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ASHTON'S CIRCUS
"Old times have gone. Old customs
changed. A stranger Alls the Stuarts
throne."
•1 have always had a deep ndtnira- I
lion and respect for any firm—liusi j
liess or showmen—who have weath
ered the storms for a century and
are still a going concern. Ashtou's I
Circus which is to pay West Wyalong j
a visit this Fridav and Saturday, has |
lieen on the roads for over 1<W> years
and incidentally is the first circtts I j
was taken to sec when a small boy
over 50 years ago.
"During that period I can visualise
what nns and rfown<; the Circus must
have had and perhaps some anxious
moments. I hope they have had more
prosperity than anything else. ICven
ail years ago the arrival of a r-irr
ill a country town caused some ex
citement. Kvery galvanised iron
Truce and vacant building would hi
pasled with huge highly coloured
posters depicting the various acts
and photos of the leading performers
etc.
Sir first circus formed a large pro
cession as it came into town, head
ed with hand in a snn-.ial carrl-cc.
drawn by three pairs of prancing
grey horses. At the rear of the cav
alcade was the clown riding back to
front on a donkey using the animal's
tail for a rudder. This was the sig
iinl for ail the kids in town to go
"hell for leather" after him.
"While penning these few lines 1
have an inclination to grab mv hat
and join in the chase. The price of
admission was different 111 those
days— sixpence was all I paid, and
in a nice little speech at intermiss
ion, old Mr. James Ashton thanked
us one and all,' for our attendance. 1
do not 4t$p3gduiw far my ntodesf
'spiat' carfiy the fact re
mains that all the showmen who
charged extortionate prices have
'gone to the jiack long ago'—while
my old entertainers rode the gales
for one hundred years and are still
going strong."
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