Wirth's Circus
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Circus, Entertainment |
| Founded | 1882 in Australia |
| Founder | Wirth family |
| Defunct | May 1963 |
| Fate | Ceased operations |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, South America |
Key people | Philip Peter Jacob Wirth, George Wirth, May Wirth |
| Products | Circus performances, animal acts, acrobatics, vaudeville shows |
Number of employees | Not specified |
Wirth's Circus, also referred to as the Wirth Brothers' Circus, stood as Australia's most prominent and grand touring circus for eighty years. Promoted as Australia's very own 'Greatest show on Earth'—a nod to the American P. T. Barnum Circus—it earned recognition on the global stage.
The company
The enterprise was established by the offspring of Johannes 'John' Wirth (1834–1880), a German-born brass musician, and his English-born spouse Sarah. Prominent family figures included:
- John James, who passed away in 1894 while touring South Africa;
- Harry, famed for executing a double somersault over bayonets, died near Hong Kong in 1896;
- Philip Peter Jacob (1864–1937), who served as ringmaster, acrobat, animal trainer, and musician; he was married twice and fathered seven children; in 1915, he constructed the Federation-style residence Ocean View in Coogee;
- George (1867–1941), a ringmaster and animal trainer; married to Margaret Bain with no offspring; retired in 1930 after commissioning the £30,000 waterfront home Margworth at Darling Point;
- Mary Elizabeth Victoria 'Marizles' (1868–1948), an equestrienne celebrated as the 'Grand Old Lady of the Circus';
- Mina; and
- Madeline.
The Wirth family arrived in Australia in 1855 and initially worked as traveling musicians, including engagements with Ashton's Circus. Beginning as a modest family band performing under canvas in Sydney circa 1880, they evolved into a circus by 1882. Originating in Ballarat, their inaugural provincial tour commenced from Ararat in 1885, with Adelaide marking their first capital city performance. Soon after, they toured Nouméa.
Their principal rivals were the FitzGerald Brothers Circus until 1906 when both brothers died. Subsequently, the Wirths acquired their competitor’s circus.
Philip Wirth’s descendants—Eileen, Doris, Madelaine, Phillip, George, and Marizles 'Rillie'—managed the circus until it ceased operations in May 1963. Although competition from the Bullen Brothers circus affected their fortunes, primary causes for decline included increasing transportation expenses and the emergence of television.
Travelling circus (1882–1963)
Amidst the Australian banking crisis of 1893, the Wirth family embarked on an international tour lasting seven years. In October 1895, while performing at Montevideo’s Politeama Theatre in Uruguay, a fire destroyed the venue. Returning to South Africa during the Second Boer War period, they maintained neutrality and narrowly avoided danger when their circus train nearly crossed a sabotaged bridge.
Philip Wirth was a towering figure as ringmaster and expert horse trainer who pioneered animal acts such as teaching a gnu to ride a horse and breaking six zebras—animals previously considered untrainable. In South America, he trained mustangs to waltz and choreographed intricate pony performances without resorting to cruelty.
The growing family troupe undertook extensive worldwide tours and traversed Australia using horse-drawn wagons and specially arranged trains. May Wirth (1894–1978), adopted by Mary Wirth in 1901, rose to fame as a premier bareback rider and was inducted into the Circus Hall of Fame in 1963.
Among early 20th-century performers was wrestler Buttan Singh, promoted as Australia’s champion Hindu wrestler while part of the company.
The 1903 program showcased a variety of acts: wild animals including tigers performing bareback riding and pulling chariots; an elephant, bear, camel, and monkey sharing tea within the ring; clowns; memory demonstrations; aerial stunts; horseback riding feats; contortionists; boxing ponies; juggling on horseback; and tumbling acts. A separate tent housed a menagerie.
In July 1910 and again in September 1917, lions and wolves escaped at New South Wales venues but were safely recaptured without harm.
By 1930, Wirth's Circus operated on a biennial national tour schedule aligned with major events such as Brisbane’s Royal Exhibition Show, Sydney’s Easter Show, and Melbourne Cup races—where winning jockeys received gold-mounted whips. Alternate years included tours to New Zealand.
During World War II, despite travel restrictions and petrol rationing, Wirth's Circus remained Australia's only authorized circus operation. Performances took place at Muston Park in Sydney during 1942.
Post-war artist Norma Bull spent twelve months traveling with the troupe, creating artworks depicting circus life.
Among its distinguished animals were elephants named 'Princess Alice' and 'Jumbo', the latter favored by George Wirth but ultimately euthanized after becoming uncontrollable in Brisbane.
In the 1950s, staff quarters consisted of two Victorian Railways wooden bogie passenger carriages. These carriages were over six decades old and were withdrawn from service by 1962 due to deterioration.
Wirth's Olympia Circus, Melbourne (1907–1957)
The site on St Kilda Road in Melbourne, now known as the Arts Centre location, became the permanent home of the Olympia Circus in 1901, established by the FitzGerald Brothers' Circus. The circus building was an octagonal structure named Olympia. By 1904, the remaining area evolved into Prince's Court, a trendy entertainment precinct that included a Japanese Tea House, an open-air theatre, a miniature railway, a water chute, and a military band.
After the FitzGerald Brothers passed away, the Wirth Brothers Circus assumed control of the entire property in 1907 and managed it for five decades. They incorporated Prince's Court into what became known as Wirth's Pleasure Park. By 1911, a new Hippodrome with seating for 5,000 people and a roller skating rink had been constructed. The original Olympia building was leased to Cosens Spencer and converted into a cinema. During World War I, several structures were repurposed as nursing facilities. In the 1920s, the Green Mill Dance Hall took over from earlier entertainment venues.
Wirth's Olympia was also the venue for events such as dog shows in 1929. The Green Mill Dance Hall ceased operations in 1950, and in December 1953, a fire destroyed the remaining Wirth buildings on the site, which were valued at £70,000.
Wirth Brothers Hippodrome, Sydney (1916–1928)
In 1912, plans by Sydney Council aimed to redevelop the New Belmore Markets area in Haymarket. That same year, the Wirth Brothers Circus utilized this location for a ten-week run as a circus and hippodrome. This led to securing a successful 21-year lease in September 1912. The Wirth Brothers Hippodrome officially opened in April 1916 and showcased elaborate animal performances featuring elephants and seals, alongside theatrical and vaudeville productions.
Although it offered diverse entertainment and operated for about ten years, the Hippodrome struggled financially. By 1926, Wirth's intended to transform it into a cinema venue. The Capitol Theatre opened on 7 April 1928, prompting the circus to move nearby to Wentworth Avenue and Goulburn Street.
See also
References
- The travelling Wirth family: A history of our ancestors as musicians, miners and Wirths' Circus including descendants (2008), researched and compiled by Gayle Speight, with genealogical research by Gayle Speight, Stephanie Wirth, and Margaret Wright, ISBN 0646446894.