Bertram Mills

Bertram Wagstaff Mills (August 1873 – 16 April 1938) was a British circus owner originally from Paddington, London, who ran the Bertram Mills Circus. His circus became famous in the UK for its Christmas shows at Olympia in West London. His troupe were the last to perform with live animals on the Drury Lane Theatre stage.

Born in August 1873, Bertram was the son of Halford Mills of Paddington, London, an undertaker and the owner of the Reformed Funeral Company, a coach building works and the Undertakers Journal. Halford Mills was described as a "pioneer of embalming". Bertram was brought up on two small farms at Chalfont St. Giles (which his father owned for the purpose of sending his horses there to rest), where he developed his passion for horseback riding.

He left school aged fifteen and started washing down the coaches for the family business, which was started by his grandfather (who used to be an evangelical preacher). Within a year he was driving a four-in-hand from London to Oxford wearing a cornflower in his morning coat, for which he later became recognised.

He continued working for the family firm until the outbreak of World War I when he joined and served with the Royal Army Medical Corps, rising to the rank of Captain.

On leaving the army he became interested in the "Wilkins and Young Circus". He made a wager with a friend that he could form a circus company and within a year be as good as they were. He did just that and thus the "Bertram Mills International Circus" was formed.

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