Description:Born in Newcastle-under-Lyme in 1742, Philip Astley was the son of a cabinetmaker who grew up to become a military hero, the original ringmaster and ‘father of the modern circus’. This silhouette portrait was engraved by J. Smith.
In 1768, Astley acquired “Ha’Penny Hatch” on the south bank of the Thames between London Bridge and Westminster Bridge. In 1770, Astley established the first of his renowned Astley’s Amphitheatres, capturing public imagination. Astley’s shows combined horses, acrobats, clowns and trick riders within a 42-foot diameter ring - now the standard size for circus rings. Philip Astley pioneered the role of Ringmaster, thrilling audiences with his trick riding alongside his wife Patty. Astley exported this new form of entertainment across Europe, paving the way for circus development in Russia, America and beyond.
Philip Astley died in 1814 and was buried in the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.