The circus first opened to the public on 14 May 1894 and has not missed a season since.

Scotsman Doodles the Clown (William McAllister) first appeared at the Tower Circus in 1915 . He was the Blackpool Carnival King in 1923. For most of his appearances, until the 1927 season, he partnered August (Robert Elliot), who started his career as a wire walker. Doodles retired to Brighton in 1944 and died in 1949

 

Charlie Cairoli and Paul Freeman

 

Tower Circus silver medal awarded to Chic Cooper by the Management in 1928

Tower Circus – from the original painting by Fortunino Matania

Tower Aquatic and Variety Circus – 1920’s

 1928 

Doodles, John Lester’s Midgets, Lucy Morton, Little Miss Chic Cooper

 

 1929 

Doodles & Fiery Jack, The Baker Family, The Tigers, Mephisto, Leon & Kiki

 1931 

Doodles, Pepino & his canine friends, Rob Daymar, Water Nymphs

 1933 

Doodles, Austin Bros, D’Arty, Five Carlton Sisters, Fred Roper & Wonder Midgets, Fred Lindsay

 1934 

Doodles, Fiery Jack, Van Norman, Jimmy Mac, Kohler Brothers

 1935 

Doodles, Jimmy Mac, Bu Bu & Familie, Rosello

 1936 

Doodles, 3 Van Normans, Jenny & Piccolo, Maltese Poodles, Les Edmondos

 1937 

Doodles, Alfred Court, Flying Codonas, Nico & Nico, Max Truzzi, Alex & Porto

 1938 

Doodles, Dario Bario Family, Lopez Trio

1939 

Doodles, Wee Harry, Little Mickey, The Cairoli Trio, Madame Emmy Truzzi

Tower Circus Programme for the December 1939

Grand Free Style Wrestling

Tower Circus Programme for the 1940 Season

Includes Doodles, Emmy Truzzi and Tommy Kayes with his lions

Tower Circus Programme for the 1941 Season

Includes Cairoli Brothers, Doodles and Little Mickey

Tower Circus Programme – April 7th 1941 for 2 weeks

Tower Circus Programme for the 1942 Season

The Cairolis, Cilla’s Dogs, Coco and Michael, Ottawa Troupe of Riders, 16 Circusettes, Three Roberts Brothers, Olsen and his Sea lion, Doodles, Little Mickey

Tower Circus Programme for the 1943 Season

Doodles, The Circusettes, Coco and Michael, Cavalini, Yangtse Troupe, The Cairolis and Rassana

Tower Circus Programme for the 1944 Season

Doodles, Coco and Michael, Len Austin, Little Mickey, Lou Lenny, Jix, Jax and Max, The Amazing Gridneffs, The Circusettes, Mariora, Manley and Austin, Ben Abderrahman Wazzan Troupe

 1945 

Coco and Michael, Toni and Tina, Kaheelan, Yeaman’s Sporting Dogs, Amar and Alana, Prince Zahoor, Swan and Leigh, Bertram Mills’ Horses, Jose Moreno, Ben Hassan Four, Annette’s Horses, Les Gerbolas

 1946

El Granadas and Peter, Coco, Michael and family, Victor Julian, The Four Scotts, The Tovarich Troupe, Miss Peggy, The Cairolis, The Lancings, Boy Foy and Alzanas

 

 1947

 Xmas Season – 1947

Charivari, Little Victor, Fritzi Bartoni, Cavallini Trio, Pongo

 Xmas Season – 1948

Charivari, Detroy, The Towas, The Four Babusios, Amber and Domino, Bassi Trio, Circusettes, May Sisters and Maurice, The De Milles, El Granadas and Peter, The Six Ashtons and Krista and Kristal

1949 Summer Season Farewell Party Menu

Signed by all the performers including Charlie Cairoli

 1949

The Cairolis, The Dorocinas, Victor Julian, Los Reverhos, The Grecos, The Bedini Troupe, The Dorchesters, Knie’s Nine Polar Bears, Annette’s Circusettes, The Ifni Sahara Troupe, The Sayers and Jimmy Buchanan, The Myrons, Colberg the Crystal Wonders and La Paloma

1950

 1951

 1952

Charlie Cairoli with Paul, The Oliveras, Knie’s Norwegian horses, Duncan’s Collies, Jacky Lupescu, Wenzel Kossmayer, Vojtech Trubka, Tosca de Lac, Rogge Sisters, Ghezzi Brothers, Edith Crocker with her Teddy bears, Rose Gold, Annette’s Circusettes, Little Jimmy, Jimmy Scott

 1953

Charlie Cairoli with Paul, Knie’s Portuguese Horses, Carola’s Cockatoos, Douglas Kossmayer, Fischer’s Elephants, The Five Hansels, The Two Angelos, The Two Canters, Wenzel Kossmayer, The Balladinis, The 8 Flying Croneras, Little Jimmy, Annette’s Circusettes, Jimmy Scott

 1954

 Charlie Cairoli, Knie’s Panthers Lions Polar Bears Black Bears, Three Craddocks, The Seven Eagles, Fattini, Vivian and Tassi, Two Rassos, Two Cherks

 1955

Charlie Caroli, Harry Belli and his lions, Armand Guerre and sea lions, Wenzel Kossmayer

 1956

Charlie Cairoli, Gilbert Houcke and Tigers, Josef Vinicky, The See-Hee Troupe, The Theda Sisters, Edith Crocker and Bears, The Zemgannos, King Kong, Tom and Jerry, The Heltanos

 1957

 Charlie Caroli, Nino Rubio, Bedini Troupe, Yokoi Troupe

1958

Charlie Cairoli, Mills Boxing Chimpanzees, Sammy Brothers, Rih-Aruso, Antares, Maurice & May, Alma Piana

 1959

Charlie Cairoli, Josef Wiesner’s Seven Tiger’s, 4 Palacious, Schickler Sisters, Morlidor Trio, The Great Barton, Carmel Gowan, Eldino, The Dubowys

1961

 1964

 1965

 1980

The Rastellis, The Navarro Sisters, The Four Sinekos, The Six Ashtons