Program: The Barnum and Bailey Greatest Show on Earth at Olympia for 1897

Program for The Barnum and Bailey Greatest Show on Earth at Olympia, Kensington, London for 1897. Featured on the cover are portraits of P.T. Barnum and J.A Bailey in decorative ovals, with Barnum in the upper right and Bailey in the lower left. Printed in full color, they are surrounded by colorful text. This program features the order of entertainments at the Olympia shows, giving the names of performers. It also includes illustrations of the exterior of the building where the show was performed, individual depictions of animals including lions and a herd of trick horses, and a page featuring illustrations of various animals. Featured throughout are advertisements for English products. The back of the program features a full color advertisement for Pears' soap. Barnum is best known for his involvement with the circus that bore his name, but his circus ventures came about when he was in his 60s. The first show was called P.T. Barnum's Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan and Circus. Railroads propelled the circus to success, making it easier to reach a number of locations, and the intake was significant. Barnum then opened the New York Hippodrome with similar acts. In the 1880s, he encountered competition from other circuses. A merger between Barnum's show and the Great London Show of Cooper, Bailey, and Hutchinson formed the Barnum and London Circus. Negotiations in 1887 formed the Barnum and Bailey circus. The name remained until 1919 when it became the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. It came to an end in May 2017 when the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus ceased performances after 146 years.