MAJOR circuses with large animal menageries were a big public attraction whenever they came to Worcester in times past, but for some years now those with performing animals have been barred from the city.
As an example of all that the "Big Tops" had to offer in yesteryear, I quote details from just one large advertisement which appeared in Berrow's Journal this week 50 years ago:
"Sir Robert Fossell's Circus proudly presents its 1953 Gala Show at Pitchcroft all next week in a £10,000 Continental four-mast tent with elaborate accommodation for 3,500 people.
"The attractions will include clowns, trapeze artistes, horseback riders, six elephants, tigers, lions, panthers, bears, Arabian horses, canine artistes including Shoo-Shoo the ballerina, and a great zoo of rare animals from all parts of the world. The elephants will arrive by train at Shrub Hill Station on Monday at 12.30 p.m. and will parade through the city streets to Pitchcroft."
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