My Kingpole Article

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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

A Bit of Sauce on the Paul O'Grady Show

On Monday 2 November 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.

Extracts from "We Went to the Zoo Today"

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.

We Went to the Zoo Today

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.

Did Granddad Bounce?

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.

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• Vintage Circus Photos From The Wisconsin Historical Society Archives (laughingsquid.com)

The Bounce: Revisited in The Kingpole

Image via Wikipedia

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.

Forgotten Fame III: Captain Herbert Clarke

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

Prompted by a response from cousin Jim again, I posted a piece on one of his favourite examples of forgotten fame http://jamieclubb.blogspot.com/2009/04/forgotten-fame-ii-incredible-abernathy.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

My First Forward!

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.

www.geoffthompson.com

George Lockhart's First Elephants

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.

Dick Chipperfield Jnr – The Last Man to Work the Bouncing Lions?

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

Captain Tommy Kayes - Master of the Bouncing Lions

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

The Bouncer Wagon: A Uniquely English Invention?

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.

Sam Lockhart as "Big Dick"?

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.

Update on the Strait Bargate Boston Photograph

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".

Salt and Sauce in Strait Bargate, Boston circ. 1950

Recently Ray Dolling, a very helpful circus historian 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.

Forgotten Fame II: The Incredible Abernathy Brothers

Following on from my cousin, Jim Stockley's interesting post regarding the amazing story of the Abernathy brothers, I felt that it is worth giving this piece of history its own post. The Abernathy boys became famous for a short time when they travelled from Oklahoma to New Mexico and back again on horseback to welcome President Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt back from him European visit. As my cousin pointed out, it might be the case that their 62 trans-American record has not been beaten. However, what makes the story even more incredible is the fact that Bud Abernathy was only nine and his younger brother, Temple, was only five. This was a very different age. It was an actual event in the mould of Mark Twain's most famous creations, Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer (whose adventures I joyfully downloaded onto my ipod this year!)

From "The Weekly Wire":

"Bud was 9 and Temple only 5, the two boys set out with their father's blessing
to ride horseback from Frederick, Oklahoma, to Santa Fe, New Mexico, and
back again...alone. They went not out of necessity, nor on some desperate
errand; they went for the fun of the adventure. It was 1909. In the next
four years, they would undertake even more prodigious travels through
America, becoming minor celebrities, securing corporate endorsements and
meeting President Taft in the White House."

For the full article, please click below:

http://weeklywire.com/ww/03-22-99/tw_book1.html

Salt and Sauce at Bingley Hall 1932/33

George Pinder has very kindly sent over two scans of a Christmas programme for Bingley Hall's circus 1932-1933. The programme shows listings of the elephants Salt and Sauce. At the time the elephants were owned by John "Broncho Bill" Swallow. He had auctioned off his own circus in 1930 in the wake of the Great Depression. Salt and Sauce had been one of the few items that had not been sold*. They ended up becoming a big part of the business that would sustain him for 15 years before his death in 1945.

Notes:

George Pinder's famous French/English circus family feature a lot in my first book, "The Legend of Salt and Sauce". The Bingley Hall booking is also noted in my timeline appendix.

Bingley Hall has special childhood memories for me, as my parents ran their circus there for the Christmas season of 1982/1983 and 1983/1984. Sadly 1984 would be the year that the building caught fire, damaging it beyond repair. It was owned by the famous yachtsman, T0ny Bullimore, at the time my parents worked there and for years afterwards we still received Christmas cards from him. Bingley Hall replaced Bingley House in 1850.

Image via Wikipedia

*Actually there is more to this story than meets the eye as my book reveals.

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• Tony Bullimore is rescued by the navy (telegraph.co.uk)

Beelzebub's Broker!

I am proud to announce my new blog, "Beelzebub's Broker". The point of this new blog is to showcase more experimental and controversial work. I am happy to also promote and recommend work that I feel is in line with my objectives. Writing will be shaped by, but certainly not limited to individualism and scepticism.

Open Mind (versus empty head!)

"Open Mind (versus empty head!)" is the last of my tenet series of articles. It addresses the need to be able to change and be flexible both in the short and long term. It's main focus is on the martial arts and self protection, however, it is also touches upon various other aspects of life and I thought would be appropriate for this blog.

http://www.clubbchimera.com/?p=568

Recently I was prompted to post up my notes on my modern definitions of cynicism, pseudoscepticism, ancient scepticism and modern scepticism. They are virtually unedited, completely unbalanced and taken straight out of an email conversation. I also admit them to being partial as there is a lot more I could have added. However, seeing that more people I am in contact with have taken some interest in the scepticism and what is often meant by the term I thought I'd best share it here. For the record, this is not a sceptical blog, although I am an unashamed modern sceptic and individualist.

Cynic = A person who always assumes worst in everything. Varies from a Samuel Beckett or Phillip Larkin (both who I enjoy reading) pessimist to someone who has a generally nihilistic view on life and an irrational capacity to seeing the worst in everything. It’s a position that should be avoided, but we all have it in us in some form.

Pseudosceptic = Teenage syndrome! In short, those who attack something that has the biggest body of evidence, but refuses to accept the burden of proof. Some are controversial for the sake of being controversial whereas others are your typical confirmation bias conspiracists etc.

Ancient scepticism = I can’t pretend I have a large amount of knowledge on this subject, but from what I can gather this form of scepticism started off with very good intentions – like today’s modern version – but ended up becoming very much like the pseudosceptics. Advocators of this traditional form of scepticism ended up posing improvable academia like “Prove that the world wasn’t created five minutes ago and we arrived with all our memories intact” or “Everything is just a figment of our imagination”. This is where my prejudice may come in, but at its worst I see this as cowardly cop-out mental masturbation. It’s the sort of nonsense I loathe in martial arts - “Ah but in a real situation I would do this and you wouldn’t do that”. If we can’t replicate it, test it or see workable examples to support the hypothesis aside from “philosophical evidence” (there’s an oxymoron if I’ve ever seen one) then it doesn’t warrant an equal oppositional argument. It’s the same sort of thinking that con-theos or conspiracists use when all their arguments have been debunked by hard evidence – “Everything is a conspiracy!”

See a description George Edward Moore' s philosophical argument against traditional scepticism and the case for "common sense": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Here_is_a_hand

Modern sceptic = Not to be confused with the ancient Greek school of philosophy, which many do. I think the modern sceptic at his best is a hard rational thinker with a genuine open mind. He accepts facts as “temporary conclusions with the biggest body evidence”. He doesn’t accept absolutes, but will go where the evidence is strongest and continually tests and questions with logic. Copernicus, Galileo, Darwin, Lister, Jenner and Einstein all questioned the prevailing opinion of their times, but they did so with hard data and compelling evidence. They took their burden of proof and were willing to prove their ideas. What I love most about these examples is that they didn’t do it through force of personality – often the staple tactic of religions, cults and philosophies – but through ideas that could be proven the world over by similarly educated individuals.