MR. PHILIP WIRTH

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 192, 31 August 1937, Page 8

MR. PHILIP WIRTH

SYDNEY, Aug. 30. The death has occurred of Mr Philip Wirfch, of the famous circus family, aged 73. Mr Philip Wirth was-a son of Mr John Wirth, who was driven by ill lucb as a. prospector into the entertainment business. Until 1878 his father worked as a mu^ician with Ridge 's Circus. In that year the Wirths left and started the Star Troupe of Varieties. In 1889 they came to New Zealand for the first tinie, Mr Wirth giving his opinion that "New Zealand is the most wonderful country in tho world and its people are the -finest." In 1890 , after one of the brothers had vis ited the United States, they expanded and included a Wild West .Show which they presented with great suceess. Favourites who were included in it were Captain Sutton, Cowboy George, and the Arkansas Kid. By early 1891 the show had grown too large for existing needs and was split into two, one & three-ring circus and the other a Wild West show. With his brother Harry, Mr Wirth took ■"le latter. After the slump of 1893 it was decided ■ to take the show to South Africa and England, South America being vis'ited after the South African tour, and in 1899 they were back in South Africa,' after which. the circus went to India, Burma, and on to Java and Australia. The f irm was now well established and shows have often visited this country.