Circus Joseph Ashton

Ashton's Circus is the longest-surviving circus in Australia, pre-dating most others in the English-speaking world. The circus was founded in Hobart, Tasmania in about 1849 by Thomas Mollor, and acquired in February 1850 by James Henry Ashton, a man schooled in the tradition of English circus and who had experienced the hard times of the nineteenth century. The circus operated as the Royal Amphitheatre or Royal Circus.

When founder James Henry Ashton died in 1889, his son Fred, then aged 22, inherited the circus. The circus continued to be handed down throughout the family, and today it is run by the 6th generation of Ashtons, Michelle and Joseph and their sons Jordan and Merrik.

Circus Joseph Ashton travels mainly in South Australia and Western Australia.

Other circuses run by other members of the Ashton family include Lorraine Ashton's Classic Circus and Circus Xsavia.

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The Gobbledock in the Smiths Crisps TV advertisement was played by Ernie Everingham who as a boy lived near Cessnock NSW. When Ernie was about 12 he tried to crawl under the side of Ashton's Circus tent. A big German roustabout dragged him out by the seat of his pants and asked why he was crawling under tent and not buying a ticket like everyone else. Ernie explained he didn't have any money but would like to see the circus. The German took pity on him and told him to sit in one of the Ashton family's seats as that person wasn't expected there that night however, that person turned up and questioned why Ernie was sitting in his seat. Once again he was taken pity on and was asked if he could handle horses. Ernie replied yes after all he had a horse. After the show the manager of Ashton's Circus drove Ernie home and asked Ernie's mother if he could go on the road with the circus to manage the horses and she gave her permission. He travelled all over Australia with the circus and even went overseas to New Zealand and other Pacific Island countries. Ernie later became a clown and eventually married one of the Ashtons girls who was the Bearded Lady.