Circus Complaint September 1868
To the Editor of the Isle of Wight Observer
Sir, I happen to live in that part of town which has lately had to endure the infliction of a circus in our midst, and a most abominable nuisance to the neighbourhood it certainly was; indeed, its whole tendency is of a demoralising kind – it congregates the young of both sexes, and when they leave such places it often happens they fall into evil. Do these circus proprietors (who pay no rates or taxes in any town wherein they locate) have to get permission of the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners before they perform in the town? If so, I trust permission for several weeks of such a nuisance will not again be granted; or, at all events, if it is allowed, let the performance be in the neighbourhood of West-street.
Yours truly,
THE FATHER OF A FAMILY
[We have made enquiry and find that permission of the Chairman of the Board has never been asked in such cases; the circus proprietors, if they can secure land with consent of the ground landlord, consider they have a right to perform, and we are not aware that this right has ever been disputed. – ED I W O.
