The circus was founded in Hobart, Tasmania, in 1847[1] by Thomas Mollor, and acquired in February 1850 by James Henry Ashton, a man schooled in the tradition of English circus and who had experienced the hard times of the nineteenth century.

[2][3] Ashton's at its height, had more than 180 personnel and 80 animals and thousands of dollars worth of equipment, and toured internationally in New Zealand and Papua New Guinea[1] When founder James Henry Ashton died in 1889, his son Fred, then aged 22, inherited the circus.

The circus continued to be handed down throughout the family, and today it is run by the 6th generation of Ashtons, Michelle and Joseph and their sons, Jordan and Merrik.

As Joseph had founded 'Circus Joseph Ashton' in 1998 prior to his grandfather's retirement in 2000, it was decided to apply this name to the family's main circus reflecting the current state of ownership and operations.

The company employed Tommy Hanlon Jr., after his career in television[1] Other circuses and entertainment businesses run by other members of the Ashton family include Ashton Entertainment, Infamous the Show, Lorraine Ashton's Classic Circus,[4] and Circus Xsavia.