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.

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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 ...

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Astley's Circus - St Thomas's Hospital Gardens

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

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Astley's first venue

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

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Other Subjects

Sheridan’s Stables

Sheridan’s Stables

Harrow Through Time by Don Walter dates this bucolic image to 1795.

Building, Animals

1 memorial
Stables at Camden Goods Depot

Stables at Camden Goods Depot

The excellent Camden Railway Heritage Trust tells you all you need to know about this Goods Depot.  The horses and stables have their own page from which our picture comes.

Building, Animals, Property

1 memorial
Hyde Park Barracks / Knightsbridge Barracks

Hyde Park Barracks / Knightsbridge Barracks

This site was first developed in 1795 for use by the Horse Guards. The barracks were designed by architect James Johnson and buildings were added up to 1803. (British History Online – 1st Barracks ...

Group, Armed Forces, Animals

2 memorials
British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection / Cruelty Free International

British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection / Cruelty Free International

Founded in Bristol by Frances Power Cobbe, who had earlier founded the NAVS. 2012 it joined another organisation and rebranded as Cruelty Free International. For completeness we should mention the...

Group, Animals

1 memorial
National Anti-Vivisection Society

National Anti-Vivisection Society

The world’s first body to challenge the use of animals in research, founded by Frances Power Cobbe, in Victoria Street SW1 as the Victoria Street Society. 1898 the group split over whether it shoul...

Group, Animals

1 memorial