An elephant walking a tightrope at the Kelvin Hall Circus, 1955.
An audience of adults and children watch enthralled as this elephant twirls a baton with its trunk while crossing a double tightrope. Round steps have been placed at either end to help the elephant to get on and off the tightrope. The popularity of animal acts in circuses has waned in recent years as many people have become more concerned about animal rights and welfare.
The Kelvin Hall became the venue for Glasgow's annual circus in 1924, and remained there until the building was converted to accommodate the Museum of Transport and the Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena in 1987.
In 1955 Partick Camera Club set out to create a photographic survey of Glasgow. As the project progressed, other camera clubs joined and each was allocated a district of the city to photograph. Glasgow Museums exhibited the photographs at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum and at the People's Place, and in 1956 the exhibition was shown at the Palace of Art in Bellahouston Park. The photographs are now part of Glasgow Museums' collections.
Reference: 1005.97.24 / OG.1955.121.[23]
Reproduced with the permission of Partick Camera Club
Keywords:
circuses, elephants, Glasgow Photographic Survey 1955, Kelvin Hall Circus, Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena, tightropes
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