Introduction
============

This database collects images of clippings taken from the three-volume
collection of Theatre Cuttings housed in the `British Library`_ (Call Number Th.
Cts. 35-37). These volumes contain materials relating to `Astley’s Circus`_,
including newspaper clippings, other printed ephemera, and a lock of Philip
Astley’s daughter-in-law’s hair. The clippings were collected by James Winston
(1779-1843) around 1817. The Astley volumes were acquired by the British
Library in 1882.

Further information about the aims and scope of the database can be found under
“About” on the navigation bar. Selecting “`About`_” from the drop-down menu will
navigate the user to a description of the database’s scope, including the
sources used for gathering information. Selecting “`Bibliography`_” from the
drop-down menu navigates to a page that describes previous scholarly work on
the early circus and Romantic theatricality more generally, and situates the
database within that work.




.. _Bibliography: https://dhil.lib.sfu.ca/circus/page/3

.. _About: https://dhil.lib.sfu.ca/circus/page/1

.. _British Library: https://www.bl.uk/

.. _`Astley’s Circus`: http://www.circopedia.org/Philip_Astley