Breakfast At The Circus

The highlight of every summer as a kid was the arrival of Old Home week and The Bill Lynch midway. But every now and then a Circus would arrive bringing exotic animals , clowns and acrobats. Three of these stand out in my mind.
The first was held down at the exhibition grounds. We saw it arrive by rail as it passed our house, the brightly coloured wagons atop of the flatcars. The line seemed endless as it slowly made it’s way to the station. We would immediately head down to the station to watch.
The wagons would be rolled of and hooked up to horse which would then pull them up to the grounds.
The most amazing site was the elephants walking single file holding on to each others tail and walk behind the trainer. The largest elephants would help raise the Big Top, pulling on ropes and raising the canvass.
My mother took me to see the circus and bought me a bottle of coke. I so enjoyed that day as the action was non stop in the three rings.
The next one I remember took place at Victoria Park (As I Recall), Mom and Dad were away and Brenda was in charge of us. She so wanted to go and made us promise “Don’t tell mom and Dad”. If we didn’t tell she would buy us a popsicle. We walked out to the park , it was in the evening, I don’t remember getting in to see anything , just walking around.
We left there , and true to her word, Brenda bought us a popsicle at Foster’s Ice Cream on Euston Street. We were so excited to be getting a popsicle all to our selves. We slowly unwrapped them and waited for that cold sweet flavour to hit our tastes buds!!!!mmm
YUK,
These were awful, they tasted like kerosene, the oil lamp above the freezer had leaked the kerosene into the cooler and unto the popsicle. We could have lit them and smoked them they were so saturated., but we ate them anyway.
The Third circus I recall set up over where Superstore is now located, it was a vacant field with one barn housing Dunlop tires. The price of admission was one dollar which was out of our price range and we could not get any money from mom.
It was one of the few times I ever saw my mother in bed during the day , not feeling well. We jumped on our bikes and drove over anyway. We walked around the tent looking for an opening and then we spotted one.
Niall was the first to try , he got on his stomach and slid under and disappeared, Gord was next with me close behind. I poked my head under the tent just in time to see Gord take off running being chased by a Clown on stilts. The Clown didn’t stand a chance , Gord was gone in a flash. I was halfway under the tent at this point , ready to make my run.
There aren’t many exotic animals on PEI, and certainly none to be afraid of, but The Circus is another world.
As I was contemplating my run, my heart pounding in fear of being caught , I got up on my knees and was just about to go, when I felt hot smelly breath on my cheek. I turned my head slowly to the right and there looking into my eyes was a Giraffe. The were in a corral by the side of the tent and he lowered his neck down to check on the excitement.
I dropped to my stomach and slid back out under the tent, ran to my bike and peddled home, still shaking. But as I said the best time for any kid in the summer was Old Home Week and The Bill Lynch Midway.




Everybody has their favourite memories of that week each summer so I’ll be quiet about mine.
This picture is probably 1955, going by the cars. Remember The Burlesque Tent, the girls would come out and dance around while the Barker enticed the men to go in.
I hear that during the last show on Saturday Night they take it all off.
The Rollo Planes were very scary, it held a total of 8 people , two in each end, and you were held in by a metal bar that crushed down on your knees, Baldy Williams would sit close to this ride and wait for it to shake the change out of peoples pockets.
You can see the Bingo tent down by the lower gate, The Priest who travelled with The Show would hold Mass there on Sunday Morning.
Just behind the Two Ferris Wheels is a ride shaped like a water wheel, two people would sit in it and it would rotate.
After the Midway left town the Gallant boys built one in their back yard. They would charge you a nickle , and they would tie you in with rope and spin it till you threw up.
You can see from this picture the rides were few and there are lots of side shows.
The food stands were mostly locals, The Redmond’s from the east end, Joe Ghiz and his Father, Ring the bell to win a cigar, Whitey Macdonald, The Burgoynes had a couple of concessions and I recall the bought hotdogs from Canada Packers , not by the dozen but by the Ton.
Anyway there is a lot to see in this picture, take your time and enjoy.