Bullen’s Circus Wound Up

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30192, 25 July 1963, Page 6

Bullen’s Circus Wound Up

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

BRISBANE, July 23. In the Queensland Supreme Court today, Mr Justice Hart ordered the winding up of Bullen’s circus. After talking with two senior members of the circus family, his Honour said "both agree they don’t want this family row to go on in public and that the best thing to do is wind the company up and appoint a liquidator.” Before the Court was a petition by Alfred rercival Bullen, of Oxford street, Lidcombe, New South Wales, and his two sons—Stafford Leslie Bullen, of Wentworth Park, Glebe, Sydney; and Kenneth Earl Bullen, of Oxford street, Lidcombe circus proprietors, seeking the winding up of Bullen’s Circus Pty., Ltd.. Bullen’s Transport Pty., Ltd., and Bullen's Animals Pty., Ltd., all of Elizabeth street, Brisbane, and all incorporated in Queensland. Woman Director The petitions alleged that Mrs Lilian Ethel Bullen, as governing director, Lad acted in her own interests rather than the interests of the company’s members as a whole. The petition set out that Alfred Bullen and Mrs Bullen were married in Sydney on August 17, 1917 —and sons Stafford and Kenneth were born in 1925 and 1929. In 1919, Alfred Bullen bought waggons, horses, a tent and a lion in a cage. He then conducted a circus under the name of Perce Bullen’s Grand United Circus and Zoo.

From childhood both sons travelled and worked in the circus. Tn 1957, while the petitioners were busy organising the circus in Queensland, Mrs Bullen formed the company, Bullen’s Circus Pty., Ltd., the petition alleged. Family Conflict During a tour of New Zealand in 1962 there were disagreements between Mrs Bullen and the petitioners, and later in Sydney Mrs Bullen terminated the services as directors of her two sons and. later, Alfred Bullen. The petitioners claimed they had at all times carried out their duties efficiently and to the best of their ability and knew of nothing that would constitute cause for their dismissal as directors.

Mrs Bullen in an affidavit denied the allegations, and claimed she had devoted her

life to the circus and had been sole proprietor until the three companies were farmed in 1957. The running and organising of the circus was done entirely by her. She said that during the New Zealand series Stafford and Kenneth made themselves disagreeable to her and the staff. Revolver Threat

In Sydney last May, Alfred Bullen came to her caravan and produced a revolver and threatened to shoot her, Mrs Bullen said. When the hearing began today Mr Justice Hart said it was a very sad thing to see a family breaking up in this way. It seemed Mrs Bullen had excluded the petitioners from the management of the company, and it was his prima facie view, subject to argument, that this was a ground for making a wind up order, irrespective of who was to blame in the family dispute. His Honour, with the agreement of counsel, then spoke to Mrs Bullen and Alfred Bullen in his chambers. Later Mr Justice IJart, by consent, ordered that Bullens Circus, Pty., Ltd., be wound up under the provisions of the Companies Act, and that lan Eaglie White, of Queen street, Brisbane, be appointed liquidator. His Honour made similar orders for the associate companies.