General Information
During the year 2000 D J Clark built a visual record of the Lancaster &
Morecambe district using photographs and information submitted by those that
feature in the pictures. The project was conducted in association with Lancaster
Museum and has been archived for future generations to look back at the district
at the turn of the new Millennium. For more information on the project visit
the information page. If you find a caption is
wrong or there is a fault with the page please e-mail D
J Clark.
Date:
May 26th 2000
Location: Ryelands Park
Photographer's Diary
Friday 26th May - The Circus
Driving past Ryelands park a couple of weeks ago, I had noticed some tents arriving. Maggie told me she had some vouchers for the circus and I reminded her to please, please tell me about anything going on. On Tuesday I phoned them, and phoned them again and again, always being promised someone would call me back. I gave up. Two hours later the phone went with the manager on the line, I explained the project and he agreed to leave me a ticket for Friday.
I had chosen Friday because it was raining Tuesday. But Friday it was really raining and I cursed the British weather as I ran from the car park to the tent, occasionally stopping for a quick frame. My ticket was there and I walked in to be greeted by what seemed like Eastern European ushers dressed in well used tunics. They were unsure about my cameras but did not have the courage to confront me. I started at the back and moved to the front. I was petrified of the clowns with buckets of water and an obvious target for ridicule. It turned out I read it like a book, as I moved back in the second half just before the clowns came on. The seat I had been shooting from was duly soaked with me watching from a safe distance.
The circus was far from my expectations. No Elephants, clever lions or even juggling seals, in fact no animals at all. More like a Butlins Redcoats show with a few acrobatics. But it was good entertainment, aimed straight at children who clearly loved it. A mix of trapezes and YMCA, with the actions of course.
It was dark, and I was unsure of some of my camera readings but I think I got some good pictures. I left in the hope of a people and tent picture, but the rain continued and I gave up.