Person    | Male  Born 8/1/1742  Died 20/10/1814

Philip Astley

Categories: Animals, Theatre

Equestrian performer and circus proprietor. Born Newcastle under Lyme. Aged 17 he joined the 15th Light Dragoons where he developed an exceptional ability breaking and riding horses. Discharged as a sergeant-major in 1766 he found work at a riding school in Islington. In 1767, as the 'English Hussar', he opened his own riding school in an open field near Glover's Halfpenny Hatch and there presented his first open-air performance on Easter Monday 4th April 1768. His innovation was to ride in a circle, providing continuous entertainment to a fixed audience. Previous such performers had ridden in a straight line which was much less satisfactory, both to the audience and to anyone trying to sell tickets.

Chris Barltrop of the Centre for Circus Culture has researched the old maps and he says the location of this field was about the middle section of Roupell Street. Astley's wife Patty took an active role: often performing riding tricks herself, as well as collecting the entrance fees and performing drum-rolls.

Success meant they could employ other acrobats, musicians and clowns. In 1769 they bought a timber yard and that became Astley's Amphitheatre. His shows were a challenge to the licenced theatre monopoly for which his was arrested but his case contributed to changes in the system. Astley toured his circus around Britain and France. His son, John, starred as a horseback dancer. Astley published 'Astley's System of Equestrian Education' Died in Paris where he is buried.

It would be a fair assumption that Astley had given up his horseback acrobatics by the time he posed for this picture.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Philip Astley

Commemorated ati

Astley's Circus

The plaque is no longer there and actually looks like it was not intended to ...

Read More

Astley's Circus - St Thomas's Hospital Gardens

London SE1 has a magnificent photo of the circus folk that accompanied the un...

Read More

Astley's first venue

Easter Monday in 1768 was 4 April. The plaque was erected by the Lambeth Esta...

Read More

Other Subjects

Gerald Durrell

Gerald Durrell

Writer and zoologist. Born Gerald Malcolm Durrell in Jamshedpur, Mayurbhanj, India. Brother to author Lawrence Durrell (1912-90). After his father's death his mother moved the family to Britain in...

Person, Animals, Literature, Channel Islands, Greece, India

1 memorial
Anna Louisa Woodward

Anna Louisa Woodward

The World League for Protection of Animals gives:"The World League was founded ... in Germany in 1898 ... The English branch of the League was established in 1900 by Miss A L Woodward; she continue...

Person, Animals

1 memorial
Jim

Jim

Died aged almost 16, faithful dog of Sir Henry Cole, buried in the V&A garden. First mentioned in Cole’s diary entry for 11 December 1863: "Walked out with Tishy & Jimmy". And on 30 Januar...

Animal, Animals

1 memorial
Gavin Maxwell

Gavin Maxwell

Author and Naturalist. Born at House of Elrig, Mochrum, Wigtownshire. During World War II he served as an instructor with the Special Operations Executive. In 1956 he toured the reed marshes of Sou...

Person, Animals, Literature, Iraq, Scotland

1 memorial
Tycho

Tycho

Dog buried in the V&A garden. 2016:Londonist led us to the V&A's unveiling of the identity of Tycho. Sir Henry Cole's diary for Saturday, 4 February 1882 reports ‘Out in Gardens with Tycho...

Animal, Animals

1 memorial

Previously viewed

E. Armstrong
War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Catherine Stannard

Catherine Stannard

Resident, aged 28.

Person

War dead non-military, WW2
1 memorial
Polish Government in Exile

Polish Government in Exile

It was formed in the aftermath of the invasion of Poland by Germany in 1939 and continued through WW2 and the subsequent annexation by the Soviet Union. Based in Paris and Angers until France fell,...

Group, Politics & Administration, France, Poland

1 memorial
S. A. Kyrle Money

S. A. Kyrle Money

Loughton resident killed in WW1, in 1915.

Person

War dead, WW1
1 memorial