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Philip Astley first pegged out his circular 'ride' on the banks of the Thames in 1768 and so laid down the foundations of the modern circus. Performing feats of trick riding with his wife Patty Jones, little did he realise that before long women would become a dominant force in the circus. Sawdust Sisterhood explores how the circus empowered women and gave them the opportunity to compete and succeed as performers in their own right in an otherwise masculine world. Drawing upon historical news reports and contemporary interviews, the book explores the lives of female circus performers and focuses upon several of the more well-known artistes from across two centuries of circus, including; Madame Saqui, the renowned French wire-walker of the early nineteenth century; Nellie Chapman, the Victorian 'Lion Queen' of Wombwells's Menagerie and Circus; and Katie Brumbach, otherwise known as Sandwina, perhaps the most famous Strongwoman of the twentieth century. Sawdust Sisterhood acknowledges the role of the female circus performer across the centuries.

As paragons in heir field, these women became rich, famous and powerful despirte the prevailing sexist attitudes of their time. They often had to overcome undue criticism of their work and censure from those who felt their acts were at best inappropritate and at worst immoral. In performing remarkable, often death-defying physical feats, these women subverted the classic ideals of femininity and undoubtedly contributed to the later sexual revolution.

Sawdust sisterhood explores the journeys of these women and their contributions to the advancement of women's rights. Steve Ward, an expert on the circus, draws together various primary sources. newspaper articles, and feministe scholarship to give a full picture of the pivotal role of women in this medium. He also includes interviews with contemporary female performers and over thirty exquisite images. This is a detailed, personal, and deeply moving account of an often overloocked aspect of the struggle for female emancipation. [Editor's summary]

This is the intimate story of the biggest tenting circus in the British Isles, run by one of the last of the old-time showmen and his ten children. An expansive individual who is known to millions through the medium of the television screen, Billy Smart's very appearance, with his Palm Beach suits and Stetson hats, serves as an advertisement for his show; and the show itself achieves a unique and happy balance between tradition and the speed and colour of a West End revue.

A former fairground magnate, Billy Smart started his circus in a small way in 1946, travelling it in conjunction with his fair until it grew strong enough to stand on its own two feet. For the last three years it has been the biggest show in the country, run on the lines of the great German circuses and employing the best Continental trainers and artistes. It comprises a herd of fifteen elephants and nearly a hundred horses, as well as polar bears, lions, dromedaries, chimpanzees, sea lions, zebras, llamas and Highland cattle. It also has a staff of two hundred employees.[editor summary]