The Circus comes to town
These elephants are seen drinking from the Coronation Fountain and Boer War Memorial that was later moved from Church Street and placed next to the RSL Memorial Hall.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Many circuses passed through Blayney on their way to other parts of the country.
According to the newspaper reports of the day many would arrive by train.
They assembled in the goods yard of the railway station, then would form into a parade and march up the main street to advertise the upcoming event.
Quite often with the bigger circus’ would have a menagerie’ attached.
People would flock to the tent, children would ride their bicycles, parents would walk, or drive to the event.
Circuses have changed over the years and now like so many of our memories they will be different for the coming generations.
These bigger circus troupes’ would bring animals such as the elephants, tigers and lions.
While the smaller ones advertised camels, monkeys, horses, and dogs, wire walkers, trick cyclists and clowns.
At one time Wirth’s advertised that they had the largest Alligator in captivity on display.
The Gill brothers arrived in town in 1950.
They first traveled to Tarana, Oberon, Bathurst and Newbridge before arriving in Blayney.
Two Circus performers came to Blayney in 1923.
Although William and Charles were not residents of Blayney Shire they died here, and their story is worth telling.
These two were related by marriage, Elizabeth Perry the sister of Charles married William Sole, thus joining two Circus families together.
William and Charles were trying to fix the acetylene tank which had a leak in a pipe.
The gas was used to illuminate the area for the performance to be seen of an evening.
They arrived in town in the morning and everything had been set up, except for the lighting.
They were trying to repair the gas holder of a carbide tank which was connected to the gas plant.
One of them had a naked flame in his hand, and when he bent over the tank it is believed the flame came into contact with the gas causing an explosion.
Both men were hit on the head with a two foot long iron bar from the top of the tank shattering both their skulls.
The men were quickly taken to a nearby house, Charles lived for 20 minutes and William died an hour later, they are buried in our local Blayney Cemetery.
