Comments on: Circus Route Books – A Record of the Past

By: Yvonne Cullen

Yvonne Cullen — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:27:05 +0000

Dear Larry,
Article is fascinating, thanks very much for posting! And I have a question for you in re!

I’m researching a musical handbell vaudeville artiste from England called Phil Lister ( Or Phil Benson, but more likely Lister). He is reported to have ‘taken a part’ in his own words, in Barnum and Bailey’s “cross-channel” performances in what looks like 1902. Cross channel usually meant England, in irish show-parlance. But when British people used the term ( and this man is British) it meant France… Wondering how likely it would be that someone would get a brief gig on one show, or a stint, in France, if coming from England? Or were there English events around then for B and B that I have missed? I’d be thrilled to hear from you re this. Have been in Tibbels, as my sister lives in Sarasota. Loved it,and of course the Ca d’Zan which gets a mention in the book I’m writing!

Look forward to any light you can shed on this!
Yvonne Cullen
Dublin

By: Larry Kellogg

Larry Kellogg — Tue, 24 May 2011 22:47:52 +0000

Henk,

You are correct. The Netherlands portion of the European tour was in 1901. It included these towns:
Aug. 31-Sept. 1 – Groningen
Sept. 2 – Leeuwarden
Sept. 3 – Zwolle
Sept. 4 – Enschede
Sept. 5 – Deventer
Sept. 6 – Zutphen
Sept. 7-8 – Nijmegen
Sept. 9-10 – Utrecht (Afternoon performance on the 9th cancelled because of mud)
Sept. 11-18 – Amsterdam (Opened evening of 11th. Evening performance on 18th cancelled)
Sept. 19-22 – The Hague
Sept. 23-29 – Rotterdam
Sept. 30 – Bergen-on-Zoom
Oct. 1 – Flushing
Oct. 2 – Breda
Oct. 3 – Tilburg
Oct. 4 – ’S Hertogenbosch
Oct. 5-6 – Arnhem (Cancelled evening of 6th because of rain)
Oct. 7 – Maastricht (Cancelled because of rain)

By: Henk

Henk — Tue, 24 May 2011 15:45:42 +0000

Hi Larry,

Can you tell me when Barnum & Bailey was in The Netherlands during their 1897-1902 tour through Europe. I suppose it was in late 1901, but I’d like to know more specific dates and places. This information is usefull for dating some postcards I have of this show.

Henk Nieuwenhof

By: Larry Kellogg

Larry Kellogg — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 18:28:15 +0000

Laura,

Unfortunately the show discontinued printing route books in the late 1960s.

By: Laura

Laura — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 16:51:24 +0000

Hi Larry,
I worked in the RBBB Blue Unit in 1971 and would like to get a record of the route for that year. I have the program, but the printed schedule is not accurate. Has a route book been published? Thanks for the great information and links! Laura

By: Larry Kellogg

Larry Kellogg — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 11:33:42 +0000

Maggie,

It was the Red Unit that played the Bayfront Center in January 1971. That was the first year I worked with the show.

By: Maggie

Maggie — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 20:20:49 +0000

Hi Larry, Would you possibly know how I can find out if it was the RED Unit or the BLUE Unit of RBBB that performed at the Bayfront Center Arena in St. Petersberg, FL on January 13th, 1971? Hoping that someone may have the route book info for that timeframe and I believe you were involved with getting the circus to that specific arena in those days. Thanks for your help. Maggie

By: Larry Kellogg

Larry Kellogg — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 19:03:00 +0000

Thank you for the information. I really enjoyed looking at your website and have marked it for future reference.

By: irakli makharadze

irakli makharadze — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 17:52:42 +0000

Hello. i just want to inform you that those weren’t real cossacks, but the ordinary peasants-great horsmen from wetern part of georgia.they roide with buffalo bill and other american shows from 1892. please visit my website http://www.georgians.ge with best wishes irakli makharadze

By: Larry Kellogg

Larry Kellogg — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 18:43:34 +0000

Carol,
It’s difficult to give a definitive answer to this question because it’s not easy to determine the routes of every circus and wild west show and which ones had Cossack riders. Also you don’t specify if you are interested in a particular show. I can tell you that Russian (probably Cossacks) riders were performing with Ringling Bros. Circus in 1909 (before they were combined with Barnum & Bailey and the show traveled as far west as Arizona and California. However they did not appear in Nevada.
Larry Kellogg

By: Carol

Carol — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 19:56:51 +0000

Hi,
I’d like to know how far west the show went when the Cossacks rode with them. Specifically, the closest city/town to Reno, Nevada and in what year/s.
Thanks,
Carol