Page 27 - The Outdoor Showman April - June 2022

Lorraine Perry
A driving force running arguably Australia’s oldest circus died in May, aged 84.
Lorraine Maynard and husband Fred took over Perry Bros’ Circus (founded 1847 by George William Perry) from her parents, James (Jimmy) and Nellie, who operated it from the end of World War II.
At its height in the 1920s-30s, Perry Bros toured as many as eight elephants, by rail and road, regularly covering all States and New Zealand.
Saigon, last of the herd, died at Sydney Zoo,
a decade after retirement to the Maynard property at Greta, Victoria. Burma, Ginny
and Sheba pre-deceased her, along with Minyak, who came to them when their cousins at Sole Bros’ Circus, went off the road on 1993.
Lorraine Maynard had a heart pacemaker inserted two years ago and had suffered health problems in recent months.
She leaves behind Fred, 95, sons Perry and Tony (Eroni’s Circus) and daughter Jasmine (Brophy’s Circus).
Clive Harrison
Clive Harrison (Lotah), the man who did handstands on a motorbike (with girl on trapeze suspended underneath), on a tight wire slung between lighting towers, 80 ft above centre ring at Royal Sydney and Melbourne Shows, has died, aged 87.
The name Lotah came after his father, Colin, the British army fitness trainer and acrobatic performer opened the “Athol The Strong” show on NZ showgrounds.
Clive was one of five children: Heather, Clive, Angela (“La Belle Angelique” (Revelle), bare-top trapeze at the Paris Lido) Karl and Ella, all of whom performed in NZ and Australia.
Clive hand-balanced, dived through knives, clowned and did sway pole and motorcycle/ spaceship on the wire, performing internationally well into his seventies.
He was a founding partner with Karl and Karl’s wife Sue (Perry), Barry Nixon and others in glamour Circus Startime (1981).
His wife, Anne, died over a decade ago. He leaves daughter Danielle (Brewer) and son Michael (Silvers Circus.)
THE OUTDOOR SHOWMAN 25