Ashton's Circus, Beechworth, 1858

Drawing of Ashton's Circus in Clermont, 1873. Courtesy of the John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland.

 The large advertisement run in the Ovens and Murray Advertiser  called  the circus "Ashton's British and American Circus".    As it seems not to be the case that the circus came from  Britain or America, perhaps there were a few American personnel amongst the troupe. Or perhaps it was a reference to the American Negro style of entertainment which was part of the program.

The origins of the circus are a little cloudy, but in 1849 in Hobart a man named Thomas Mollor, the licensee of the Bath Hotel in Murray Street, advertised some circus acts associated with the Hotel.  Ashton was performing feats of daredevil riding in that entertainment.  Whether Mollor had a long background in circuses is not certain.  It seems possible that he was the convict of that name who arrived by the Mangles.

In early 1850 Mollor announced that he was leaving the country.  A new company was formed to take over the equestrian horses and circus equipment.  Interestingly this included not only James Ashton, but Mrs Ashton, who also performed with the circus.   In the early 1850s the circus was touring in Queensland and New South Wales, and by 1855 had arrived in Bendigo.  They had probably found the goldfields to be a lucrative source of customers, and in 1858 they had arrived at Beechworth.

LATEST EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE. (1854, May 6). Illustrated Sydney News (NSW : 1853 - 1872), p. 5. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63614282

Evidently there was a core group of circus performers, and local musicians were employed to fill in for the musical entertainment.  In the large advertisement taken out in the Advertiser on 6 April 1858, many familiar names were mentioned - Mr Zeplin on the harp; Billy Barlow was to give his 'opinions'; Mr Griffiths (sic) on the violin.  In addition to the locals were: Mr Faulkner on the banjo; Mr Ashton on the flautina; Mr Sams on the tamborine; Troy Knight on the bones; and Fritz Bimes as Leader of the Military Band;

And Mr Griffiths  as the "Leader of the Nigger Band".

Oh dear.  One can only hope he wasn't wearing blackface to really disgrace the family.

Advertising. (1858, April 6). Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic. : 1857 - 1918), p. 3.  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article113237500

"Minstrel" entertainment was extraordinarily popular at this time, and continued to be so for many decades.

The "Boston Serenaders" who appeared on the bill, may have been Minstrels, and constituted the main claim to being an American Circus.

The Robert O'Hara Burke Memorial Museum has in its collection a glass slide of Ashton's Circus entering Beechworth via Camp Street.   The street is strangely empty apart from a horse and cart keeping to the opposite side of the road.  The horse looks rather alarmed, and has a rider on its back case it took it into its head to bolt.  This photo is included in a book by Peter M Shea, called Champagne from Six to Six:  a short social history of entertainments and recreations at the Beechworth and Ovens' goldfields Victoria 1852-1877. (Durham, CT: Eloquent Books, 2010.)

George Griffiths, violinist, at the Corinthian Hall

Margaret of History House Greymouth  has very kindly sent to me this advertisement from the West Coast Times issued on 15 March 1866.    Once again, I know that my ancestor George Griffith was a violinist, and I know he was in this general vicinity in the period, so I feel it is likely to be my ancestor.

This is a further refinement of the time frame in which I know he was in New Zealand.  I now know that he was in Hokitika by 15 March 1866, and he was still there in December 1867 when he was advertising as a piano tuner and repairer.

This is consistent with one of the periods in which he was absent from the Melbourne post office directories.  He was listed in 1866, which would have reflected the year of 1865, and he was re-listed in 1869, which would indicate his presence in Melbourne by 1868.

The Mr Barlow mentioned seems likely to be the versatile entertainer known as "Billy Barlow", identified in the Austral Harmony directory of Colonial Musicians as Robert Barlow.