Norman Barrett, or Uncle Norman as my generation of circus children know him, made circus history in January 2010. He was awarded the MBE for his “services to entertainment”. Norman will go down in history as the first circus ringmaster to receive this award. Speaking to the World’s Fair newspaper Norman, who was born into the circus, recognized the significance of the award:
“As well as being over the moon personally, I am also delighted for the circus industry, and all my friends and colleagues within it. Awards of this nature are very rarely given to individuals in my profession, especially when compared to other forms of entertainment such as film and theatre. This is a real boost for circus and in my view gives the art form the recognition it truly deserves and, sadly, in modern times so rarely gets”.
These words echo the sentiments expressed in my article, “Circus and Other ‘Low’ Art”. Despite being celebrated by royalty at the annual Monte Carlo Circus Festival, the British circus tradition is often swept under the proverbial carpet for a variety of reasons. Nevertheless, this is a significant moment in modern circus history as audiences start looking more towards live entertainment again and the fascism of political correctness starts to settle down.
Norman Barrett has several connections to my book “The Legend of Salt and Sauce”. He knew the elephant Sauce when she was Cody’s circus and I cite him as a witness source. Furthermore, he is acknowledged as the successor to the famous archetypical ringmaster George Lockhart Jnr, the son of the elephant trainer who was killed by Salt and Sauce, by being Blackpool’s ringmaster and also working at Belle Vue. Both venues had made Lockhart famous and Norman took the mantle on with style, becoming synonymous with the Blackpool Tower Circus.
My parents were among the guests on the celebrity documentary series, “This is Your Life” focusing on Norman Barrett. During the programme Norman was acknowledged for saving the life of one my parents’ trainers at the Blackpool Tower Circus. Louis Pallacio was attacked by a lion during his performance of my father’s lion act in 1986. It was Norman’s experience, pragmatism, quick wits and courage that enabled him to save Louis that day and the Mexican trained acknowledged this on “This is Your Life”. The show, filmed in 1989, was a very emotional experience as the extent of Norman’s influence and his involvement in the world of circus was revealed. Most of the main circus families were in attendance and Cyril Mills, then head of the famous Mills Circus family, was the last guest on the show to pay respect to Norman. Mills were the first family to promote Norman to senior ringmaster.
However, in addition to being a ringmaster Norman is an animal trainer and this was the career he began in. To this day he still presents his famous budgerigar act on Zippo’s Circus along with his ringmastering.
In recent times I have become almost as interested in methods to study history as I have in the actual subjects. This has led me to read Richard J. Evans’ book “In Defence of History”. So far, it is an engrossing read that details the history of history and the various competing methods that have evolved over time. I was particularly fascinated in the many attempts to define history as a science, even a social or “weak” science, which it does not happily fit. Nevertheless, the struggle to keep history as an objective study of the past and to establish “facts” is a valiant one, especially in the face of postmodern ideas that have challenged the validity of history altogether. Anyway, having only got through the first few chapters I was delighted to come across a passage that mentions a member of my historicalculture, a circus man, “Lord” George Sanger.
Sanger crops up in my book “The Legend of Salt and Sauce” and a relation of his, George Sanger Coleman, in “The Sanger Story”, gave me an interesting if dramatic description of one the characters I was researching, “Lieutenant” Frank Taylor (Aka Alpine Charlie). “Lord” George and his brother “Lord” John Sanger hobnobbed with royalty and ran a circus in the later 19th and early 20th century. George is known for making a presentation to Queen Victoria. A disease similar to the one that almost killed the elephant Salt even bore the Sanger name when it wiped out of their herds. George was murdered in 1911, providing a dramatic ending to a dramatic life.
“In Defence of History” cites Sanger as being a notorious source for another murder, the alleged kicking to death of a gingerbread salesman by a drunken mob in 1850 at the Stalybridge Wakes. His memoirs had been read by historian, George Kitson Clark and referenced in his book on Victorian England. The report was then repeated as an historical “fact”. According to Richard J. Evans no contemporary reports support this story. There are detailed newspaper reports of the fair, which included archery, morris dancing and a description of an ascent in a balloon. In fact, very little drunkeness was reported at all. We cannot just dismiss Sanger's report, but its validity should be held in question. I spoke quite extensively in “The Legend of Salt and Sauce” about the way fanciful tales were woven around various events in circus history. This helped contribute to my fascination in the way fiction becomes “fact” if a certain story is not checked, but repeated without question and then passed on.
I began a class diary on the first day back in 2009, which I am happy to say I have kept throughout the year without missing a single entry. CCMA is a constantly evolving approach or method – never a system – and it is often difficult for me to explain to interested parties just how much we do or to even convey this in a single workshop. The journal approach has enabled me to do this more effectively, especially now that we also have accompanying footage and more regular photographs. From time to time I have come back to topics that most interest me and have been able to comment on them in a very casual manner rather than the usual essay/article format.
It has been a good year for workshops. I was booked to teach 68 employees of the Law Society’s Forensic Investigation Unit for the Solicitor’s Regulation Authority (SRA) over six two day courses. This began late in 2008 and finished in spring 2009. I have received nothing by positive feedback from SRA and a great letter of recommendation. The whole experience gave me the opportunity to tailor my soft and hard skills approach to self defence to a diverse range of people. It was also a challenge to adapt it to a specific work setting. The first day nearly completely soft skills orientated and the second day included pressure tests and confirmation drills.
I also invited to teach two workshops and had a stall at the Martial Arts Festival (MAF) held by Kwoklyn Wan of Urban Martial Arts. The whole experience was great. I got to teach tasters for both my adult and children’s programmes and my students had the opportunity to teach our approach to other martial artists. Kwoklyn Wan, brother of TV personality and fashion consultant Gok Wan, is a force to be reckoned with. I was very impressed with the combination of professionalism and informality of MAF. I now see it as the blueprint for 2010’s “The Martial Arts Show” to be held at Seni’s old haunt NEC, Birmingham on 22nd and 23rd May.
I became one of a select number of instructors (four in total, including the founder) to be chosen to teach Mo Teague’s Hard Target. This is a distilled self defence service that is currently being promoted by RST security, a leading UK security consultancy and training business based in London. So far I have taught at two of the three inaugural courses promoted by RST. This began with a weekend course at Woolwich Army Barracks kindly and professionally organized by their Battery Sergeant Major Dave Aiton. Dave is also the instructor of the army judo club and the founder of Effective Self Protection at the barracks. The next time I taught was at the RST offices in London. By this time Mo Teague had done a brilliantly job at refining this service and I can see we will be bringing some “bleeding edge” self protection in 2010. All courses were pretty much packed and the feedback has been very encouraging.
In addition to the diaries I have written several other articles, including some inspired by my conversations with Mo Teague. Another series, “Martial Arts Scepticism”, can be found in Iain Abernethy’s excellent online PDF magazine, “Jissen!” www.jissenmag.com and also the critical thinkingmartial arts website “Bad Martial Arts” www.badmartialarts.com
I have got back into doing more in-club workshops to raise the standards. I was impressed how fast the attendees of a recent workshop came on in just one day, reinforcing my belief that this is the way forward. These workshops will be held in Kenilworth roughly once a month and are open to everyone.www.clubbchimera.com
The Legend of Salt and Sauce
The second edition of my first book continues to sell and has received all positive reviews on Amazon.co.uk If any readers would like to publish their reports on Amazon, Dooyoo or any other consumer websites I would be most grateful.
This year I was kindly invited to deliver a talk for the women’s Probus club in Woodstock. Dad and I did our usual two-man act. Me reading excerpts and Dad telling the story through our PowerPoint display. It was very well received as reflected by the sales. I have started taking some local bookings for 2010 and hope to be in contact with more interested groups and clubs.
Jamie Clubb’s Blog
The blog that was originally created to promote the book has taken on a life of its own. Topics have diverged into a “Forgotten Fame” series, covering people and animals that were famous in their own time. Salt and Sauce were, of course, famous in their own lifetime, but subsequently forgotten as eras changed. So far the series has been posted in four instalments covering Salt and Sauce, Sea Biscuit, Ivar “The Match King” Krueger, the Abernathy Brothers and Captain Herbert Clarke. In addition to this and among other articles, I began exploring a new subject with my father: The Bounce. This unique and exciting wild animal act briefly existed for four decades and then disappeared without trace. What particularly intrigued me was that my grandfather and uncle both apparently performed it and my father almost did. There is controversy over what actually constitutes The Bounce and this was explored in several articles posted on the blog and eventually published in the King Pole magazine.
On 24 March 2009 I launched a second blog (third if you count my martial arts one that masquerades as a website). My written work was diverging so much that I felt it was moving matters too far away from the purpose my main blog, originally set up to promote “The Legend of Salt and Sauce”. Beelzebub’s Broker now contains all my miscellaneous, opinionated and sometimes controversial work. Articles have focused on critical thinking and reviews. However, I have begun a series specifically for the blog entitled “The Icon Series”, where I focus on particular figures in history and fiction that have had an impact on my interests.
I am now a member of the Dooyoo reviewing community under the title Black Swan. Dooyoo is a great site where you can write and earn money for any review written over 150 words. You can get your cheques faster by having them rated highly and crowned by other members. It seems to be a pretty good and honest way for aspiring writers to make a few extra quid on the side. All my reviews will generally be about movies and books. I would highly recommend joining the site www.dooyoo.com
Training
2010 definitely needs to be a year where I get in a more structured training routine for myself. My students are just getting too good! However, in addition to training at the world class Gracie Barra Birmingham (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) for my fourth year under the current best submission grappler (in and out of gi) in the world, Braulio Estima, I have also been able to train at two excellent MMA classes. At last I have made it to Trojan Freefighters in Cheltenham and when possible pop over there for their excellent sessions. On a Saturday before I get stuck into an hour and a half of submission grappling and then an hour an half of traditional Brazilian jiu jitsu, I get in an hour and a half at Chris Rice's excellent new "Sprawl 'n Brawl" clun at the same venue in Birmingham. Unfortunately due to so much going on I have often had to content myself with solo training or roping in anyone I can back at the zoo. Nevertheless, this has made me go back to my roots and develop some great training routines.
Personal
I like to keep the personal stuff as low key as possible, but seeing how massive they have been in 2009 it kind of puts the rest of the round-up in perspective. I started 2009 living in Kenilworth - a once nice little historic Warwickshire suburb with its own castle, now sadly going to the dogs in a big way - and my baby not even three months old. I ended 2009 shaking with excitement that all our house plans have been passed and also shaking with cold as we do our best to manage living in a stationary caravan in one of the coldest parts of the Cotswold countryside! The baby, of course, is now a toddler and up to all sorts, making life even more interesting than before. Meanwhile I have ended up taking on more responsibility with my parents' business supplying trained exotic animals to the film industry. This year we worked on the remake of "Clash of the Titans" (behind the scenes picture above featuring Omar, one of our camels) for several weeks as well as a brilliant live show run at the Old Vic in London with Kevin Spacey in "Inherit the Wind". So for those of you have found it hard to get hold of me, please have some sympathy.
I am delighted to announce the release of the two disc DVD edition of the critically acclaimed "Circus Rosaire" documentary. The Rosaire family and their origins in circus are documented in my book "The Legend of Salt and Sauce". During my research I had the pleasure of interviewing the great Ivor Rosaire, who began his career in elephent training with Salt and Sauce. The story of the Rosaires is a remarkable one. Rupert Croft-Cooke and Ruth Manning-Sanders, two prolific professional writers of the early to mid 20th century, lived with the Rosaires when they toured the UK and wrote extensively on their wondrous time spent with the family.
The Rosaire family story has always been one about extreme hardship and success through adversity. In my book I detail the problems the family encountered during their very early years when the show was just a three person affair pitched on a showground, just containing "Count" Rosaire, his wife "The Countess" and a strongman. Rosaire was a stage name they changed from Ross. These were tough enough times, working in terrible weather conditions with a one pole tent and having to perform everyday, the last act being a real boxing match that the Count held against an oncomer! Over the years the Rosaires had eight children, each trained to perform several different acts. As time went on each went their own route and some travelled to America.
Circus Rosaire is a documentary that shows that success and hardship continues in tandem to this day and, in many ways, continues the story where my book leaves off. I highly recommend it: Dear Friends,
We are thrilled to announce that the much anticipated "CIRCUS ROSAIRE" dvd is now available for sale on Amazon.com!
Just in time for the holiday season, this deluxe 2-DISC Special Edition set features the award winning documentary film, along the with an hour long, fun-filled Rosaire Family Circus performance under the Big Top. It also includes nearly 45 minutes of never-before-seen additional scenes and interviews.
If you're looking for a really special gift this holiday season that will be perfect for kids and adults alike, this is it!
To order, simply visit Amazon.com by clicking here:
*PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THE FILM BY FORWARDING THIS TO YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS! And keep all those wonderful emails coming - we really do read them all and love hearing from you.
On behalf of the Circus Rosaire team, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
CIRCUS ROSAIRE Film Synopsis
For nine generations, the Rosaire family has entertained audiences all over the world with their legendary animal acts. From lions and tigers, to bears, horses and chimpanzees, the Rosaires are renowned for their unique and respectful way of training and performing with animals. At the height of their fame, they headlined shows for royalty, presidents and legions of fans with their spectacular feats. Today they are struggling to survive in the modern age of entertainment. Major declines in audience attendance, and increasing concern for animal welfare have significantly impacted the Rosaires way of life. Their livelihood and future are at risk as they attempt to carry on the family tradition.
Filmed over a five-year period, CIRCUS ROSAIRE is both heartbreaking and hilarious as it takes an intimate, behind the scenes look inside this quintessential circus family.
CIRCUS ROSAIRE has been screened in over 20 film festivals worldwide, and has won numerous awards. See what all the buzz is about, and order your own CIRCUS ROSAIRE dvd now!
“ENGAGING AND IMPRESSIVE. PIC SHOULD PLEASE LADIES, GENTLEMEN AND CHILDREN OF ALL AGES!” Joe Leydon, Variety
“CHARMING AND AFFECTING!” Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
“ENCHANTING AND EFFECTIVE!” John Beifuss, The Commercial Appeal
"CIRCUS ROSAIRE IS A CHARMING, ENGAGING GEM OF AN INDIE FILM!” Kim Voyner, Cinematical
“TOUCHING AND POIGNANT, ‘CIRCUS ROSAIRE’ IS A DELGIHTFUL TELLING OF A FAMILY TALE THAT’S A REAL AND CLASSIC SUCCESS STORY, COMPLETE WITH HEARTACHES, CONTROVERSY AND LOTS OF LOVE. ” Robert Waldman, Orato News
“ONE OF THE GEMS IN THIS YEARS SLAMDANCE FESTIVAL!” David Burger, Salt Lake City Tribune
“INSPIRING TEARS OF SADNESS AND JOY, ‘CIRCUS ROSAIRE’ IS FOR THOSE WHO FIND HEROES AMONG COMMON FOLKS.” Leah Raquel Ranada, The Source
“AMAZING! YOU CAN’T HELP BUT FALL IN LOVE WITH THIS FILM!” Chris Steele, Mountain Morning Show
“I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT THIS MOVIE’S SUCCESSFUL RELEASE FOR EITHER THEATERS OR TELEVISION WOULD BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT EVENTS OF OUR YEAR!” John Hart, ShowBiz USA
“ONE OF THE MOST BUZZED ABOUT FILMS….CIRCUS ROSAIRE IS A LOVING PORTRAIT OF A FAMILY’S STRUGGLE TO PRESERVE A FADING INSTITUTION.” Salt Lake City Tribune
Earlier this year a series of emails and subsequent discussions on Facebook prompted my father and I to write and research on a unique but relatively short-lived wild animal act known as the "Bounce" (aka the bouncing lions or the bouncer wagon). It became a series of posts on this blog as more information came to light and eventually materialized into an article that was published in the Autumn 2009 edition of the Circus Friends Association magazine, the King Pole. I now reproduce this article below. Since the article was written my father has uncovered a photograph my Uncle Dicki performing his version of the Bounce in South Africa. As you may gather from the piece I wrote there was a degree of debate as to whether or not what my uncle performed could be considered to be a Bounce act. Dad argues that this particular photograph proves undeniably that my Uncle Dicki performed the Bounce.
Towards the end of the 19th century European circus saw the gradual decline of wild animal acts being presented inside "beastwagons" (mobile caged containers, now used on circuses just as sleeping quarters) in favour of the new caged arena style acts. However, there would be one last innovative and exciting twist in the history of the beastwagon act. This came in the form of the “Bouncer Wagon Act”, often known as the “Bouncing Lions” or, quite simply, as the “Bounce”. The act is remarkable for a few reasons. Firstly it seems to be a uniquely British invention that was never adopted outside the United Kingdom. Secondly it saw a
On Monday 2November the Paul O’Grady Show presented a feature on circus. My parents have supplied a lot of animals for the show, but for some reason we were overlooked. Anyway, among the guests was none other than Ida Rosaire, the youngest member of “Count” Rosaire’s children. Her brother, Ivor began his elephant presenting and training career with the two famous elephants, Salt and Sauce, who are the stars of my book “The Legend of Salt and Sauce”. In fact, Ivor features predominantly in the book. However, Ida also features alongside these two impressive pachyderms. She was carried in Sauce’s mouth and it was a picture of this trick that she showed on the Channel 4 show.
This trick had been taught to Sauce in the 1930s by her then owner John “Broncho Bill” Swallow. According to his groom, Sid Watts, Swallow had returned from the continent having seen the trick and decided to include it in his act. He first practiced with a life size dummy before trying it out on Sid. After it had passed the Sid test, the likes of Zena and Ida Rosaire also performed the trick. The trick also formed part of a new act instigated by Ivor and Swallow, known as the Tableau act. This was a classy elephant act involving elephant tubs and dancing girls. Cissy, Ida and Zena all featured in it and at a later stage so did Clara Paulo from the equally famous Paulo family.
Here is an extract from Alan Ashby's excellent new book on British postcards during the golden age of the zoo. As you can see in the examples below, Alan has done his best to present the postcards in their raw form. I particularly like this touch.
The top picture is of Bostock and Wombwelle's Menagerie taken from my father's collection.
The bottom picture is of Purchase's and Chipperfield's Combined Menagerie. Regular readers of this blog will recognize that this was the menagerie where my grandfather (pictured far left) rescued Captain Tommy Purchase (most likely inventor of the "Bounce") from the lion's cage. My great grandfather is on the right. Rosie and Gracie Purchase are dancing on the show front. Rosie, daughter of Tommy Purchase, was the one dancing in the lion's cage when the accident occurred. The lady of the top of the ladder in the centre is my great-aunty Margery.
I am delighted to announce the release of Alan Ashby's new book on historical zoo postcards "We We Went to the Zoo Today... The Golden Age of Zoo Postcards". This book is a wonderful illustration of the bygone years of the zoo - both good and bad- in the UK. From an historian's point of view it helps to bring to life a time that seems so far removed from today.
However, the production of this book is its main appeal. Alan has taken great care in the way he wanted to present this old and often rare postcards. They are shown "warts 'n all" if you like, including fraying around the edges and other imperfections, which is as good an analogy for the right way history should be presented!
See: www.antiquexplorer.com/bookshop/bookszoopostcards.php Ebay item 350267390922 We Went to the Zoo Today... The Golden Age of Zoo Postcards Product Details Hardback: 120 pages ISBN: 978-0-9563831-0-5 Size: 180mm x 177mm Full colour Product Description:
In the early 20th century just as now, a day at the zoo was a break from routine, an enjoyable diversion. However, the passage of time has gradually revealed some fascinating and marked differences between then and now. The postcards in this new book often show a politically incorrect world where giving a lighted cigarette to a chimpanzee was not considered out of the ordinary, where enticing a bear to climb a pole to earn a tid-bit or riding on just about any animal that would tolerate it, was the norm, all part of the fun. 'We Went To The Zoo Today...' takes a close look at this world. The postcards featured would almost certainly be impossible to duplicate as a collection of originals and, even if that were not true, it would take years of searching and many hundreds of pounds, to gather a comparable set. Look at the curious zeedonk on page 78, the famous elephant trainer, Lorenzo Lawrence, on page 48 or the boxing kangaroo on page 38. All are now scarce, and most of the zoos shown are now long closed and some virtually forgotten. 'We Went To The Zoo Today...' contains almost two hundred of the best postcards of their kind. They are often amusing, sometimes poignant, but always of interest. This book endeavours, and hopefully succeeds, to give these �silent snapshots� the voice they deserve. This book includes a History of the Picture Postcard and helpful tips on how to date postcards. Zoos featured are: London; Dublin, Belle Vue; Bristol; Rosherville; Blackpool Tower; Southport; Alexandra Palace; Stoke-Sub-Hamdon; Halifax; Maidstone; Edinburgh; Paignton; Grimsby; Whipsnade; Chester; Oxford; Chessington; Liverpool; Dudley; Wellingborough and Travelling Menageries.
The bouncer wagon investigation persists, as does the controversy. At the time when I initially started posting up information here I received feedback from fellow circus people who weren't sure whether or not their relations had worked this rather unique and short-lived circus act. My father helped explain what was defined as the Bounce (aka Bouncing Lions) as opposed to other old fashioned wild animal acts performed in the beast wagon or a small cage based on the dimensions of the wagon. I was confident that my family worked the act. My grandfather (Dick Chipperfield) had saved the life of Captain Tommy Purchase, the apparent inventor of the "Bounce". When Purchase died, my grandfather would take on his bouncing lion, Old Vic. Years later the whole act was supposedly resurrected for my uncle Dickie to work when he was 15. He performed the act for a televsion show and then later was banned by the authorities due to his age. The act was taken over by my grandfather, my great uncle John and Terry Duggan. Dickie would later get back in the wagon in 1965 for the Chipperfield's tour of South Africa. The wagon used seemed to be influenced by Tommy Kayes, a man who undoubtedly performed the act and made it his full profession. Many years later and Martin Lacey Jnr works a trick with his lioness, trained by my uncle Dickie, that closely resembles the behaviour trained for the Bounce. It would appear that the Chipperfield family definitely were bouncing act performers.
Or were they? Old time slanger of the Bounce and professional journalist Eddie Campbell wrote an article back in 1976 that wrote his recollections and the history of the act. The Chipperfield family were not mentioned once, except for a reference to my uncle Dickie's work with leopards when Eddie pondered whether the Bounce could be worked with other Big Cats. Editor of the King Pole magazine, David Jamieson, actually pushed Eddie on this. David told me that Eddie did not consider the acts performed by the Chipperfields to be a real Bounce. Even if this were the case, I think it is important to mention that they did promote the act as such and Kayes was clearly an inspiration. We are currently trying to source more film footage to see whether or not the actual Bounce trick was actually performed. I would like to say "Yes", but as a true historian and rational sceptic, I also have to accept the burden of proof.
Recently you may have noticed I have published a series of articles/posts on the Bouncer Wagon or Bouncing Lions act. This exciting act existed for only a brief time in circus history and occurred when the caged arena acts were eclipsing all acts presented in beastwagons. Since my articles on here I approached the Kingpole Circus Friends magazine with the idea of writing a comprehensive article on the subject. It was at this stage that my father brought out an edition of this magazine published in 1976 and written by a famous lion bouncer, Eddie Campbell, entitled "The Bounce". Eddie's piece added more information to the history of this act and I was able to compile a far more detailed work.
The September edition of the Kingpole magazine - the official magazine for the Circus Friends Association - is out shortly.
Thanks to cousin, Jim Stockley, I have been able to read yet more "forgotten fame". Anyone who has read my blog for a decent period of time will know I am a particular fan of this stuff. This is why I enjoy reading work from historians like Heather Vallance and Cathy Barrett (who seek out hard to find primary source material in order to reconstruct periods from the past. It is also why I actively ferret out and oppose pseudohistory, alternative history and crackpot conspiracy theories (see my blog www.beelzebubsbroker.blogspot.com for more on this). There is more than enough fascinating data and lost information that can be uncovered through legitimate research.
My book "The Legend of Salt and Sauce" focuses on two elephants and their trainers that became legendary almost mythical in the circus world, a community I grew up in, but were virtually forgotten by the outside world. It made me consider other examples of even more famous events and people who also became stuck in time. This was my first post on the subject http://jamieclubb.blogspot.com/2009/03/forgotten-fame-salt-and-sauce-meet.html
Now Jim has found an excellent blog that details a piece of history seemingly forgotten by our own community, the life and times of "Captain" Herbert Clarke. Clarke is a character not found in any of the circus encyclopaedias or anywhere else on the net, which is what prompted the author of the historical blog to write about him. What is even more amazing is that my father is an avid researcher into the history of Bostock and Wombwelle's Menagerie, the very show that booked Clarke, and this was the first time he had heard about the trainer. It just goes to show how easily the past can be forgotten even within the microcosm of the circus. Enjoy! http://www.thebloxidgetallygraph.com/patcollinsliontamer.htm
Back in February Geoff Thompson contacted me to ask whether I would write the forward to his latest collection of essays. My workload this is the most it has ever been, but I jumped at the opportunity. Geoff is a dear friend of mine and was a huge inspiration to me 11 years before we even met. Since that meeting he has always been there as a friend and I have watched how both our careers have prospered. I don't say this lightly when I state that it was a major honour for me to be considered for the job of writing his forward.
'This is your life. If you leave it to others they will feed, force or coerce you into living their reality. And where's the fun in that?'. In this third volume of life lessons and modern-day musings, Geoff Thompson gives the reader that extra nudge to follow their own path and find the turning point to realising their full potential and reaching their goals. This is the third book in the series that brings together the inspiring and thought provoking articles that were featured on this web site and many were discussed in the podcasts.
These contemporary Victorian illustrations were used to promote George William Lockhart's first elephant act, Boney, Molly and Waddy. Boney's "coat" is clearly labelled. Boney was remarkable for a variety of reasons. She was the first elephant that George bought and according to George Lockhart Jnr she originally stayed with the elephant trainer and his wife like a household pet! Boney was also much smaller than her two companion elephants, Waddy and Molly. Some writers, such as the Lockhart relation, James Pinder, have suggested that she was under nourished due to George Lockhart's limited knowledge at the time, but later research in my book "The Legend of Salt and Sauce" suggests another possible theory. Boney might have been a pygmy elephant. Her name is actually taken from her country of origin, Borneo, where the pygmy elephant originates. James Pinder says that she was known as Boney because of this supposed under nourishment. Actually Boney was pronounced "Bonny" according to contemporary newspaper reports.
Boney was the most skilled the three elephants and there are records of her performing alone as well as with the rest of the group. In fact, there is so much written information on this group of ele[hants during their time with George William Lockhart that I felt the story warranted two chapters, as it helped explain a few things regarding George's tragic career with his next group of elephants, The Cruet, especially their most famous members, Salt and Sauce.
Despite the large amount of written material on Boney, Molly and Waddy, there were no reproducible illustrations or photographs at the time "The Legend of Salt and Sauce" went to print. Therefore, I am very grateful to John Morris for sending these in today, so I can reproduce them here.
This is another post dictated by my father on the subject of the Bouncing Lions. This time it features my uncle, Dicki Chipperfield both when he first presented the act, at only age 15, and when he last presented it, when Chipperfield's Circus famously toured South Africa. - Jamie Clubb
The first picture shows Dick “Dicki” Chipperfield Jnr in 1958 presenting three lionesses in the wagon cage. Dicki would have only been barely 15 years old. This was for a television show. He was stopped working by the authorities after this performance. His uncle, John Chipperfield, took the act over. Dick Snr told me they took one lioness out because the act was too slow. This shows a similar pyramid to Tommy Kayes’ act. You will notice this was in the real wagon with the correct measurements – 16’ long x 6’6” wide x 6’6” tall. The height varied from trainer to trainer, some preferred 7’ tall inside. These measurements were crucial for the “bounce” to be achieved correctly. That is the measurements of the length and the width. The height didn’t matter and, in fact, as in the case with Tommy Kayes’ this was an advantage and made a better show. These three animals didn’t bounce very much, in fact, hardly at all. When John Chipperfield took over and later Terry Duggan they really went up the side of the cage.
The second picture shows Dicki in South Africa in 1965 with a very simply built cage. These lions really did bounce up the side and in the same fashion as Kayes and Dicki’s father, Dick Chipperfield Snr. Unfortunately I have no photographs of Dicki’s father in his early days working the bouncing act, only entering the cage with “Old Vic”, Tommy Purchase’s lioness. I have one of him when he originally trained the act for his son, but it only shows the two lionesses sat in the corner and Dicki’s father knelt down. I will post it when I find it. - Jim Clubb
Due to popular demand, not to mention a bit of controversy, my father and I have decided to continue on the subject of the bouncer wagon (AKA "The Bouncing Lions"). My father has dictated the below post on "Captain" Tommy Kayes, the man considered by many to be the "Master of the Bouncing Lions". Although the pictures do not show Kayes in a wagon, the act is fundamentally the same with the caged arena being built to the same dimensions as the wagon. The point of this post is to define what is meant by the "Bouncer Wagon Act"; what makes it different from the conventional wagon act, sometimes referred to as a "Posing Act", and what makes it different the conventional cage act. - Jamie Clubb
The picture immediatley above my post was taken at Blackpool Tower Circus circ. 1940. When Tommy stopped working on the fairgrounds with the wagon cage he adapted a ring cage for his presentation. The dimensions were the same except for the height, which was a good 5’ higher than the beastwagon. This allowed him to bounce the lions high up, as seen in this photo. The first photo shows the opening trick with the pyramid on the slings attached to the bars of the cage. As soon as this was completed, the assistant would knock the slings on the floor from the outside. Tommy would pick one up and then use it instead of a chair for the rest of the act. It also shows him performing the “Head in the Mouth” with the male lion. This was rarely done in the performance, as he said it slowed the routine down. Much play was done before he entered the cage. The big lioness, Jubilee, would stand up at the door with her paws through the bars not letting him in. She would be then sent to the other end of the cage and an assistant would put a pole through to feign keeping her there, and allow Tommy to “slip in”. The fun would then start.
The two lionesses and the lion would make the pyramid instantaneously and then fly off. The two lionesses going up the wall of the cage and the male lion would stand in the position shown in the second photo. This would then be repeated at the other end of the cage. Finally the two lionesses would race round the top of the cage like the “wall of death” and the lion would circle the floor. Tommy would make his exit and Jubilee would stand at the door, defiantly roaring. In some performance they would announce that he couldn’t get in the cage and that it was too dangerous. The lions would be sent out and another one or two acts would work until Tommy came back in again. They’d let the lions in and this time he would “succeed in getting in”. He would finish by firing his blank cartridge revolver in the air, as the lions charged around. They worked automatically with virtually no effort from the trainer. He worked them with just the sling in his hand or a short stick, but sometimes with nothing at all.
Tommy Kayes died of pneumonia after catching a chill after his act. I am not sure of the exact date without checking, but it was in the mid ‘40s. - Jim Clubb
Towards the end of the 19th century European circus saw the gradual decline of wild animal acts being presented inside "beastwagons" (mobile caged containers, now used on circuses just as sleeping quarters) in favour of the new caged arena style acts. However, there would be one last hurrah for these types of act, an invention that came out of the early part of the 20th century, known as the “bouncer wagon act” (aka the “bouncing lions”). Above there is a picture of a beastwagon that would eventually be used for this purpose. The act pictured is the sometimes confused “Posing Act” which is the original type of trained wild animal act presented in the beastwagons. My grandfather, Dick Chipperfield Snr., stands on the outside whilst Carol Caldwell presents the act inside. The act was presented on Chipperfield’s Christmas Circus in Bingley Hall circ.1961/62 and was televised and shown on Christmas Day.
Prior to the posing acts, animal “trainers” of the 19th century wore armour and virtually fought with the wild animals. In many respects the bouncer wagon harked back to these days albeit in a far safer and more humane fashion. The bouncer wagon act was a highly trained and energetic routine, where lionesses raced around, up the sides and even on the ceiling of the wagon.
My grandfather saw perhaps the first ever bouncer act. He also rescued his brother's father-in-law, Tommy Purchase, from a savage attack by a lion in a wagon just like this one. This was not a bouncer wagon act; it consisted of two male lions that posed while Rosie, Purchase’s daughter, danced between them. After this presentation the bouncing act was done with a single lioness called “Old Vic” who worked in just a quarter of the wagon. The rescue made front page news at the time. Sadly Purchase, an amputee, who presented the act with a wooden leg, died soon after from a gangrenous infection caused by the wounds sustained in the attack.
Our sources indicate and it was the opinion of journalist, circus historian and amateur wild animal trainer, Eddie Campbell, that the bouncer wagon act was a uniquely English invention of the early 20th century. There does not seem to be any evidence of the act existing prior to "Captain" Tommy Purchase. My father, also a circus historian and a well-respected wild animal trainer, said "I am sure he was the first, although Tommy Day could have pipped him to the post". He then added "Apart from Eddie, the Chipperfields (Dick Chipperfield Snr, Dick Chipperfield Jnr, John Chipperfield and Terry Duggan), Tommy Day and Tommy Kayes nobody else did it. All the acts from ‘Bostock and Wombwelle’s’, ‘Biddel’s’, ‘Sedgwick’s’, ‘Mander’s’, ‘Anderton and Roland’s’ only did posing acts with a few tricks, no running up the walls, which defines the true bounce. “Captain” Tommy Kayes was undoubtedly the best, with one lion and two lionesses. I have seen some footage of him and it was absolutely fantastic." Kayes also had a caged arena set up to the same dimensions as a beastwagon to perform the bouncing routine. Pathe News has footage of it on their archive site under "Manchester Can Take It", where it is featured at Belle Vue.
Dad also spoke to Tommy Day's son who told him about his father's act:
"[it] concluded with him jumping out of the wagon and leaving the door open. The lioness then stood and roared at the audience out of the open door. I actually achieved this as well when I attempted to train the act, but had a few mishaps, so best left it out".
Family politics prevented my father from presenting the bouncer wagon act. My uncle Dicki (Dick Chipperfield Jnr.), presented the act when he was just 15 and was actually televised doing it. There are some who say that he did when he was 14! Chipperfield's were forced by the authorities to terminate his performance on the basis of his age. John Chipperfield, Dicki’s uncle, took over the act before it was passed onto Terry Duggan. Clem Merk, one of the “house” animal trainers, also attempted to work the act, but despite his impressive background presenting fast-paced lion acts he did not adapt to the bouncer style. He was knocked down a few times in rehearsal and he never worked the act in front of an audience. It would appear that the bouncer wagon act was an art all of its own. Dicki would work it again in 1964 and then when his family’s circus toured South Africa, 1964-67. After this, however, there are no records of anyone else working the bouncer wagon act again.
Postscript: In 1972 Dicki and my father attempted to resurrect the bouncer wagon act an American TV show. Work even began on building the wagon, but it was left unfinished when the contract fell through for financial reasons. In 1987 Ringling Brothers Barnum Bailey Circus asked my father to resurrect the bouncer wagon act again for their 1988 season as a prelude to his 14 lions in the caged arena, presented by Larry Alan Dean. The wagon was to be pulled around the track by an elephant. Dean would perform the act and then go straight into his caged arena performance. However, it was deemed impractical and the act was substituted for a single lion posing with his paws on the pedestal. Sonia Allen, “The Lady of the Lions”, presented the last of the fairground lion shows. These were posing acts in a beastwagon. The act was eventually sold to Sanger’s Circus in 1955.
Is this picture taken from the 1889 performance Sam Lockhart gave in front of Queen Victoria with his "Royal Elephants" Jock and Jenny? My father seems to think so. This real illustration has been reproduced, as the trend has been for some time now, and captioned with a cheeky joke.
The trainer riding the elephant is not depicted in the usual way contemporary newspaper artists drew Sam Lockhart. Photos and illustrations I have seen of Sam and his brother George, who is a main character in my book "The Legend of Salt and Sauce", show them with classic thick but neat moustaches. The character riding the "One Eyed Jumbo" clearly has a beard. I have no evidence either to suggest that Sam rode any of his elephants. However, there are plenty of examples given in my book of artists of the period and decades afterwards of artists straying way off the mark in their depiction of characters and incidents.
So who are the characters in the picture? Who was the elephant, the trainer and the spectators? Is that a rather youthful depiction of Queen Victoria, Prince Edward (to be Edward VII), Princess Alexandra et al? We know that the Victorian and later Edwardian family were all regular visitors to the circus who saw many of George and Sam's performances.
My last post on here featured a photograph with "Prince" Abdul Karim with Salt and Sauce in Strait, Bargate, Boston, UK taken around 1950 when they all were working on Ringland's Circus. Also pictured was one of Karim's children. I have seince made contact with Farouk Karim again and asked him the identity of the little boy featured. He confirmed this little boy was his elder brother, Hussain. My gratitude to the Karims and their continued support of "The Legend of Salt and Sauce".
There will be more on Abdul Karim shortly, as my father has recently come into possession of a programme featuring Karim under another stage name of his, "Bey".
Recently Ray Dolling, a very helpful circushistorian and supporter of my book "The Legend of Salt and Sauce", sent me this photocopy of a picture taken around 1950. It was a photograph owned by a friend of his who is featured in the picture. He is the little boy you can just see looking out of the window with his mouther above Hepworths. It is a classical example of the old circus parades once common in the UK, but banned since the 1970s due to the Dangerous Wild Animal Licence 1976 and Health and Safety legislation. Standing in the foreground is the bounding rope performer and sometime presenter of Salt and Sauce, "Prince" Abdul Karim with one of his sons. I hope to have this son's identity shortly. At the time Karim and the elephants were touring with Ringland's Circus owned by "Long" Tom Fossett and later by his son, Dennis, who also worked Salt and Sauce.
Karim's life was dramatically changed along with the rest of his family when Salt died in Canterbury 1952. Fired from his job on Ringland's Circus Karim settled in Canterbury, where the family retained a local celebrity status for decades.
Actually now that I look at the photo I see I have reversed it! Ah well, according to the general consensus on genertions I just missed "The Net Generation" by one year. That's my excuse and I am sticking to it.
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