The National Fairground and Circus Archive

Call Directions Website Contact the organisation

The National Fairground and Circus Archive The collection also includes a unique body of ephemera (programmes, handbills, posters, charters and proclamations, plans and drawings).

The NFCA is a unique collection of photographic, printed, manuscript and audiovisual material - covering every aspect of the fair, circus and allied entertainments - as well as the culture, business, and life of travelling show people. The National Fairground & Circus Archive (NFCA) was inaugurated by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Sheffield in 1994, with the support of the Showmen's Guild of Great Britain and the Fairground Association of Great Britain. Housed in the Western Bank Library, it is a unique collection of photographic, printed, manuscript and audiovisual material covering all aspects of the culture of travelling showpeople, their organisation as a community, their social history and everyday life; and the artefacts and machinery of fairgrounds. Our key collecting areas include fairs, circus, shows, magic and illusion, variety, entertainment spaces such as the sea-side, pleasure garden and amusement park, and many aspects of variety and performance. The NFCA collections are continuing to grow: there are now over 80,000 images in the photographic collection, in addition to audio and video material, journals and magazines, and nearly 4,000 monographs. The NFCA represents an important part of the cultural heritage of the nation. It is a primary resource of rich potential for research at every level; it provides a new and exciting source of teaching material for primary and secondary education, and provides access to a wealth of popular cultural history both for the academic researcher and for the public at large. For all enquiries please email: [email protected]

Ripley Fair, 1967 (feat. Cox's Ark - A164) - photographed by Ron Kinder - from the NFCA's Ron Kinder Collection 😄
21/10/2026

Ripley Fair, 1967 (feat. Cox's Ark - A164) - photographed by Ron Kinder - from the NFCA's Ron Kinder Collection 😄

Harris' Octopus (Oc1) - photographed by Ron Kinder at Nottingham Goose Fair, 1968 - from the NFCA's Ron Kinder Collectio...
21/10/2026

Harris' Octopus (Oc1) - photographed by Ron Kinder at Nottingham Goose Fair, 1968 - from the NFCA's Ron Kinder Collection 🐙

Crowds around Shaw's Moonrocket (M12) - photographed by Ron Kinder at Nottingham Goose Fair, 1969 - from the NFCA's Ron ...
21/10/2026

Crowds around Shaw's Moonrocket (M12) - photographed by Ron Kinder at Nottingham Goose Fair, 1969 - from the NFCA's Ron Kinder Collection 🌕🚀

Graham's Meteorite (MT31) - photographed by Ron Kinder at Nottingham Goose Fair, 1970 - from the NFCA's Ron Kinder Colle...
21/10/2026

Graham's Meteorite (MT31) - photographed by Ron Kinder at Nottingham Goose Fair, 1970 - from the NFCA's Ron Kinder Collection 😄

Green's Flying Coaster (FC3) - photographed by Ron Kinder at Nottingham Goose Fair, 1985 - from the NFCA's Ron Kinder Co...
21/10/2026

Green's Flying Coaster (FC3) - photographed by Ron Kinder at Nottingham Goose Fair, 1985 - from the NFCA's Ron Kinder Collection 😄

Hall's Dive Bomber (DB17a) - photographed by Ron Kinder at Nottingham Goose Fair, 1986 - from the NFCA's Ron Kinder Coll...
21/10/2026

Hall's Dive Bomber (DB17a) - photographed by Ron Kinder at Nottingham Goose Fair, 1986 - from the NFCA's Ron Kinder Collection 😄

Holland's Waltzer (W32) - photographed by Ron Kinder at Ripley Fair, 1967 - from the NFCA's Ron Kinder Collection 😄
21/10/2026

Holland's Waltzer (W32) - photographed by Ron Kinder at Ripley Fair, 1967 - from the NFCA's Ron Kinder Collection 😄

Weston's Challenger (LR32) - photographed by Ron Kinder at Hull Fair, 1993 - from the NFCA's Ron Kinder Collection 😄
21/10/2026

Weston's Challenger (LR32) - photographed by Ron Kinder at Hull Fair, 1993 - from the NFCA's Ron Kinder Collection 😄

Shaw's Moonrocket (M12) - photographed by Ron Kinder at Nottingham Goose Fair, 1976 - from the NFCA's Ron Kinder Collect...
21/10/2026

Shaw's Moonrocket (M12) - photographed by Ron Kinder at Nottingham Goose Fair, 1976 - from the NFCA's Ron Kinder Collection 🌕🚀

Armstrong's Waltzer (A30) - building up - photographed by Ron Kinder at Nottingham Goose Fair, 1976 - from the NFCA's Ro...
21/10/2026

Armstrong's Waltzer (A30) - building up - photographed by Ron Kinder at Nottingham Goose Fair, 1976 - from the NFCA's Ron Kinder Collection 😄

Address

Western Bank Library
Sheffield
S102TN

Telephone

+441142227299

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The National Fairground and Circus Archive posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organisation

Send a message to The National Fairground and Circus Archive:

Shortcuts

Share

Category