Poster advertising Powell's Royal Circus appearing in Arbour Square, Fair Field, Stepney, every day during the fair. Woodcut and letterpress, printed by J.W. Peel, ca.1840. Antony Hippisley Coxe Collection.

Illustrated broadside poster printed in orange and black, headed POWELL'S CIRCUS ROYAL, ARBOUR SQUARE, FAIR FIELD, STEPNEY illustrated with an image of a charioteer standing on a chariot with four zebra, performing in a circus ring within an auditorium, presumably the 'New and Splendid Arena' with a gas mantle above the ring and audience members seated in the boxes. The poster lists the performers Mr. Powell, Mr. Henderson, Mr. Clarke, Mr. Adams, Master Hengler, Monsieur Hengler, Mr. Thorpe, The Four Celebrated Swiss Acrobats, Mr. Grant, Mr. Brown, Mr. Clarke, Mr. C. Hengler, Master Clarke, Mr. Hall, Miss Hengler, Mrs. Powell, Mrs. Reed, Mrs. Cotterell, Mrs. Grant, Miss Rosinor, Mrs. Thorpe, Master John Hengler, Master Alfred, Master Powell, Master Polaski and Miss Powell. The acts are listed as Master Polanski's 'rapid and Elegant Equestrian Act The Highland Laddie', The Acrobatic Wonders performing 'Feats of Strength, Classical Pictures and Pyramidical Devices which have been universally allowed to equal, if not outvie the Real Bedouin Arabs', Miss Hengler as The Maid of Saragossa, Still Vaulting by the whole company' in which Mr.Henderson will appear as 'the Phenomenon of the Air', Mr. C. Adams in his Flights of Fancy!, Mons. Hengler with his trained horse Prince George, Mr. Powell and The Beautiful Twin Ponies including an act with them supping with the Clown, Mr. Thorpe 'the Aerial Tourbillionist' with 'Wonderful Feats on the Slack Rope', 'the Entertainments to be followed by a grand Chivalric Legendary Equestrian Spectacle, replete with Feats of Arms and Sports of the Olden Times Etc. interspersed with Processional and Pictorial Groupings, assisted by a magnifcent display of gorgeous Dresses, Banners, Armorial Panoply, Properties Etc. Etc, entited King Arthur! or, The Knights of the Round Table, followed by Mr. Powell in his act The Horseman of All Work, Master John Hengler performing Backwards and Forward 'Summersets on the Tight Rope' (sic), Mr Powell as The Courier of St. Petersburgh (sic) Riding and Managing 1,2,3,4,5 and 6 Blood Horses, concluding with Mr. Clark and Mr. Hengler in The Tailor's Journey to Brentford.

Antony Hippisley Coxe Collection

Poster advertising Powell's Royal Circus, appearing in Arbour Square, Fair Field, Stepney, London, every day during the fair. Woodcut and letterpress, printed by J.W. Peel, ca.1840.

S.3181-2010