Little Billy (1919–2001)

A Loyal Friend to Cairoli and One of Britain’s Most Loved Augustes

Little Billy — born William Alfred Merchant in Bristol in 1919 — rose from a difficult childhood to become one of the most popular and enduring augustes in British circus history. Abandoned at a young age and raised in an orphanage, Billy discovered a love for performance through regular visits to Bristol’s music halls. This passion led him to join John Lester’s troupe of performing “midgets” in 1937, and later the celebrated acrobatic troupe of Joe Boganny, where he gained valuable experience and developed his natural gift for comedy.

After serving as an aircraft fitter during the Second World War, Billy returned to performing and, in 1945, joined the Blackpool Tower Circus. It was here that he became part of Charlie Cairoli’s act, forming a bond that shaped the rest of his career. Cairoli became both mentor and friend, guiding Billy with kindness and respect.

A remarkable moment in Billy’s early career came in 1947:

Little Billy Merchant was the only professional clown ever granted permission to copy Charlie Cairoli’s makeup — and this privilege applied solely to the 1947 Tower season.
That year, his act was designed as a shadow routine, in which Billy, along with Midget, mirrored Charlie’s every move. The routine was a great success and a testament to Cairoli’s trust in Billy’s talent, timing, and professionalism.

Billy’s ability did not go unnoticed. When Cyril Mills visited Blackpool searching for performers for the first post-war season of Bertram Mills Circus, he immediately offered Billy a contract. With Mills, Billy flourished, remaining with the circus until 1964 and taking part in the celebrated winter shows at Olympia.

Billy later formed a hugely successful partnership with Jacko Fossett, an association that became beloved across Britain and Europe. Together they performed in prestigious circuses including Cirkus Schumann and Cirkus Benneweis in Copenhagen, Belle Vue International Circus in Manchester, and the Great Yarmouth Hippodrome. They also appeared regularly on British television. Their broad, warm slapstick comedy delighted audiences everywhere.

Despite Billy’s small stature, he possessed immense stage presence and impeccable timing. His gentle nature made him not only a wonderful performer but a cherished colleague. Jacko Fossett described him as “the best partner I ever had, and the one with whom I never had an argument.”

Billy retired in 1979 after a 41-year career. He later settled in Skegness, where he remained close to Jacko until the end of their lives. In 2000, Billy received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Circus Friends Association of Great Britain — recognition of a career filled with dedication, humour, and artistry.

Little Billy passed away on May 26, 2001, at the age of 81. Jacko Fossett followed three years later.#

Together, they created one of the great clown partnerships in British circus history.



Little Billy will always be remembered as a true gentleman of the ring — and the only clown ever trusted, even briefly, to wear the makeup and mirror the movements of the great Charlie Cairoli himself.

1st Photo, Make Up, A photograph of Charlie and Billy - Official Clown Eggs  from the Moore / Simkiss collection, you can compare the two make ups side by side.

2nd Photo, The Pauls

While I’m describing the Moore/ Simkiss Eggs, it’s a good moment to explain who is who and how each can be positively identified. All of them should have the classic white, cone-shaped hats and red ears — the pink hat shown in the picture is incorrect. The real clue lies in the shape of the eyebrows, and in this case the eggs have been painted accurately.

From left to right, the characters are Paul Friedman, Paul King, and Paul Connor. Each Paul was very particular about having the correct eyebrows. The fourth Paul — Charlie Junior — used, for simplicity’s sake, Paul Connor’s left eyebrow with a more pronounced downward sweep over his left eye, and a variation similar to Paul Friedman’s over his right. Charlie Junior’s right eyebrow began high near the bridge of the nose and sloped down toward the outer side.

Charlie’s father, Jean Marie, used two slightly accentuated eyebrows.