Vintage circus photos

Elephant

We've all been here before.

The earliest origins of the circus reaches all the way back to the Roman Empire. Dubbed “Circus Maximus” (Latin for “large circle”, after the circular venue in which it took place), the entertainm…

Circuses are naturally creepy, but vintage circus photos are truly terrifying. Here are 22 scary pictures from old circuses, including freaks, creepy clowns, ...

As Peter Lavery's 50-year project Circus Work goes on show, we revisit an interview with him published in BJP in 1997 - when the series was a mere 30 years in the making. "I started Circus Work at college [Lavery has an MA in Photography from the Royal College of Art]. I was visiting home in Wakefield, and I took in a a performance of the Winships Minicircus in the Queen's Hall in Leeds. That's where it started."

Some of the best "old school" circus photos you will ever see.

Blowing all the other equestriennes out of the water! A 1920s tattooed lady and her zebra

During the first few decades of the 20th century, the people of Los Angeles had alligator fever. Starting in 1907, alligator rides, feedings...

These extraordinary classic photos were taken by Herbert Cooper, who arrived in Strabane, County Tyrone in Ireland just before the outbreak of the First World War. He took over the photographic studio in Railway Street which had been run by J. Burroughs from about 1901 until 1913. Anneford’s Canadian Circus, two children called Lola and May, c.1910 Duffy’s Circus, two women and three children, c.1911 Duffy’s Circus, the Wilson and Duffy combined circus. Picture of all the members, c.1911…