16 Sandi's Circus School

Welcome to another day in Sandi's favourite room, which is stuffed to the gills with books. Today, Sandi looks at the birth of circus and the characters who played a role in shaping the familiar show we see today. Philip Astley and his wife Patty Jones staged the first circus on a site believed to now house St Thomas' Hospital in London and unsurprisingly far more is written about Philip than Patty, who must have been a hugely accomplished equestrian and entertainer in her own right. The role of women in entertainment is of course played down throughout history, for example, it may surprise you to know that there were plenty of female jesters in royal court? You may also not be aware of Joseph Haines who made the career jump from member of parliament to comedian?  Well, Sandi's books hold many surprises and so prepare to be amazed and remember... We Will Get Past This.   

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