23 Extraordinary Photos of Circus Performers in Strabane, 1910-11

 

Northern Ireland Circus Photo

Duffy’s Circus, the Wilson and Duffy combined circus. Picture of all the members Creator: H.F. Cooper Strabane c.1911

The three main circus shows photographed by Herbert Cooper were Duffy’s Circus, Buff Bill’s American Circus and Hanneford’s Canadian Circus. A few circuses toured Ireland in the years before 1914 and it was the heyday for these travelling shows. Big Tops were then lit by flares and it wasn’t until well into the 1920s that electric lighting became common, so most of the pictures were taken outdoors and during the daylight hours.The photographs of Duffy’s Circus were, almost certainly, all taken during the visit to Strabane, County Tyrone in 1911. Duffy’s Circus was begun in the 1890s by John Duffy who died in 1909. When Duffy’s Circus came to Strabane in 1911, it was already being run by John’s widow, Annie. One of John Duffy’s sons, James, married Lena Kayes, daughter of William Kayes who ran the famous Buff Bill’s American Circus in Ireland before and after the First World War, Kayes himself being ‘Buff Bill’. Ned Hanneford’s Canadian Circus toured Ireland up to 1916. It was renowned for its menagerie, including lions and ‘bears that talk’. It also featured a splendid street parade headed by an ornate, gilded bandwagon drawn by 8 sleek horses. Cooper’s photos of Hanneford’s Circus must have been taken before 1914, a period which seems to have been the heyday of circus visits to Strabane.

Herbert Cooper was born in Hammersmith, London, in 1874 and arrived in Strabane, County Tyrone in Ireland just before the outbreak of the First World War. He took over the photographic studio in Railway Street which had been run by J. Burroughs from about 1901 until 1913.

Northern Ireland Circus photo

Duffy’s Circus, two women and three children H.F. Cooper Strabane c.1911

 

Hanneford's Canadian Circus, four girl circus performers c1910

Hanneford’s Canadian Circus, four girl circus performers c1910

 

anneford's Canadian Circus, two children called Lola and May  Creator: H.F. Cooper Photographer, Strabane   Date: c.1910

anneford’s Canadian Circus, two children called Lola and May Creator: H.F. Cooper Photographer, Strabane Date: c.1910

 

Northern Ireland Circus photo

Duffy’s Circus, four girls outside a tent Creator: H.F. Cooper Strabane c.1911

 

Northern Ireland circus photo

Scott’s Circus – A Clown H.F. Cooper Strabane

 

Northern Ireland Circus photo

Duffy’s Circus, four male entertainers Creator: H.F. Cooper Strabane c.1911

 

Northern Ireland Circus photo

Duffy’s Circus, ‘Funny George’, the Clown by H.F. Cooper Strabane c.1911

 

Northern Ireland Circus photo

Duffy’s Circus, three men and two dogs H.F. Cooper Strabane.1911

 

Northern Ireland Circus photo

Duffy’s Circus, a group of circus entertainers H.F. Cooper Strabane c.1911

 

Northern Ireland Circus Photo

Duffy’s Circus, man standing in front of a wagon labelled, ‘Duffy’s Circus’ Creator: H.F. Cooper Strabane c.1911

 

Northern Ireland Circus Photo

A circus performer in front of a wagon Creator: H.F. Cooper Strabane c.1910

 

Northern Ireland Circus Photo

A crowd of people round a clown and a donkey Creator: H.F. Cooper Strabane.1910

 

Northern Ireland Circus photo

Two circus performers in front of a wagon Creator: H.F. Cooper Strabane c.1910

 

Northern Ireland Circus Photo

Clown on a horse, with a lady watching Creator: H.F. Cooper Strabane c.1910

 

Northern Ireland Circus photo

Lady on a horse, with a clown watching Creator: H.F. Cooper Strabane c.1910

 

Northern Ireland photo

Buff Bill’s Circus, group of circus performers standing on each other’s shoulders, photographer H.F. Cooper, Strabane c.1910.

 

Northern Ireland photo

Buff Bill’s Circus, a group of circus performers Creator: H.F. Cooper Strabane c.1910

 

Northern Ireland circus photo

Buff Bill’s Circus, two children and a man sitting on the steps of a caravan Creator: H.F. Cooper Strabane c.1910

 

Northern Ireland circus photo

Buff Bill’s Circus, a child with a baboon on a donkey Creator: H.F. Cooper Strabane c.1910

 

Northern Ireland Circus photo

Buff Bill’s Circus, The Dixie Girls Creator: H.F. Cooper Photographer, Strabane Date: c.1910

 

Northern Ireland circus photo Clown

Hanneford’s Canadian Circus, a clown photographer: H.F. Cooper, Strabane Date: c.1910

 

Northern Ireland Circus photo

Hanneford’s Canadian Circus, circus performers in a horse and cart photographer: H.F. Cooper, Strabane Date: c.1911

These amazing pictures are from the Cooper Collection at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.

 

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