William Henry Powell was a circus manager at Hengler's Circus in Glasgow.
Born in Bristol, Powell was involved in circus life from an early age. He joined Hengler's Circus as a musician and progressed to riding-master and general manager of the business which ran circuses in a number of British cities.
In 1867 Hengler's Circus moved in Glasgow to a site at 100 West Nile Street, with William Powell as manager. He had powers to recruit and dismiss performers, and to buy and sell animals. A strict disciplinarian, he ensured the smooth running of the establishment. He regularly arranged for children from charity schools to visit the circus free of charge.
Reference: Mitchell Library, GC 920.04 BAI
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning
Keywords:
charity schools, circus managers, circuses, Hengler's Circus
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