The wife of Britain’s greatest showman Gerry Cottle, who died of Covid-19 at 75 last January, once told him that he was ‘not a proper husband’.
Betty Cottle suffered decades of the veteran circus impresario’s sexual infidelities, relentless womanising and cocaine addiction before splitting with him in 2001.
She left the circus boss having spent years waiting in their caravan for the philanderer to return home, telling him: ‘You are never here. You don’t know where I am. You’re not a husband – you’re a lodger and a bloody ungrateful one at that’.
But more than twenty years after they separated, Betty has been named as a beneficiary in his will – which leaves a fortune of more than £5.3million.
Betty was also mentioned in the personal items section, as she is to be handed his share in a painting by Edward Seago, who was appointed as the official artist for the Queen’s Coronation in 1953.
Cottle has died shortly after contracting Covid – just a week before he was due to be vaccinated. His death occurred in Bath, January 2021. Four children, five grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren survived him.
Gerry Cottle celebrating his 72nd Birthday in April 2017, with the WOW Circus group. Covid was his last catch and he passed away at the age of 75.
Betty Cottle was Gerry Cottle’s wife and would be leaving him after 33 years. She is he main beneficiary of his £5.3million will
Gerry Cottle, at the height of his stardom is seen on stilts with his stars. One time, he was the head of Britain’s most famous circus. He needed 150 trucks for transporting the shows around the country.
Gerry Cottle enjoying his 1993 funfare. Cottle was also successful despite two bankruptcies and a severe sex addiction. He even used cocaine to get high.
Bettyis to be handed his share in a painting by Edward Seago, who was appointed as the official artist for the Queen’s Coronation in 1953. Gerry fronting the art in 2009.
He was the son of a stockbroker and was born in Carshalton (Surrey). However, at age 14 he ran off to join circus after being inspired by an act he saw at Earl’s Court West London.
His son Gerry will receive any cars that he had, along with his number plate GWC1
Cottle started his career in circus as “Gerry Melville The Teenage Juggler,” but by 1970, his Gerry Cottle Circus was on the road with three shows.
Betty Fossett was later his bride. She is from one the UK’s oldest circus families dating back to two centuries.
This circus legend was previously diagnosed with prostate cancer. He also had an addiction to cocaine.
Cottle was impulsive, running away from his strict middle-class Surrey home, where he wasn’t even allowed tomato ketchup, to join the circus at 15.
The man went on to manage circuses all over the world, and made incredible purchases such as a joke shop, lido, and 75ft Cadillac equipped with a Jacuzzi.
He married Betty in 1968. Betty was 16 years old and a tightrope performer. She was the daughter of Jim Fossett, showman, and circus owner.
Cottle’s compulsiveness led him to financial ruin and he was declared bankrupt twice. His assets included elephants, baboons and circus paraphernalia, which he was forced to constantly sell.
Yet Cottle worked his magic and now leaves a gross estate of £5,676,272, with a net value of £5,365,973.
The building of an empire: Gerry Cottle and his circus at Toulouse, France in November 1983. A few years later he was fined £500 by Chertsey Magistrates for cocaine possession
Cottle lived his dream. Cottle was just 8 years old when he fell in love the circus. He would leave home at 15 and run off to pursue his dreams.
Gerry Cottle wears a top-hat as he displays some circus fancy dress costumes that Bonhams had auctioned in London, 1994
It also includes Wookey Hole Caves in Somerset, which he purchased when he retired as an entertainer.
It was a place close to Cottle’s heart, so much that he has named its night manager as a beneficiary in his will.
Other beneficiaries include Cottle’s son and his three daughters, as well as the husband of one of his daughters, Willie Ramsay, who he wished to be ‘regarded the same as one of my descendants’.
As his executors, trustees, Gerry’s son, Sarah, Willie and Jade Dunbar will be deciding how much each beneficiary will get.
Cottle specified: ‘In respect of financial sums that I would like to be paid to certain individuals I express the wish that my Trustees have regard to any letter of wishes stored with my Will or with my papers at my death.’
Willie, Cottle’s son-in-law, worked with Cottle’s Circus of Horrors before training Angelina Jolie in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.
Cottle also plans to pass down his sovereign ring and all cars he owns, together with his GWC1 number plate, to his son Gerry.
Sarah will receive his substitution trunk which is used to perform magical illusions.
Cottle is known for his daredevil acts and amazing illusions. In that case, perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised at Betty being named in his will.