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The Circus Comes to Sparkbrook.

Picture 2, Post 40, by Phil shows a memento of WW2. On the large building there is a white on black sign painted on it which says NFS water. Presumably there would have been a large - could well have been more than one - static water tank used for fighting fires during the war. Often the water mains were damaged and these tanks often appeared on bomb sites in many towns and cities.
The delightful thins for any youngster who had a great interest in old read vehicles was the ancient lorries and buses always used by circuses and fair operators. There were also more modern haulage and generator vehicles. Great fun as many will remember.
 
I remember the circus coming to Heybarnes Rec off the Coventry Road in Hay Mills. I lived in Oldknow Road, Small Heath and remember the circus coming down our road. It would be in the mid 50`s. I recall these huge elephants walking in a line tail to trunk and the clowns running around and lots of lorries. I was told they had arrived at Tysley station, and the only way to the field was to have a parade on their way to set up in Hay Mills. Such excitement.
Another memory relating to the circus. My Dad worked at the Rover factory at Tysley. Every Christmas us children would be taken by coach ( no parents just helpers) to the Hippodrome to watch the panto. The next year we would go to the circus at Bingley Hall. and it would alternate every year. After the circus performance we were taken behind the scenes to see the animals. Lions, elephants and horses are what I remember. It was so exciting even if a bit smelly. Old Mr Warner who lived next door always went into the road to pickup any horse manure for his roses. When the circus came down the road he thought he`d won the pools !! You can imagine him with his metal bucket and shovel collecting up the elephants poo.!!! but he had amazing blooms that year.
I haven't joined in threads on a forum before so apologies if I get anything wrong. I first looked at the forum looking for information on the history of circuses in Birmingham and was surprised to find so little information, most of it about Sparkbrook which I don't know at all.

I lived in Birmingham from 1945 and remember going to the circus at Hay Mills with my parents as a young boy, so mid to late 1950s. I only remember the name as talked about by them over the years and don't know exactly where it was. From maps, the whole area now seems to be built up.

I went at least once and possibly more times. I remember the circus names of Chipperfield, Billy Smart and Bertram Mills but don't know which of these I might have seen and which have just been heard of over the years.

I do remember going to watch the circus procession. To get there we walked through the parkland beside the River Cole between Bordesley Green East and the Coventry Road. I had always understood that the circus came to Birmingham by train to New Street and then walked along the Coventry Road. Given the chaos that this would have caused, Crimble's comment about traveling to Tyseley and then walking via Oldknow Road to reduce the distance along the main road sounds much more likely and sensible. I do remember the elephants walking along, the trunk of each one holding the tail of the one in front. I also think that the palomino ponies were in the procession and the big cats and other performing animals came past in wheeled cages, though I can't be certain of this.

The use of performing animals was rightly stopped many years ago but, with attitudes that prevailed at the time, to a small boy the performances were amazing. Lions and tigers snarling at a trainer armed only with a whip looked terrifying but it was noticeable that as soon as he turned his back they meekly sat back, job done.

Palomino ponies were beautiful animals and cantered around the ring while their riders rode them, stood on their backs, jumped down and leaped back on sometimes with a somersault, crawled under the animals stomach and back up the other side or rode with one foot on each of two horses running side by side.

Sea lions were very clever at balancing balls on their noses and tossing them to and fro with the trainer.

In addition to the animals were what you will still see in a circus, high wire and trapeze acts, all amazing and terrifying in their own way, though they did have safety nets, and there were knife throwers, amazingly flexible acrobats and the clowns.
 
I haven't joined in threads on a forum before so apologies if I get anything wrong. I first looked at the forum looking for information on the history of circuses in Birmingham and was surprised to find so little information, most of it about Sparkbrook which I don't know at all.

I lived in Birmingham from 1945 and remember going to the circus at Hay Mills with my parents as a young boy, so mid to late 1950s. I only remember the name as talked about by them over the years and don't know exactly where it was. From maps, the whole area now seems to be built up.

I went at least once and possibly more times. I remember the circus names of Chipperfield, Billy Smart and Bertram Mills but don't know which of these I might have seen and which have just been heard of over the years.

I do remember going to watch the circus procession. To get there we walked through the parkland beside the River Cole between Bordesley Green East and the Coventry Road. I had always understood that the circus came to Birmingham by train to New Street and then walked along the Coventry Road. Given the chaos that this would have caused, Crimble's comment about traveling to Tyseley and then walking via Oldknow Road to reduce the distance along the main road sounds much more likely and sensible. I do remember the elephants walking along, the trunk of each one holding the tail of the one in front. I also think that the palomino ponies were in the procession and the big cats and other performing animals came past in wheeled cages, though I can't be certain of this.

The use of performing animals was rightly stopped many years ago but, with attitudes that prevailed at the time, to a small boy the performances were amazing. Lions and tigers snarling at a trainer armed only with a whip looked terrifying but it was noticeable that as soon as he turned his back they meekly sat back, job done.

Palomino ponies were beautiful animals and cantered around the ring while their riders rode them, stood on their backs, jumped down and leaped back on sometimes with a somersault, crawled under the animals stomach and back up the other side or rode with one foot on each of two horses running side by side.

Sea lions were very clever at balancing balls on their noses and tossing them to and fro with the trainer.

In addition to the animals were what you will still see in a circus, high wire and trapeze acts, all amazing and terrifying in their own way, though they did have safety nets, and there were knife throwers, amazingly flexible acrobats and the clowns.
Hello,

if you go to the thread on this site titled Fish and chip shops, and tag 356 , it show a picture I posted some time ago showing the elephants from Billy Smarts circus on route to Heybarnes Rec off the Coventry Road
 
My Gt. Grandfather Edmund Henry II Leroux(1857-1914) lived in Lower Hurst Street & Plume Street, he was a trapeze artist with The Lafayettes, my Grandfather told us that his dad had fallen from the trapeze and broken virtually every bone in his body, I imagine he found a new profession after that.
 

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Hi again Norfolk Brummie.
This is just a follow on from my previous post, I thought I would drop you a little note so to speak
Regarding my question where about the circus was ,
So it was not on Bob Wilson's fair grounds ,but it was what was Heybarns, recreation grounds
As I have just found the book with two pictures in it
And the Name of the circus was Bertram Mill,s circus in 1951.
The open aspect of the River Cole from the Coventry road North to Yardley
Has fortunately been preserved, the former meadows now grassland and tree plantation
Also Circuses with Animals are unacceptable today, but they used to be very popular
And were well attended
A parade of Elephants down the Coventry road to the river was good publicity.
Best wishes again, Alan,,, Astonian,,,,
In the 50s 2 circuses used the Heybarnes recreation ground Bertram Mills and Chipperfields. The fair ground was on the other side of the river Cole.
 
In the 50s 2 circuses used the Heybarnes recreation ground Bertram Mills and Chipperfields. The fair ground was on the other side of the river Cole.
The fair was Bob Wilson’s ,they own the land off Shipway Road just off Coventry Rd
 
The fair was Bob Wilson’s ,they own the land off Shipway Road just off Coventry Rd
Hi I spent many a happy time in the fair ground in the early 50s. We would go there open or shut to help or to hinder but loved the whole thing. I haven't been to a fair since but can still remember the excitement.
 
Hi I spent many a happy time in the fair ground in the early 50s. We would go there open or shut to help or to hinder but loved the whole thing. I haven't been to a fair since but can still remember the excitement.
Me to , use to love the waltzers, had to be careful though as your money would come out your pocket.
 
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