MARK ST LEON is one of the foremost authorities on the history of circus in Australia. He is a descendent of the St Leon circus family, and the author of numerous books and articles on the subject. In the first of a two-part article looking at the life of his ancestor Ida St Leon (1894–1961), he begins his story in 18th century London with Astley’s Amphitheatre.

In the final of a two-part article on the life of Ida St Leon, circus historian MARK ST LEON concludes his biography of an extraordinary woman whose meteoric career saw her transform from a tightrope walker to a Broadway star.