Circus Vans

[murray]

circus van 1965 Hobart

[ronaldkozubek151]

Jul 12, 2013 17:40:17 GMT 10 murray said:

circus van 1965 Hobart

Love it very much.

[Mustang]

When "Ashton's Circus" used to visit our tiny town in Tasmania we used to google at the flash American cars & their fancy vans.
No wonder every boy wanted to run away with the circus, I certainly did. 

[kenny]

I was doing some research on something else when I came across these circus/tent photos that had some caravans in them (ack BCC Library photos)
Enjoy Regards kenny

This lot is at Victoria Park, Brisbane 1972 and the event was Disney related.

[kenny]

Here's a couple more, this time The Great Moscow Circus in 1968, Victoria Park (ack BCC Library photos)

[hughdeany]

Hi Kenny,
Looks like Murrumba Star secured the contract for accommodation in one of the photos!
I remember as a kid being more interested in the caravans at the circus rather than the show!
In Melbourne where I was bought up Franklin used to be the source for vans when the circus came to town,and I can remember watching the local Franklin dealers yard being empty for a few weeks then going in to check out all the vans when they were finished with!
Thanks for the memories!😉
Cheers
hughdeany

[Don Ricardo]

Hi Kenny,

A couple of interesting circus photos there.

The caravans in the 1972 photo from the right are: Chesney, 1968 Viscount Duralvan and ??. The third one is unusual in that it has wrap around windows at the front, but with the corner windows extending quite a long way along the sides of the van (relatively speaking). I'm wondering if it may be a WA-built Modern caravan or something like that?

The 1968 photo is fascinating because of the range of different vans that can be seen. As Hughdeany has observed, quite a number of them are Murrumba Stars, and there is a little Carapark toaster close to the tents. The very long caravan that can be seen towards the left behind a couple of other vans I'm pretty confident is a 35 ft Carapark Mobilhome (Astronaut Mk II). However, I am fascinated by the van on the back of the Dodge truck on the left, and also the very square little van partly obscured by the Dodge/Fargo utility and in front of the van labelled Bullens Circus.

Don Ricardo

[hughdeany]

Hi Don and Kenny,
The van behind the Duralvan is a Millard Princess,they have small corner windows,but because of the old pics it appears to be one window.
Agree about the Astronaut,and a very interesting van on the dodge.
Cheers
hughdeany

[kenny]

Hi Don and Hughdeany, I glad you liked those!  

I had to nip and tuck them to meet this KB size, here are the URLs, I hope they work, if so you may see a little more

Moscow Circus


(Source: library-brisbane.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en_AU/search/asset/31028/0 )


(Source: library-brisbane.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en_AU/search/asset/31028/1 )


(Source: library-brisbane.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en_AU/search/asset/31028/2 )

Disney


(Source: library-brisbane.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en_AU/search/asset/9847/0 )


(Source: library-brisbane.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en_AU/search/asset/9847/1 )


(Source: library-brisbane.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en_AU/search/asset/9847/2 )

Regards kenny

[griffin]

Hi Kenny

Love the little Peters ice cream van in the first shot and the van grafted onto a Dodge(?) truck in the second one, great stuff.

George

[kenny]

Thanks Griffin, yes very nice van.

Well here is another lot of caravans, this time the event was Brisbane's Warana Festival which ran from 1962 to 1977.

How many caravan's can you count?


(Source: library-brisbane.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en_AU/search/asset/144/0 )

Not sure if this is the right spot for this photo or not, certainly some 'clowning around' occurred at Warana

Regards kenny

[hughdeany]

Hi Kenny,
I can see 3 Glendale’s,2 Viscounts,a Millard and a few commercial toaster vans.
Cheers
hughdeany

[Don Ricardo]

Holden Bros Circus caravans:


(Source: Museums Victoria collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/1689817 )

Photographer: Mrs Doris Holden
Description: Holden Brothers Circus, One Legged Man standing with Dog, Caravan & 'Big Top' Tent in Background, circa 1915

According to the Museums Victoria description the photo was taken around 1915. This seems unlikely given the style of the van or motor caravan in the centre of the photo and the shape and style of the caravan to the left. If the photo was taken around 1915 that would make the small, fully enclosed caravan one of the earliest to be seen in Australia. However, the style suggests a 1930's date is more likely.

If anyone can identify the van/motor caravan in the foreground that will help us date the photo.

Don Ricardo

[kenny]

Here are some long shots of vans. The photos are mainly of the animals and performers and hardly any of the vans. Sheesh! Regards kenny
(all photos courtesy of National Archives of Australia and Museums Victoria)

[Don Ricardo]

Photos of a caravan and an animal trailer belonging to Sloggetts Entertainers, possibly taken as early as the 1930's:




(Source: State Library of Victoria handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/4255854 & handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/4255946 )

The Sloggett family have been traveling entertainers, magicians and clowns in Victoria since at least the early 1920's, and some members of the family are still involved in the entertainment industry.

Don Ricardo

[sportsman 1]

Hi Don,
I believe the truck in the Holdens Circus photo is a W Series Bedford.