History on History: Essential for all Historians

"In Our Time" is an excellent regular radio programme and podcast that deals with big ideas in history. On 23/01/2009 the programme centred on a topic I think should be of interest to any historian: the history of history. Historians are often our sources. Their approach and methods can shape the way we study history or look at the past. Interestingly the origins of the word history are closely linked to the word "inquiry".

Conspiracy theorists and pseudohistorians often like to cite the adage "history is written by the winners" when they have difficulty shifting the overwhelming evidence set against their extraordinary claims. Actually the excellent sceptical resource website Snopes has a forum discussion on the origins of this exact phrase: http://msgboard.snopes.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=101;t=000374;p=0 However, this is not good enough. History is about researching and establishing facts. The discussion looks at how the writing of history has evolved and, looking at the broader picture, how we can establish certain historical facts. Anecdotal evidence is given its place. For example Herodotus and Pliny were quick to point out when they didn't know whether a certain historical story was real, but also understood that it was important to include nevertheless to understand the thinking of the people who did believe it. This is different from some historians who followed them, sometimes competitively and contemptuously, who completley disregarded such stories and, worse still, those who reported such stories as facts (see the conspiracy theorists, pseudohistorians and pulp non-fiction writers).

When I wrote "The Legend of Salt and Sauce" I was very aware of the amount of myth surrounding these two famous historical circus elephants, hence the title. For me, it was important to not only include inaccurate reports of certain events and apocryphal stories in order to debunk them, but to show how imagines were fired up and folklore was created. We need to understand biases of certain historians - for example, "In Our Time" discusses the huge influence of post-Constantine Christian historians - in order to see what shaped the mentality of those who read their work. I found that my subject, Salt and Sauce the elephants, had been so surrounded by infamy thanks in part to the stories about their stampedes being reported on the radio decades after they had happened that the keepers at Dudley Zoo became very concerned about handling them. Subsequently they weren't worked for a year before Ivor Rosaire took them on for "Long" Tom Fossett on his circus. In his interview Ivor told me that there was a lot of fearful apprehension surrounding his training them at the time when Fossett bought them off Dudley Zoo.

Here is the link for "In Our Time" http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/inourtime/inourtime.shtml Don't forget to check their useful research page.

Salt and Sauce: Who do you think you are?

There is a UK television series I sometimes watch, "Who Do You Think You Are?" The premise is that a celebrity traces their roots back through history to discover more about their ancestory. Different episodes have encovered numerous revelations that have often moved the individual to greatly appreciate the hardships their grandparents, great grandparents and so on went through. It is programmes such as this that show us just how important the study of history really is. We should never be shackled by our past or get caught up in genetic determinism, but respecting our ancestors and understanding how our genes finally arrived where they are provides us with more motivation and to value the life we life today. These thoughts came to me when I was pondering my strong views on the importance of the past, the present and the future. They will probably end up in an article in the near future, but for now they surface to help me reply to two wonderful emails I received from two more people my book "The Legend of Salt and Sauce" has touched.

Those of you who read this blog in November 2008 will recall the fact that members of the Karim family independently contacted me regarding "The Legend of Salt and Sauce". Their thanks and some of their attendance at the launch of my book's second edition were a wonderful source of inspiration for me. Their family in the UK could trace a major turning point to the incident when Salt the elephant became stuck in Vauxhall Lake, Canterbury, and her subsequent death one week later. The episode resulted in Prince Abdul Karim, his wife and their seven children being made homeless and eventually settling in Canterbury thanks to the kindness of the residents. Now I have had emails from a close relative of Sauce's final keeper, Les "Steve" Stephens, and also a descendent of Harry Lockhart, brother of George Lockhart, the trainer who was killed by Sauce.

It is my hope that the information in my book can help and also that both individuals can use it to further their own researches and hopefully return with more data - be they corrections or additions. This sort of investigation keeps history living and justifies the reason for writing historical books. As I have said before, there are no absolutes. History is about sourcing and establishing facts in order that we can better paint a truthful picture of our pasts. I look forward to seeing how it all progresses and hopefully "The Legend of Salt and Sauce" will touch more people.

NOTE: The above picture depicts Sam and Harry Lockhart working on Ringlings circus in the USA. One brother apparently presented the "a" group of elephants and the other the "b" group.

Golden Nemesis

Heather Vallance unleashes the culmination of her historical research on John Y. F. Blake and the Boer wars:

"The Anglo-American era of the 20th century was underpinned by guerrilla movements with surprising benefactors like Cecil John Rhodes and Barney Barnato, the two megaliths of British imperial commerce in Africa. In their world there was not enough room for Empire and self.
In death Barnato was vilified and dismissed. Rhodes was sanctified and elevated. Both were forgiven the treason which would have made them kings.
Golden Nemesis tracks the alliances of Rhodes and Barnato as they escalate into the chaos which lays the ground work for the 20th century and the bond between Britain and America..."
http://web.me.com/penandspindle/Site/Golden_Nemesis.html

For further details see updates on http://penandspindle.blogspot.com

2008: My Year in Review

I look back on a very exciting and educational year for me where I became a published author, an international seminar coach and a father!

Click on the following link for the full review:

http://www.clubbchimera.com/?p=476

Live Q & A session with Jamie Clubb on 12th December

I have been very kindly invited to answer questions on the Bohemian Cafe forum. The Bohemian Cafe is an excellent website and message board dedicated to creating an inspirational and motivational place for the creative. Inspired by the Bohemian cafes in the early 20th century, where artists, writers and other artistic types would meet up to discuss ideas, best-selling author, playwright, screenplay writer and martial arts coach, Geoff Thompson created the online place to nurture new talent in a positive environment. I recommend that everyone who visits this blog register as a member.

I feel honoured to be asked to answer questions at the Cafe and I would be very grateful of any support you can offer on 12th by asking questions. My hope is that I get tackle a broad range of topics rather than just areas only certain people know me in. So, whether it is history, circus, martial arts, self defence, children's self protection, my time in Extreme World Warfare pro wrestling, scepticism, individualism or something more personal or unusual please feel free to ask away!

http://www.bohemiancafe.co.uk/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum;f=8

Salt and Sauce: Wolverhampton's Elephants or Canterbury's Elephants?

On 13th November 2008 my father and officially launched the second edition of my book "The Legend of Salt and Sauce". The original book took over six years to complete and the second edition, as is the nature of historical works, is a heavily revised version with extra material, updates, additional photographs, an index and more. Wolverhampton historian and author Ned Williams very kindly organized our launch at the Light House Cinema in Wolverhampton for 13th November.

The event began with ten minutes very rare footage of Chipperfield's circus elephants on cinefilm and an excerpt from one of their Christmas shows. This was to show the audience who had attended what sort of elephant acts used to be commonplace in the UK. The footage began in the early 1950s, which was the final decade of Salt and Sauce's career.

I then launched staight into a reading of my book's tongue-in-cheek prologue. This an intentially dramatic re-telling of the tragic story of Walthamstow Goodsyard, where Sauce crushed George Lockhart Snr to death, an event that began the official legend and myth-making of these two elephants' lives.

After this my father, my main researcher and historian, gave first part of his PowerPoint talk displaying archive photos taken from the elephants' career. These pictures included photos that cannot be seen in any of the editions of the book. He brought the story up the time when famous Wolverhampton resident and circus showman, John "Broncho Bill" Swallow, purchased our book's two heroines.

This lead into my next reading, which was the entire chapter "Salt and Sauce: The Golden Age". This particular part of the elephants' lives was when they toured with John Swallow's circus in the 1920s. The chapter details how the elephants regularly walked the streets of Wolverhampton and I was delighted to hear from residents who attended the launch that the stories of these elephant walks had reached them via their parents. The stories seemed incredible and the residents were surprised, through reading my book, to discover that their parents were actually telling the truth!

My father moved onto his second PowerPoint piece, displaying photos between Salt and Sauce's time with John Swallow through their presentation by Ivor Rosaire and Emily Paulo, their donation to Dudley Zoo and subsequent purchase by Fossett's Ringland's Circus in the 1950s. This was where Salt attracted local and eventually nationwide publicity when she became stuck in Canterbury's Vauxhall lake and after her rescue died after a week despite the best efforts of the circus and the local vet.

This dramatic episode is recored in the chapter "Canterbury 1952 - Flowers for Salt", which I read an abridged version. I included this particular chapter for the benefit of the Karim family, the children of Prince Abdul Karim, the elephant's main keeper and presenter during their time at Ringland's Circus. This particular incident was a dramatic turning point in the lives of many. Not only did Salt receive over a hundred wreathes from the residents of Canterbury, but the subsequent sacking of Abdul Karim led to his family becoming permanent residents of Canterbury, where many of them still live to this day.

It was wonderful to meet this family who I had written about and heart-warming to hear how much they appreciated my father and my efforts to bring this very important chapter in their family back to life. I was told that although residents of Wolverhampton claimed Salt and Sauce as their elephants, the people of Canterbury were equally possessive!

After my final reading, my father concluded the story with photographs that took the story of Sauce up until her far less dramatic death at Butlin's holiday camp in Skegness. The evening was concluded with a question and answer section, and then we continued signing books and listening to fascinating recollections in the cinema's delightful bar.

The Light House is the best venue I have used for a launch. It is a wonderfully intimate venue, where a selection of live performances, classic, cult and mainstream cinema are shown. A perfect place to discuss a different age of entertainment that is almost forgotten.

Circus Memories - Swansea

One the most wonderful things about having the Salt and Sauce story published is all the people it has touched and the memories it helps revive. As the book begins to circulate I hear more and more anecdotes that further enrich the history I have recorded. However, sometimes it brings up memories that are not directly related to Salt and Sauce, but still worth sharing. The following is one from Robert Bradshaw, who recently purchased a copy of "The Legend of Salt and Sauce" and has very kindly allowed me to reproduce it here:

Growing up in Swansea in the fifties and sixties I used to look forward to the visit of the circus to the Recreation Ground . All the big touring circuses visited - Smarts , Chipperfields , Bertram Mills and others .

I have a vague memory of seeing a large group of the Smarts circus elephants , some very small , being walked through town from the station , trunk to tail . I also remember a large group of polar bears with Chipperfields - they always seemed to have the biggest menagerie . My first snow leopards I think were with Fossetts along with lots of other cats .

I also remember a waggon cage containing leopards being drawn into the ring by I think highland cattle and a coloured lady working the leopards in the cage . The beach was across the road from the Rec. and horses and elephants would be exercised on the sands .

In Memory of Salt and Sauce: Wolverhampton's Elephants

From Wolverhampton's "Spaghetti Gazette":

Thurs 13 Nov, 6.30pm The Legend of Salt & Sauce: Wolverhampton's Elephants
The Black Country Society and the Wolverhampton History & Heritage Society jointly present an evening devoted to the memory of Salt and Sauce -Wolverhampton's two circus elephants who lived in a yard in Gorsebrook Road from 1920 until the Second World War. Their owner was John Swallow, the proprietor of Broncho Bill's Circus and Wild West Show. Jamie Clubb and Jim Clubb, who have written a book on Salt and Sauce, will give an illustrated presentation.The event will be chaired by Ned Williams, the President of the Black Country Society, and after the presentation the Clubbs will be selling copies of their new book. Cost: £1.
http://www.light-house.co.uk/whats_on_article.php?id=119

Last of an Era

The Hall-by-the-Sea was an establishment founded by "Lord" George Sanger, a figure with strong connections to my book "The Legend of Salt and Sauce" (now in its second edition). Sanger was one of the most famous circus proprietors of his day and his Hall-by-the-Sea establishment in Margate is connected with one of Salt and Sauce's owners, the mysterious Herbert "Captain Joe" Taylor.

The Hall-by-the-Sea was replaced in the early part of the 20th century by Dremland, but there are still some small remains of the zoo that was contained within the hall. Recently a preservation order has been placed on the three remaining cages, which are the last remaining pieces of the zoo part of the Hall-by-the-Sea and possibly the last remaining examples of Victorian zoo cages (at least from that particular period of the late 19th century). Support is still being gathered in favour of preserving the cages and the case being made that they are of historical importance.

http://www.spaghettigazetti.com/2008/10/events-at-lighthouse-wolverhampton.html

Second Edition of "The Legend of Salt and Sauce" is now available

I am pleased to announce that the second edition of "The Legend of Salt and Sauce" is now on sale. As previously mentioned in the "No Absolutes" article, this is a completely updated edition of the book that was first published in June 2008. The new edition has extensively revised text on nearly every page, additional historical information, corrections, additional colour photographs and more.

Copies are available through all good booksellers, my publisher Aardvark Publications and from me. If you want your copy signed and dated, please let me know on jamie@amazinganimals.co.uk

Wolverhampton elephant recollections 2

The articles in the Wolverhampton Express and Star continue to arouse old fond memories of Salt and Sauce the elephants when they were regular residents there in the 1920s-40s. Recently I was sent the following recollection from Harry Jones who has kindly allowed me to reproduce it for this blog:

"During the second world war my father was in the fire service [I don't know whether he was in the AFS or the NFS at the time], but I can remember him saying to me " Can you guess what I rode my bike into last night ". He used to cycle along Gorsebrook road on his way from Cannock road , where we lived, to the fire station on Newhampton road. Apparently it must have been one of the occasions that the elephants got free and he rode into one of them, fetching him off his bike. During the blackout the front lamp of a cycle had a cowl on it that deflected the light downwards , only illuminating the front wheel. The poor elephant didn't stand a chance !!!

Prior to living on Cannock road I lived in Lloyd Street, off Newhampton road, with the "Summer house" pub on the corner.
The trainer of salt and sauce used to walk the elephants round the streets, then pop into the pub for a drink, leaving the elephants outside, where a group of us children would feed them stale bread. Fathers of the children in the street would send them to collect what the elephants had deposited on the road, And on one occasion Tonys' truck had that much muck on, the wheels collapsed.

I decided to write this,after reading the article in the Express and star about salt and sauce, I thought you might be interested.

Harry Jones"

Report on Kenilworth Book Signing

On 13th September 2008 I attended a book signing at Kenilworth library. The event was covered by the Kenilworth Weekly News. Please see a scan of the article below. Unfortunately the interview was conducted over the telephone, which meant some of the more confusing details regarding my book got a little muddled. Matters often get confused when I am promoting the book in Warwickshire due to the fact that Sam Lockhart, the brother of Salt and Sauce's most famous trainer, was a celebrity in Leamington Spa with his elephants.

Toffees in a tin - Salt and Sauce return to the Express and Star

The Wolverhampton Express and Star newspaper was a major source for my research on the elephants Salt and Sauce when they were owned by John "Broncho Bill" Swallow. Swallow had a very close relationship with his local paper and regularly sent reports back to it when he was touring with his own circus and later when he toured on other circuses with Salt and Sauce the elephants. His son, John D. Swallow - the third member of the family we know of who bore the name John - became the paper's editor. Historian Ned Williams wrote a lot on the circuses and faires that visited Wolverhampton and I am grateful for his research on the Swallows and Salt and Sauce. He will be promoting a special signing and talk I will be giving at a Wolverhampton cinema on 13th November. He recently had an article published on my book "The Legend of Salt and Sauce" in the Wolverhampton Express and Star, and below is a scan of Christin Groscutt's article written in response. The 78 Wolverhampton local tells of her fond memories of Salt and Sauce who she gave toffees and claimed as her "pets" at school.

New Edition of "The Legend of Salt and Sauce"

This post is something of a sequel to one I wrote called "No Absolutes". My first book, "The Legend of Salt and Sauce", has been extensively revised since its first publication. This is very exciting news for me. In the spirit of historical writing the book was never intended to be the final word on Salt and Sauce the elephants, and there incredible lives. It was, after all, only the first time their entire story was put together and first serious attempt was made to separate the fact from the fiction. My intentions have always been to inspire others to do further research, fill in gaps with solid evidence and, above all else, correct my errors. Some historians and writers have done just that and were good enough to send me their findings and annotations. I have gratefully received them and used them to improve my book.

The new version of "The Legend of Salt and Sauce" is now a virtual second edition that should include extensive revisions of the text thanks to Geoff Stevens, extra information from Mark Twitchett and Ned Williams - including a letter from the deathbed of John "Broncho Bill" Swallow's grandson who was able to read the book shortly before he sadly passed away, an index, a completely rewritten appendix on Sam Lockhart - thanks to Robin Stott and additional colour pictures.

Of course, this will mean that the first print run of the book will be more valuable now, so if you haven't purchased a copy now I would advise you do so soon. We have very limited stocks!

New Signing Date

Please note that the signing of "The Legend of Salt and Sauce" at Kenilworth Library has now been changed to Saturday 13th September 2008.

Review for upcoming "Kingpole" Magazine

"The Legend of Salt and Sauce"
By Jamie and Jim Clubb
Published by Aardvark Publishing, 2008, ISBN 9781872904368, £20

This book's subtitle is "The Amazing Story of Britain's Most Famous Elephants". I am not sure that elephants have "fame" outside the world of those interested in circuses or zoos, but the book certainly lives up to the claim to be "amazing"! It is perhaps amazing that it is possible to produce a biography of two elephants at all so the authors deserve great praise for coming up with such a detailed story.

The attractive glossy paper cover of this A4 148 page book features the elephants themselves on the front, and an attractive Broncho Bill's Circus advert on the back with a few notes to put us in the picture, plus two recommendations - one from Nell Gifford and the other from Dr. Heather Valance. Thus, anyone picking up the book casually should soon be persuaded that this book is going to be a good read. As the blurb says, "Never has the story of their lives been told in its entirety. Until now…"

After a short prologue the story begins with a dramatic telling of a tragedy that occurred in Salt and Sauce's lives in 1904, resulting in the death of George Lockhart. It is proof that a good story does not always begin at the beginning, as describing this incident makes sure that reader comes face to face with the "amazing" qualities of the story without further delay. Once our attention has been grabbed the authors return to the chronological approach we would expect of a biography but we have to follow it with the knowledge that the heroines of the tale are as much the subject of "legend" as of truth.

The book therefore cleverly proceeds on two levels. On one level we follow the eventful and colourful life of two elephants - meeting many interesting human characters along the way. On another level we pursue a detective story - the Clubbs searching for the elusive truth. It is this constant attention to the business of disentangling the story while telling it that makes the book so fascinating. Only authors with an ability to penetrate the circus world could have dealt with such complexities.

The Clubbs are well served by the witnesses and archives that have been available to them. My only regret is that I was unable to "organise" a meeting between the Clubbs and John Swallow - the grandson of Broncho Bill. John had helped me explore a little of the story of Salt and Sauce when I had been researching a book in the 1990s. As a result of a misunderstanding I had the impression that he was no longer interested in helping anyone explore his grandfather's part in the story. The truth turned out to be that John Swallow was not well. Once I discovered this, and found out his new whereabouts I was able to send him a copy of the book. John died on Tuesday 15th July but I gather that the book meant a great deal to him during the last few days of his life - and helped him to connect with an enjoyable part of his past. Just before he died he wrote: "Now my two best boyhood pals are giving me thoughts about what I would have never have known about them."

John was a schoolboy when he developed his friendship with his grandfather's elephants and they obviously meant a great deal to him. The book shows that Salt and Sauce meant a great deal to lots of the people they encountered. Whether that is true of all circus elephants or whether Salt and Sauce were extra special you will have to judge for yourself, but the book will give you plenty of food for thought. So, once again I must congratulate the Clubbs, father and son, who have produced a book that lives up to its claim to be "amazing", creates an interesting tension twixt "fact" and "legend", and leaves the ready with plenty to think about. Read it and buy copies to give to your friends - it deserves a wide readership.

Ned Williams

For details on the quarterly publication "King Pole" please follow this link http://www.circusfriends.co.uk/kingpole.html

Signing and Review Updates

My parents' private zoo will be, for the first time ever, holding an Open Day for the general public to view their facilities on 21st August. Signed copies of "The Legend of Salt and Sauce" will be on sale, and my father and I will be on hand to answer questions. For further details on this exclusive event please call 07743905852.

We also have details of a signing in Wolverhampton, once home to Salt and Sauce, where I hope to meet residents who saw the two magnificent elephants walking their streets. Details below supplied by Ned Williams:

'13th November 2008: "Wolverhampton's Elephants"- the amazing story of Salt and Sauce....will be presented on Thursday 13th November at 6.30.pm at the Light House Cinema, Wolverhampton, byJamie and Jim Clubb, authors of a new book on the subject.The event is jointly presented by the Black Country Society and the Wolverhampton History & Heritage Society and will be chaired by Ned Williams, President of the BCS.The evening will include visual material, hopefully including material on film relating to circus elephants.Admission (at the door) £1'.

And finally the 1st July edition of "Circus Report", an American publication, has a glowing review of "The Legend of Salt and Sauce" by Don Stacey. Stacey said "I can't rate this book highly enough" and praised my father and my "meticulous research". Hopefully this will generate interest in the USA where the tradition of elephant training is now much stronger than it is in the UK.

The Famous Rosaires

Syvia Kent's article, "Our famous residents, the Rosaires" reproduced by kind permission of Newsquest. http://sylviakent.blogspot.com/search/label/JOAN%20ROSAIRE

Martial Edge Interviews/Articles on Jamie Clubb

These links are to the first two parts of an article written by Lesley Jackson for Martial Edge based on the most candid interviews I have ever given regarding my circus upbringing and experiences in the martial arts.

"Jamie Clubb: The Early Years"
http://www.martialedge.net/articles/interviews-question-and-answers/jamie-clubb-the-ealy-years/

"Jamie Clubb: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly"
http://www.martialedge.net/articles/interviews-question-and-answers/jamie-clubb,-the-good,-the-bad-and-the-ugly/

Report on the official Salt and Sauce book signing

7th June was a very special day for me. My father and I launched a book that has taken us at least six, probably seven, years to complete off and on. It was also my first ever published book. Since I was about 5 years old I have wanted to write a book of some description. I can't say that this was the book I had envisaged, but nonetheless it is a book I am very proud of. With the help of my father's expertise in the world of animal training and our various contacts inside and outside of the circus world we were able to produce the type of circus book we both would enjoy reading. Launching the book at the Circus Friends Association's Annual General Meeting did fill me with more than a small amount of anxiety. True these dedicated supporters of circus knew and have followed my father and my family's career well, but this book was not about him or the Chipperfields. This was a book about elephants who Dad never knew and didn't ever appear on my family's circus. We had tackled a topic that had become wound up in myth, speculation and folklore during an age that now seems like centuries ago. Furthermore, unlike many books that sell to circus enthusiasts this was not a book dominated by posters, postcards and photographs - although it does include quite a number - rather it is mainly dominated by my prose. Nevertheless, through the help of other dedicated and helpful historians to not mention wonderful characters like Ivor Rosaire, who began their career with Salt and Sauce, we were able to assemble the entire story for the very first time, disentangling the legend from the reality, and I have grown as a writer through the experience.

It would appear that our efforts were not in vain. Ned Williams, a helpful contributor, very kindly stood up to give a speech of thanks for the book. He and others pointed out the huge impact Salt and Sauce made on the lives of residents, still alive today, of Wolverhampton when they roamed their streets having lodged at John Swallow's winter quarters near the old railway bridge. Ned also made the poetic observation that the story of "The Legend of Salt and Sauce" had begun with a father and son, George Lockhart the elephant trainer and his son, the ringmaster and storyteller, and now it had been retold by another father and son team: my dad the animal trainer and me, the new storyteller.

The event was well received and included me reading two exerpts from the book and Dad giving a Power Point display, including photos that did not make it into the book. My thanks to my publisher, David Jamieson of Aardvark Publishers and the CFA for hosting us on this very special day.