Lilian Bullen

By 1922 the family had made enough money to organize their own circus. They travelled over dirt roads from one country town to the next in bumpy horse-drawn wagons. Their three sons Stafford, Kenneth and Gregory were born between 1925 and 1930 and followed the custom of travelling circus people.

In the early 1930s the “Bullen Bros Circus” travelled mostly in Qld with a show that included its own brass band and a menagerie. Perc the ringmaster, also juggled and trained the "big cats".
Lilian played the cornet, juggled, worked monkeys, dogs and horses, and with three young girls, appeared in a dancing troupe called “The Four Marzellas”.

When she retired from the ring "Tiger Lil" took over the administration and worked hard to ensure her family's success.

Lilian Bullen was divorced from Perc by the time she died of Cancer on 4 January 1965 in King George V hospital at Camperdown and is buried at Rookwood. She left over $170,000 to the Cancer Council of NSW.
A famous early Australian circus. By Lyn Forde