practices considered cruel or inhumane today. - Summary by Carrie Streb

[Listen](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/books/librivox/21673)
[Read the book](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/books/gutenberg/54775/read)

## Chapters

0. PREFACE (4:34): https://archive.org/download/circuslife_2509_librivox/circuslife_00_frost_64kb.mp3
1. Beginnings of the Circus in England—Tumblers and Performing Horses of the Middle Ages—Jacob Hall, the Rope-dancer—Francis Forcer and Sadler’s Wells—Vauxhall Gardens—Price’s Equestrian Performances at… (37:40): https://archive.org/download/circuslife_2509_librivox/circuslife_01_frost_64kb.mp3
2. Fortunes of the Royal Circus—Destruction of Astley’s Amphitheatre by Fire—Its Reconstruction—Second Conflagration—Astley in Paris—Burning of the Royal Circus—Erection of the Olympic Pavilion—Hengler… (28:50): https://archive.org/download/circuslife_2509_librivox/circuslife_02_frost_64kb.mp3
3. Ducrow at Covent Garden—Engagement at Astley’s—Double Acts in the circle—Ducrow at Manchester—Rapid Act on Six Horses—‘Raphael’s Dream’—Miss Woolford—Cross’s performing Elephant—O’Donnel’s Antipodean… (19:40): https://archive.org/download/circuslife_2509_librivox/circuslife_03_frost_64kb.mp3
4. A few words about Menageries—George Wombwell—The Lion Baitings at Warwick—Atkins’s Lion and Tigress at Astley’s—A Bull-fight and a Zebra Hunt—Ducrow at the Pavilion—The Stud at Drury Lane—Letter from… (16:08): https://archive.org/download/circuslife_2509_librivox/circuslife_04_frost_64kb.mp3
5. Lions and Lion-tamers—Manchester Jack—Van Amburgh—Carter’s Feats—What is a Tiger?—Lion-driving and Tiger-fighting—Van Amburgh and the Duke of Wellington—Vaulting Competition between Price and… (16:22): https://archive.org/download/circuslife_2509_librivox/circuslife_05_frost_64kb.mp3
6. Conversion of the Lambeth Baths into a Circus—Garlick and the Wild Beasts—Batty’s Company at the Surrey—White Conduit Gardens—Re-opening of Astley’s—Batty’s Circus on its Travels—Batty and the Sussex… (34:01): https://archive.org/download/circuslife_2509_librivox/circuslife_06_frost_64kb.mp3
7. Hengler’s Circus—John and George Sanger—Managerial Anachronisms and Incongruities—James Hernandez—Eaton and Stone—Horses at Drury Lane—James New-some—Howes and Cushing’s Circus—George Sanger and the… (18:01): https://archive.org/download/circuslife_2509_librivox/circuslife_07_frost_64kb.mp3
8. Pablo Fanque—James Cooke—Pablo Fanque and the Celestials—Ludicrous affair in the Glasgow Police-court—Batty’s Transactions with Pablo Fanque—The Liverpool Amphitheatre—John Clarke—William… (27:03): https://archive.org/download/circuslife_2509_librivox/circuslife_08_frost_64kb.mp3
9. Cremorne Gardens—The Female Blondie—Fatal Accident at Aston Park—Reproduction of the Eglinton Tournament—Newsome and Wallett—Pablo Fanque’s Circus—Equestrianism at Drury Lane—Spence Stokes—Talliott’s… (19:47): https://archive.org/download/circuslife_2509_librivox/circuslife_09_frost_64kb.mp3
10. Opening of the Holborn Amphitheatre—Friend’s Season at Astley’s—Adah Isaacs Menken—Sanger’s Company at the Agricultural Hall—The Carré Troupe at the Holborn Amphitheatre—Wandering Stars of the… (29:41): https://archive.org/download/circuslife_2509_librivox/circuslife_10_frost_64kb.mp3
11. Reminiscences of the Henglers—The Rope-dancing Henglers at Astley’s—Circus of Price and Powell—Its Acquisition by the Henglers—Clerical Presentation to Frowde, the Clown—Circus Difficulties at… (29:52): https://archive.org/download/circuslife_2509_librivox/circuslife_11_frost_64kb.mp3
12. The Brothers Sanger—First Appearance in London—Vicissitudes of Astley’s—Batty and Cooke—Purchase of the Theatre by the Brothers Sanger—Their Travelling Circus—The Tenting System—Barnum and the Sangers (13:47): https://archive.org/download/circuslife_2509_librivox/circuslife_12_frost_64kb.mp3
13. American Circuses—American Performers in England, and English Performers in the United States—The Cookes in America—Barnum’s Great Show—Yankee Parades—Van Amburgh’s Circus and Menagerie—Robinson’s… (40:51): https://archive.org/download/circuslife_2509_librivox/circuslife_13_frost_64kb.mp3
14. Reminiscences of a Gymnast—Training and Practising—A Professional Rendezvous—Circus Agencies—The First Engagement—Springthorp’s Music-hall—Newsome’s Circus—Reception in the Dressing-room—The Company… (19:00): https://archive.org/download/circuslife_2509_librivox/circuslife_14_frost_64kb.mp3
15. Continuation of the Gymnast’s Reminiscences—A Circus on the move—Three Months at Carlisle—Performance for the Benefit of local Charities—Removal to Middlesborough—A Stockton Man’s Adventure—Journey… (17:06): https://archive.org/download/circuslife_2509_librivox/circuslife_15_frost_64kb.mp3
16. Continuation of the Gymnast’s Reminiscences—Circus Men in Difficulties—Heavy Security for a Small Debt—The Sheriff’s Officer and the Elephant—Taking Refuge with the Lions—Another Provincial Tour—With… (14:02): https://archive.org/download/circuslife_2509_librivox/circuslife_16_frost_64kb.mp3
17. Lions and Lion-tamers—Lorenzo and the Lions—Andros and the Lion—The Successor of Macomo—Accident in Bell and Myers’s Circus—Lion Hunting—Death of McCarthy—True Causes of Accidents with Lions and… (16:16): https://archive.org/download/circuslife_2509_librivox/circuslife_17_frost_64kb.mp3
18. Circus Slang—Its Peculiarities and Derivation—Certain Phrases used by others of the Amusing Classes—Technicalities of the Circus—The Riders and Clowns of Dickens—Sleary’s Circus—Circus Men and Women… (16:52): https://archive.org/download/circuslife_2509_librivox/circuslife_18_frost_64kb.mp3