Peter Bendall

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Working as a Clown ! Weights Family Circus, Ivinghoe, 1993. Web
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My story starts in Epsom, Surrey, in August 1936!
In the years up to 1945, I remember often visiting the Circus at Burnt Stub in Surrey, England, (also known as Chessington Zoo Circus) with its permanent canvas tent covering concrete gallery seating, the whole surrounded by white painted brick walls.
I also have recollections of sitting in a circus living wagon with my father and drinking tea with the family. But on which circus?

"That was our spangled circus world, the world for young and old,
"The world that, once it captures you, will never lose its hold,
"And, as long as heavens tent its million stars displays,
"Be sure our spangled circus world will never pass away!"

(believed to be traditional)

My further Circus Education.

It was about 1947 when I met up with traditional British circus again. A small two pole tent with real naptha flares for lighting! My great pride was to be being trusted to take a fat envelope, apparently full of banknotes, from the tober at Denmark-Green (Diss, Norfolk) up to the post office and send it by registered post to the show's advance agent

Project Week!.

By the time that I was fifteen years old, my Mother insisted that I got myself a trade! During an apprenticeship, military service (and for a while when working for a living) I developed the two characters that I would use later in Circus. Mr Twizzle, the paper tearing clown in his black tights and oversized yellow jacket, and Professor Sinclair, with the white lab coat and black bow tie, demonstrating Extra Sensory Perception with the help of various partners.

Sometime later, after deciding that running, horse drawn, passenger carrying narrow-boats on the British canals was not quite the career that I wanted, I found a permanent mooring in Cambridge.

The Canal Life. (The Hostelboat Years)

From there, I was invited to join the "big show" of the "Anglo-American" Circus who had just completed work on Disney's Three Lives of Thomasina at Pinewood Studios and were proposing to expand into a modern four-mast show.

Thomasina

Believed to be Brian Austen (and PB) at the circus farm.

Spuds Kirk and Count Lazard, "overlooked" by Brian Austen.

Cody Wild, aka Count Lazard. 1963.

Anglo-American Circus, 1960 style

A Farewell to the Anglo American Circus

William Lazard

After only three seasons, Anglo American split into two "units." Count Lazard and Brian Austen set up Astley's Circus a trucking circus in South Africa. William Lazard managed the second unit based from Aldermaston from which I was lured away by a partnership in the short lived Andorran State Circus

In Later Years....

From the A S C, developed the Sinclair Brothers Gala Circus.
Gala Circus - weekends and holidays only - gave me time to work with C.J. & M.F. Weight's Circus
I appeared with Raymer's and with the late Tony Luke Holiday Circus; Appearances in several small shows and in english style Christmas Pantomime and Music Hall; Not forgetting my own gala circus activities, all continued until 1975 when I hung up my stilts for the last time ....

The Inside of Weights!

Fire Eating!

Since exiling myself to Germany in 1975, I have maintained connections with some British shows (notably Raymer's) but have developed contacts with several German circus families whom I visit from time to time.

I still teach stiltwalking and other circus arts when other activities permit. I also practise Fire-eating from time to time "so as not to forget", both as guest in family circus and "on the street" at suitable functions.

Mr Twizzles last run in?