TheGlasgowStory 

Skip Navigation / Jump to Content

Featured Images

High Street, 1955
High Street, 1955

Scottish Cup Final, 1955
Scottish Cup Final, 1955

Circus entertainers

People's Palace, Social History File

*Open in New Window
Circus entertainers

Francis Robinson was a Glaswegian who joined Bostock's Circus in 1927, when he was 18 years old.

Bostock's Circus had a long association with Glasgow, with a permanent site on New City Road in Cowcaddens (the Scottish Zoo and Variety Circus) from 1897. This photograph was taken during a tour of the North of Scotland. Robinson is on the right. Sitting on the bonnet of the lorry is the Irish Tom Thumb, who was 36 inches high, although both his parents were over 6 feet tall. On the left is Frankie Quinn, who drove the lorry and worked with the Irish Tom Thumb. Tragically Quinn died when he was crushed between two wagons.

Reference: PP.1981.72.1 / SP.2000.67

Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Museums

Keywords:
Bostock's Circus, circus dwarves, circus performers, circuses, disability, lorries, people with disabilities, Scottish Zoo and Variety Circus, Tom Thumbs



Quick Search


Photo Album

You have 0 images in your photo album.

View Photo Album

Log-In (Optional)

username:
password:
Not a user? Register now for FREE!

Other Options