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5 April at
Southall Park in Middlesex. The circus toured alongside Smart's funfair; the tents blew down and the circus carried out its performances for two days in the open air. Smart made his circus debut with "Billy Smart's New World Circus" as assistant ringmaster aged 12. He was soon performing with
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proprietor, who bought a circus in 1946. He would travel with the Circus and go to local schools when at a location for a lengthy period. One school was 'All Saints' at
Blackheath, London in 1958, the heath being a regular location for the circus. The first appearance of the Billy Smart circus was on
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In the
Netherlands, Billy Smart was known for the annual "Billy Smart's Kinderkerstcircus" ("Billy Smart's Children Christmas Circus") TV broadcast. Dutch singer Fay Lovsky listed Billy Smart in her 1981 hit "Christmas Was A Friend of Mine" as one of her favourite Christmas traditions.
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The "Billy Smart's" touring circus was revived by his brother Ronald and nephew Gary in 1993, but Smart concentrated on a second career as a property developer, based in
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Smart, together with his brothers, Ronald Smart and David Smart, took over management of the circus when their father died in 1966 at
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In 1985, the Smart circus
Winkfield winter quarters were sold for the equivalent of £20m in 2017.
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in 1969 before selling it in 1977, for the equivalent of £30m in 2017 (it is now the site of
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could hold over 6,000 people, with a show including hundreds of animals and performers.
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Smart, whose real name was
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acts. In one famous incident, he tamed a herd of performing
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in the ring. At its peak, Billy Smart's four-masted
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