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A special talk by Andrew van buren about father of the modern circus Philip Astley.

Newcastle is the birthplace of modern circus via this month's focus Philip Astley. Astley was the son of a cabinet maker with a genius for trick riding. He opened a riding school in London in 1769. His equestrian shows became well-known. They later expanded to include clowns, jugglers, tightrope walkers and dancing dogs