From Sue Lenz

From Sue Lenz, originally uploaded by buckleswoodcock. Shannon has come up with a new service (Flickr) to host pictures, maybe it will solve the recent problems. This first picture is from a set of about twelve, received today from Sue Lenz and I have asked Shannon to also include her accompanying message. Under this new system, to enlarge the photo, you click on the picture as usual and you are taken to a second page, then click on "all sizes". Hi Buckles As I noticed you are putting some pictures from the UK on your wonderful Blog, I thought that you might be interested in some pictures of my Mother taken in the 1930s. Her family ran a Astley's Circus in the summer seasons at Scarborough. At that time they had lots of British Circus families in their programs, Fossetts Cooks Rosaires Ginnetts and many more. Sadly there isn't many folks still alive from that era that could give more information but I do have some pictures that I will send with this as an attachment. Note the old wagons at the front of the Circus also the lace on the chairs. The elephant that my Mother used to present was called Rosie, after the family finished with the Circus, Rosie was sold to Bristol Zoo and gave elephant rides for many years. Mother also had an act with Geese, and a dog & pony act Mother used the name Olga Astley until she married my Dad, Freddy Yelding also from an old English Circus family, My Dad and some of his brothers were with Bertram Mills Circus riding with Billy, Dickie & Pat Baker as the Cumberlands, including one brother known as Victor Julian here in the States. I continued in their footsteps and the first act I ever presented was A Joey pony which was worked with Hugo Darty an Italian clown when I was 12 years old. I also did a Cowboy act with my Mother & Father, Three Corrals rope spinning ,whip cracking & riding, Later worked a dog act with Norman Barrett (first husband) presented a sealion act and worked in an elephant act on Robert Bros Circus. Met my second husband Rudi Lenz while working with Bertram Mills with my Pigeon act and thats how I got into the Chimp business. Just thought that if any time you run short of material (which I doubt) something different for your blog. I have tons of photos from the Fossetts, Yeldings, Bakers, Robert Bros Circus. Bertram Mills from the 1930s to 1970s, All the pictures that I have enclosed are of my Mother and her family Circus. Kindest regards. Sue Lenz.