Although born somewhere on the Welsh/English borders, Joan is a Billericay Girl. Her Grandparents’ circus moved to Wilborough Farm, Cox’s Farm Road, Billericay in the mid-1930s and it remained their winter quarters until the circus closed in 1956. Its first performance of the season was always at Sun Corner Billericay before moving on around the country, including Laindon. Joan still lives in a bungalow in Billericay.
The new book is available at the Basildon Heritage Office, The Green Centre, Wat Tyler Park, Pitsea or on the last Saturday of November at Laindon Library (10am – 12noon), price £9.00 plus £2.50 if posting is required (RTP £12.50) – It’s also in the Library.
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My friends and I used to go regularly to the winter quarters in Coxs Farm Road. Joan was always very welcoming. I loved Goldy and her other horse Johnny. He never seems to get a mention! There was another, smaller palomino who’s name I can’t remember.
I remember watching a display of Joan Rosaire and Goldy around 1966 at the horse show on Larkins playing field, Doddinghurst Road.
Hi Kenneth, You mentioned that you could send photos of Joan and her horses to Amanda. If it is possible, I would also love to see these please.
Joan taught me to ride and I remember with great fondness spending hours of my childhood at the stables. I remember Fairy, Dusty, and of course Goldie among others. They were such happy days.
It’s wonderful to hear that Joan is still going strong and I would love to be able to send her a letter. Is there a way you would be able to pass it on if you are still in touch with her? I’d be so grateful. Thank you.
Hi Amanda
If you would like some photographs of Joan and her horses, I will send some to you as long as you give permission to the editor for your email address to be passed to me. Joan is still going strong at 86, I see her every now and again and speak regularly on the phone.
I was brought up in Norfolk and my Great Uncle was a saxophonist in the big band that played at the Great Yarmouth Hippodrome. He got complimentary tickets twice a year, so on these occasions I used to go to watch the Circus. I was lucky enough to always go back stage and meet the animal acts appearing that night. I can still remember the unique smell of straw and disinfectant. The animals were incredibly well-loved and well looked after, which is something overlooked these days, in the haste of being politically correct. In the 1960s there were , of course, no restrictions on the animals performing at the Hippodrome. As a child I delighted in meeting the llamas, the poodles, the chimpanzees, and especially the amazing Goldy, with Joan Rosaire. I have been searching for at least two years to find evidence that Goldy the Horse existed, and was not a figment of my imagination, and am delighted to be able to say “Yes, I knew of Joan Rosaire and Goldy!” Sadly I do not have any photos of Joan.
Hi Trevor
Thank you for your note ..I will let Joan no, she is still talking and going strong…Ken
My mother Thelma Savage (Waters) has started reading the book. It brings back memories of her taking my sister Hazel in her pushchair and me in the late fifties down Coxes Farm Road to see what was going on at the circus. Please let Ken Porter know.
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