HANDY CIRCUS FAMILY - HANDY CIRCUS TROUPE

ASTLEY'S AMPHITHEATER

(a) FRONT TO WESTMINISTER BRIDGE ROAD, circa 1850


Figure 46a:
Astley's Royal Amphitheatre, circa 1850
FRONT TO WESTMINISTER BRIDGE ROAD, circa 1850
(b) ARENA, circa 1810


Figure 46b:
Arena of Astley's Amphitheatre, circa 1810
ARENA, circa 1810


'Plate 46: Astley's Royal Amphitheatre, circa 1850', in Survey of London: Volume 23, Lambeth: South Bank and Vauxhall, ed. Howard Roberts and Walter H Godfrey (London, 1951), p. 46. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol23/plate-46 [accessed 23 May 2022].

 

Plaque (lost): Astley's Circus

Erection date: /11/1969

Inscription
This is the site of the first circus ring formed by Philip Astley in 1769
- from here the circus spread throughout the world

- Presented by Billy Smart's Circus and the Circus Fans' Association in November 1969,
on the 200th anniversary of the circus ring.

The plaque is no longer there and actually looks like it was not intended to be permanent
since it was attached to wooden battens rather than directly to the wall.
Site: Astley's Circus (1 memorial)

SE1, Albert Embankment
We thank Jamie Davis for finding this link to the British Pathe news film of the unveiling of this plaque.

The observant amongst you will note that our plaque picture is a still from the film.

That's because the plaque is no longer there.

From clues in the video we identified the exact location.

It's visible in our photo of the John By plaque - the stone upright in front of the woman walking on her own.

We visited and found .... four screw holes, but no plaque.

The plaque was erected some distance from the site of the commemorated building
which is odd since the Amphitheatre is clearly marked on maps of the period.

The film shows the parade of performers from Billy Smart's Circus, from Lambeth Bridge
to the plaque site; ring-master, horses, Red Indians, clowns, dancing girls, etc,
all shivering slightly on a dull November day.

The plaque was unveiled by Toto the Clown, who else?
View this memorial on a map
Astley's Circus : London Remembers, Aiming to capture all memorials in London
https://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/astley-s-circus

 

HANDY CIRCUS TROUPE

 

RY ANN HANDY - THE ORiGiNAL WONDERFUL CHiLD of PROMISE
TUMBLING on horseback

Mary Ann Riccardini Handy

"The Original Wonderful Child of Promise" …

• Birthdate: circa 1784

Genealogy for Mary Ann - "The Original Wonderful Child of Promise" Riccardini - Handy (c.1784 - 1797)

ASTLEY - HANDY CIRCUS TROUPE

Benjamin Thomas Handy aka Ben Thomas Handy aka The World's Best Horseman aka The Unparalleled Vaulting Horseman a partner in Astley's Circus and, owner of Ben Handy Circus Troupe aka Benjamin Handy Circus Troupe
~His parents were Irish
His first wife was Signora Riccardini and, they had one child "The Child of Promise" - she drown when crossing a river in 1797 and, Signora Riccardini died in 1789 Both were Circus performers
Benjamin Handy -The Best Horseman in the World 1st wife Signora Riccardini died 1789
Their Child was known as The Wonderful Child of Promise - Miss Mary Ann HANDY, Miss Marianne HANDY
equestrienne, rope dancer, tight rope walker; born 1784 -died 1797 drown on ship Viceroy from Liverpool to Dublin, along with 20 circus horses around the age of 12 or 13 - FAMOUS CIRCUS PEOPLE

 

Mary Ann - "The Original Wonderful Child of Promise" Riccardini - Handy

Gender:	Female
Birth:	circa 1784
Death:	1797 (8-17) (Drowning - "The Child of Promise" - she drown when crossing a river in 1797)
Immediate Family:	Daughter of Benjamin or Ben Thomas Handy. Esq. and Signora Riccardini aka Mary Ann Richards - Handy

 

Philip Astley and the Horsemen Who Invented the Circus

by Dominique Jando

About this product
Product Information
In this fascinating and carefully researched book, Dominique Jando tells us when, why and how the former sergeant-major of a British Hussars regiment created the most universal form of entertainment, the Circus. It was not a chance occurrence: the place, the times and the social context, all led to this pivotal moment.Philip Astley became England's greatest showman, but if he was indeed a visionary, he was not a lone experimentalist: immediately, other equestrians followed his example and participated in the development and expansion of the circus in Europe and the Americas. This is the story, too, of these extraordinary and colorful pioneers who were Astley's contemporaries, whether pupils, competitors or colleagues: Charles Hughes, John Bill Ricketts, Philip Lailson, Antonio Franconi and a few others-including Astley's own son, John Conway Astley.Relying in large part on their contemporaries' testimony, Dominique Jando places these pioneers back in their historical and social context, as well as in the often-overlooked context of the nascent show business of the late eighteenth century-principally in Great Britain, but also in Europe and in America.
Product Identifiers
Publisher
CreateSpace
ISBN-10
1984041312
ISBN-13
9781984041319
eBay Product ID (ePID)
242834180
Product Key Features
Book Title
Philip Astley and the Horsemen Who Invented the Circus
Author
Dominique Jando
Format
Trade Paperback
Language
English
Topic
Circus
Publication Year
2018
Genre
Performing Arts
Number of Pages
250 Pages
Dimensions
Item Length
9in.
Item Height
0.6in.
Item Width
6in.
Item Weight
15.6 Oz
Additional Product Features
Preface by
Binder, Paul
Target Audience
Trade

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/274852437404
Astleys circus employees
brighton / sussex

 

punch 1850
volume 18
7x10" punch cartoon 1850 THE CIRCUS AT ASTLEY'S
in post #89 (above)