Martin J. Downs Ring #18 - Fred Logan Tent #119

Come out and see our marvelous miniatures and learn what the old time [and modern] circus looks like. Perhaps you too will get the fever and sawdust in your shoes and want to build your own big top

BUILD A MODEL CIRCUS TODAY! IT'S FUN!

• 2011 ROUTES

The Circus Model Builders 2011 Lot #2 Gathering in Hershey, Pennsylvania hosted by the Leonard Aylesworth Ring #2 at the Antique Automobile Club of America Museum on May 23 to 26, 2011. For information contact David R. Liggett at 717-242-1259 or email him at drlcjl@verizon.net. 

We will be holding our CMB Lot #7 Show at the Paris Fairgrounds in Paris, Ontario June 11 and 12, 2011.

The Muskoka Heritage Transportation Days will be held at the Huntsville Train Station Society Museum on June 18 & 19, 2011. For information go to www.huntsvilletrainstation.com. 

We will be displaying at the Ilderton Steam Show held in Ilderton, Ontario July  9 and 10, 2011. 

Annual Martin Downs-Fred Logan Barbeque at the Ward's home in London, July 24

The Baraboo Circus Model Builders Show at Circus World Museum June 16 & 19, 2011 in Baraboo, Wisconsin.

Bowmanville Zoo Day will be held at the Zoo, 340 King Street East, Bowmanville, Ontario on August 10, 2011.

The 2011 Circus Fans of America Convention will be held in Newburgh, New York. For information contact Henry Pearce at 973-670-2593 or email him at henrypearce@gmail.com. 

Brampton Model Train Show will be held October 1 and 2, 2011 at Brampton Fairground. We will be displaying there. For information contact Ray Bottoms at raybelle2001@yahoo.ca .

-FOR DETAILS EMAIL ONE OF THE CONTACT PEOPLE LISTED ON THIS PAGE-

THE HISTORY OF THE RING

The Martin Downs Ring was formed in Brantford, Ontario in 1951 under the leadership of the late Ed Cripps. Ed was a great circus fan and was a friend to many of the circus people. His idol was the late Terrell Jacobs. For many years Ed operated the Big Top Hobby Shop in Brantford where he sold circus wagons kits and where he had his 1/4 inch model Brant Bros. Circus on display on a big shelf behind the cash register. Ed was a modeller and with other local fans it was decided to form the first Canadian ring.

It is named after Martin J. Downs who was a well known circus man in the 1900s. Among the several titles that he owned was Cole Bros., a name that is still around today. Other well known Canadian circus men include Andrew Downey from Stratford, Al G. Barnes [Stonehouse] from Lobo Township near London, the Garden Family and The Great Farini, who was a rival of daredevil wirewalker, Blondin.

The early members included Ed Cripps, Frank McKinnon, Woody Parmenter, Jack [Map] Mailing, Walter Tyson, Paul Butler and many others the majority of whom are now deceased. Most of them were not actually modellers but they were active and vibrant club, visiting every circus in sight and usually taking pies and other treats to the lot with them for the enjoyment of the circus people.

THE MERGER OF THE RING AND THE TENT 

In 1972 it was decided to form the first Canadian Circus Fans tent. Most of the original members were involved with one new member in the person of A. W. [Al] Stencell, Canada's circus guy. Former owner of Royal Bros. Circus, Martin and Downs Circus, Super Circus and Century All Star Circus. Al gave up the circus business a number of years ago and is now an author with two books to his credit.

The final meeting to set up the tent was held at the home of Paul Butler in Strathroy, Ontario. It was decided to name the tent after another well-known circus man, Fred Logan, from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Fred was a long-time Clyde Beatty - Cole Bros. elephant trainer. And so it was that the Fred Logan CFA Tent #119 was born.

Because of the relatively small number of members and because they were spread all over southern Ontario, it was decided to merge the tent with the existing CMB ring which is a unique situation. Thus on September 17, 1972 the combined Martin J. Downs CMB Ring #18 - Fred Logan CFA Tent #119 was born. Now there is all mostly all new blood in the club although a few of the original members are still alive. the club now has about 75 members spread all over south Ontario and the rest of Canada, United States, England, France and Australia. We are still an exceptionally active club displaying our models at a number of shows each year.