On Thursday 6th December 1900 Mr. Tyler from Hasketon, who we believe lived in Blacksmiths Road, made what he presumably considered a routine trip into Woodbridge. Unfortunately for him, the circus had just hit town:

MENAGERIE AT WOODBRIDGE, TRADESMAN’S WINDOW SMASHED.
On Thursday morning, as Messrs. Bostock and Wombwell’s elephants were going up Church Street, Woodbridge, a pony and trap belonging to Mr. Tyler, of Hasketon, was following, when the pony was frightened by the elephants, and suddenly backed into Mr. George Booth’s window, and smashed large pane of plate glass. Two children looking in the window had a very narrow escape from being seriously injured, being only just pulled away in time by some bystanders.

Framlingham Weekly News on Saturday 08 December 1900

George Booth owned a printing and bookbinding business, now the location of ‘TravelQuest’ travel agents. “Bostock and Wombwell’s Menagerie” was a well-known travelling circus of the 19th century and was on the way to display their animals on Woodbridge Market Hill.

The moral, I suppose, is never work with children or animals. A somewhat similar event occurred in Stowmarket a few years later:

MONKEY CAUSES ACCIDENT AT STOWMARKET.

On Thursday-market day at Stowmarket an organ operator’s monkey caused an accident.  During the morning, the organ was being played in the main thoroughfare, and the accompanying monkey, jumping on to the organ frightened a horse attached to a dealers cart, driven by Dennis Burrell of Gosbeck, which was passing.  The horse started, and knocked down two boys named Pryke and Robinson who were near.  They were taken to Dr Harper, who gave medical attention and the lads were able to walk home, little the worse for the unpleasant experience.

Framlingham Weekly News – Saturday 10 August 1912