Page 28 - The Outdoor Showman July-September 2020

Into the Sunset
Juggling
Mervyn on Horse back
Pilot licence
Mervyn Ashton
Friend of Showpeople passes; Mervyn Ashton legend lives on.
The close relationship between Australia’s show-people and circus has changed with the death of Mervyn Ashton. But only generational change.
Mervyn Douglas Joseph Ashton, circus star, proprietor and legend, died in hospital in Perth, WA, on Thursday, 27th August. He was 81.
Ashtons trace their history back to 1800s, when James Henry Ashton performed in Australia’s first theatre-circus, in Launceston, Tasmania.
With 8 generations it’s the oldest circus family in Australia.
Back in the 1930s, when showmen worked to establish a Guild, Mervyn’s grandfather, Joe, and grandmother Ivy, often ran their
circus at country shows. They trained generations of performers, including several who had books written about them.
They were great mates with showpeople, and often socialised together over the traditional open campfire. The Chant family particularly have vivid memories of times and friendships on the road.
When the VSG formed, Ashtons cheered. The Guild later made Doug Ashton, Mervyn’s father, Patron, an honour he held for more than 30 years, up to his death in 2011.
Both Doug and wife Phyllis were awarded the Order of Australia Medals, for services to entertainment and the community. They are buried at Springvale, Melbourne.
Many books have been written about Ashton’s Circus. It became Australia’s largest in the 1980s, with up to 38 family members, including children, on the payroll.
Mervyn is survived by two sisters, Lorraine,
wife of long-time Ashton’s performer Gary Grant, now retired, near Plainland, Qld, and Jan, married to long-time performer Brazil Rodriguez, still
active in the business.
He leaves, three children: Pepe, Bekki and Golda. Bekki Ashton is a driving force in Pepe’s shows, and Golda retired from performing there three years ago. Grandchildren Jordan, Merrik, Dante, Rikki, Katrina, Alex and Zeeva.
As a performer, Mervyn mastered the slack wire, an act he had to put in the show in an emergency; thirteen years later, it was still a highlight.
He also performed a spectacular Roman Rings act, clowned if needed, did aerial acts, mat acrobatics, and filled in anywhere needed.
Out of the ring, he supervised tent put-up and pull-down, tent mark-out, drove the 3-girl elephant truck, raised a family, operated the ticket-box, and was a major part of the management team.
Wife Nikki, a former champion diver, was the circus costumiere, aerialist, occasional ballet producer, Ring- mistress, sounding-board, go-to lady, and very much part of the management team.
In one hectic matinee, Mervyn sold 2,000 tickets in an hour-and-a-half. His sense of humour impressed staff and patrons alike.
He’s best remembered for up-grading Australia’s standard of flying trapeze: one of the first to perform the double somersault, he was even prouder, years later, when daughter Bekki performed the triple.
Mervyn, Lorraine and Doug
He joined enthusiastically when the Circus Federation formed, and contributed financially to campaigns provoked by Animal Lib and their co-conspirators.
On the road, he helped open up new sites, kept rents down, negotiated with councils, State governments, other organisations and landowners, often in conjunction with Guilds all over the country.
In the 1980s, Mervyn was such a celebrity, he was the subject of A memorable
“This is Your Life”, with Mike Willessee.
On camera, he was stunned when, out
of nowhere, the family, plus circus people from Europe and America, appeared. Doug and Phyllis had flown from New Zealand, where the circus was, and kept in snooker.
Dealing with medical problems in later years, he could be found in the ticket-box or the office, often greeting townies from both countries that he’d got to know over 60 years on the road.
It was saddening when, in 2018, Infamous moved east, and he had to remain at
the CJA farm at Beverley, east of Perth.
In August 2020 he was taken into hospital over the weekend, his condition deteriorating.
The rest of the family, opening with Infamous in Townsville on the Friday after, but Covid19 Border Blockades made that impossible without 14 days’ quarantine. That was too long.
It also delayed funeral rites. The family will organise a proper farewell, with a million happy Mervyn stories, near the end of the year. Bekki will Facebook it, when details are settled.
Rest in peace Mervyn. Gone but never forgotten.
Mervyn, Jan and Lorraine
Flying trapeze - Doug and Mervyn Ashton
26 THE OUTDOOR SHOWMAN