History - Brian Boswell's Circus

History

This is a brief summary of the Boswell story. You can read more in 'The Boswells - The Story of a South African Circus' by Charles Ricketts. Contact us to order this book.

The Boswell Story

The name ‘Boswell’ goes back in circus history to the 1800’s in England. James Boswell, born 1826, performed in various English circuses as a clown, horseman and equilibrist (someone who performs balancing acts). He died in the circus ring of Cirque Napoleon in Paris at the early age 33 in 1859. He was performing a balancing ladder act when he collapsed - he had suffered a stroke.

James Boswell had 3 children, all of whom performed in circuses in England and Europe. His eldest son James Clements Boswell opened his own circus, Boswell’s Circus, in 1882 in Yorkshire. Boswell’s Circus toured England with much success. He had 5 sons and 2 daughters and they all learnt circus skills, in particular tumbling and equestrianism. The popularity of music halls began to overtake circuses in England, and Boswell’s Circus closed in 1898. The five Boswell brothers continued performing in theatres and music halls, however, and eventually put their own stage show together called Boswell’s Stage Circus which then toured theatres across England. Madame Fillis, who had Fillis’ Circus in South Africa, saw one of their performances and signed them up for a six-month contract in South Africa.

Early packing wagon about 1914

The front of the circus in 1914

James Clements, his sons (Jim, Alfred, Walter, Sydney and Claude), Walter and Jim’s wives, six ponies, a donkey and some dogs set sail for South Africa in 1911 to join Fillis’ Circus. The Boswells and their animals were stranded when Fillis’ Circus closed down some months later in Durban. They approached a music hall, and were allowed to perform during an interval (unpaid) as an audition. They proved to be an attraction and were hired to perform at other theatres across South Africa. They saw potential in South African audiences and decided that they would launch their own circus. James Clements went back to England to buy a circus tent & more ponies, and in late 1912 the Boswell’s Royal Hippodrome and Circus Company was launched. They started out quite small, as they did not have much capital behind them. The Boswell family made up a great deal of the program and handled many of the other functions, such as tentmaster, lighting, publicity, box-office and animal care. The war years were tough for the circus. Their circus musicians, who were stalwart employees who helped erect the tent as well as play in the band, were taken as prisoners of war, as they were German. It was also impossible to get new artistes in and out of the country while the war was on and performers had to re-invent themselves. Despite everything the circus, which from 1916 became know as Boswell Brother’s Circus and Menagerie (and later as Boswell’s Circus), grew steadily and continued to have good reviews in the press.

The circus travelled by train, and in the early days in order to reach outlying towns not yet serviced by rail, even travelled by ox-wagon. There are many, many stories to tell of good times, bad times and funny times during the circus’s tour of South Africa, from the old days right up to the present. Some of these stories you can read in ‘The Boswells – The Story of a South African Circus’ by Charles Ricketts. If you would like to order a copy, please contact us.

Early photograph of Tickey with Tony Murell 1933

Tickey with Great Dane Dogs and a pony 1934

In 1933 Eric Hoyland joined Boswell’s Circus as part of a troupe of trampolinists. Under the tutelage of the resident circus clown, he became the well-known and well-loved Tickey the clown, who is remembered by many to this day.

Three generations of Boswell`s - Jim, Stanley and Brian

The end of 1942 saw the retirement of all the Boswell Brothers except for Sydney and Walter, who continued the running of circus with Stanley Boswell (the son of Jim Boswell).

Over the years, many great international acts and artistes were featured at Boswell’s Circus, and the years 1955 – 1963 were considered to be the heyday of Boswell’s Circus, with the biggest and best of programmes being put together during those years. By 1962, Brian Boswell, on of Stanley’s sons, had also joined the circus after finishing at school. Towards the end of 1963, the remaining original Boswell brothers, Sydney and Walter, decided to sell their shares in the circus business, and Stanley, though he would have preferred to keep the circus in the family, had to go along with his father and uncle. African Theatres had the option to purchase the shares, which they did. They approached W. H. Wilkie who had his own circus, with a proposed amalgamation. This went ahead. Wilkie and African Theatres each had 50% share in the combined show, which became known as Boswell-Wilkie Circus, though none of the Boswell family was involved any further with this venture.

In 1964, Chipperfield’s Circus came out from England for what was to be a three-year tour of South Africa. Brian Boswell acted as adviser to them, and later as ringmaster. It was here that Brian met his future wife, Jane Stockley, daughter of one of the Chipperfield family. It was many years later, in 1982, that Brian Boswell opened his own circus – Brian’s Circus, which has been touring South Africa ever since.

Brian’s Circus travels around South Africa, visiting between 90 and 100 venues in a year, and sometimes neighbouring countries too. The circus has steadily been improving and growing over the years and takes pride in keeping audiences entertained with local and foreign artistes and their beautiful animals.

You can read more in ‘The Boswells – The Story of a South African Circus’ by Charles Ricketts. If you would like to order a copy, please contact us. You will be contacted regarding payment and delivery method. The cost is R400 plus post and packaging. This is a beautiful hard cover book with many photographs and stories, and of course the history of the Boswells told in much more detail than it is here.