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Circus Chipperfield in United Kingdom


Circus Chipperfield
Typecircus
Owner -: Myrtle Chipperfield
-1948: Dick Chipperfield Sr.
1948-: Dick Chipperfield Jr.
1948-: Dicky Chipperfield
1948-: Marjorie Stockley
1948-1955: Jimmy Chipperfield
Country United Kingdom
Directors 1939-1955: Marjorie Stockley (director)
1951-1968: James Stockley (director)
Key People-1979: Sally Clubb (animal trainer)
-1979: Jim Stockley (animal trainer)
-: Maud Chipperfield (assistant director)
-: Johnny Chipperfield (animal trainer)
-: Maude Chipperfield (artist)
-: Doris Chipperfield (artist)
-: Tommy Chipperfield (animal trainer)
-1955: Mary Chipperfield (animal trainer)
1948-: Rosie Chipperfield (assistant director)
1964-1967: Brian Boswell (assistant director)
Veterinarians
Elephant department
Head keepers
of elephants		 1948-1954: Ivor Rosaire
(elephant trainer)
Elephant keepers
Relevant literature
Description

Circus Chipperfield, United Kingdom .


Comments / picturesThe acquisition of a large Group of elephants from Sri Lanka after World-War II established Circus Chipperfield among the biggest circuses in England. The main branch of the family running the circus was Dick Chipperfield Jr. (who died at the age of 83 in 1988) and his brother Jimmy.

Dicks brother Jimmy Chipperfield (-1990) and his wife Rose Purchase (1912-2006) had the children James (died at the age of six from tetanus), Mary, Richard, John and Margaret. Jimmy branched out 1955 with his son Richard (killed during a safari in Uganda in April 1975) in the fields of showjumping, filming and later developed the first drive-through safari park Lions of Longleat and Woburn Safari Park outside Africa. He also developed Knowsley Zoo and Plymouth Zoo and Southampton Zoo.

1947: There were no elephants in circus in England after World War II so Dick Chipperfield Jr. went to Sri Lanka in 1947 and bought 9 elephants.
With the help of the owner of Kamala\'s Circus, Chipperfield toured outlying villages to find elephants and bargain for purchases. First elephant was purchased and named Kamala in respect. Mary and 5 year old Dahlia purchased next. Dahlia was still being trained by Mary, chained to her while working on a rubber plantation. Elephants traveled 15 miles a night for the 60 mile trek to Colombo. Each was ridden by a native boy on the neck with a bell tied, fed coconut leaves and taken to the river for a daily swim. Eight elephants (all previous working animals) transported from Colombo to Tilbury by Captain Newton of the Trevlor. Captain Newton had shipped elephants before, though never as many as for Chipperfield. (Pamela Macgregor-Morris, Chipperfield\'s Circus)

1947: 5 months later, Dick Chipperfield went back to Sri Lanka and bought another 12 elephants and that 9 + 12 made up 21 elephants. They arrived at the George V Dock in London\'s Docklands in October 1947 on SS Arbratus. (Wikipedia)

1947 imports (uncompleted):

  1. Blackie
    2. ,
  2. Dahlia
    3. ,
  3. Dinah
    4. ,
  4. Jimmy
    5. ,
  5. Kamala (Camella)
    6. ,
  6. Lelia
    7. ,
  7. Mable
    8. ,
  8. Mary
    9. ,
  9. Sally
    10. ,
    and five elephants later sold to the Government of Borneo in 1951:
  10. unknown name
    11. ,
  11. unknown name
    12. ,
  12. unknown name
    13. ,
  13. unknown name
    14. and
  14. unknown name
    15. .


1948: 21 elephants at Tom Arnold show at Harringay (London) in 1948.
1948: In the winter of 1948, Rosie Chipperfield (wife of Jimmy) went to Sri Lanka and brought back another 8 elephants (including two bulls)
Freda
1949: 29 elephants
1951: 5 of the biggest elephants were sold to the Government of Borneo in 1951: unknown name, unknown name, unknown name, unknown name and unknown name.
1952: 24 elephants:


  1. Baby
    2. ,
  2. Blackie
    3. ,
  3. Cita
    4. ,
  4. Dahlia
    5. ,
  5. Dinah
    6. ,
  6. Jennie
    7. ,
  7. Jimmy
    8. ,
  8. Kamala (Camella)
    9. ,
  9. Lelia
    10. ,
  10. Mable
    11. ,
  11. Mary
    12. ,
  12. May
    13. ,
  13. Rani
    14. ,
  14. Sally
    15. ,
  15. Suzie
    16. ,


Circus Chipperfield in United Kingdom United+KingdomOver 100 year old picture by photographer Justin Nelson of 12 Chipperfield elephants in Clonmel railway station, Tipperary, during tour in Ireland in 1952.

Between 1952 and 1953, 8 elephants left the circus: 3 elephants (2 bulls + 1 cow) went to Fossett’s in Ireland. These 3 + 2 bull elephants were sold to Russia via Chipperfields. They were the act originally known as the "Banda 5" (aka "Band of five" = males Banda, Shandra & Blackie = females May & Jane - male Jimmy later replaced Jane), which Ivor Rosaire worked on Circus Mikkeni (sp?) in Holland and other shows in Sweden, Germany and Belgium in the early 1950s.
Paulo’s Circus bought one called Baby, which went onto Robert Brothers and eventually died in Ireland . Two others died.
1953: Chipperfields Circus ousted rivals Bertram Mills and Billy Smart and boasted a big-top tent which could accommodate 6,000 people. It had a collection of 200 horses, 16 elephants and 200 other animals.
1953-1956: another 3 elephants left the circus, total numbers 13?
1956: Chipperfield toured Ireland with 12 elephants pictured at Clonmel railway station, Co.Tipperary. (Mabel became unaccountably lame when touring Ireland. Sent home to winterquarters in Stockbridge, reducing the Group to 12.)
Circus Chipperfield in United Kingdom United+Kingdom
1956-1963: One elephant must have died or been sold..
1963: The elephant Mary was used in Rome, in the film Cleopatra, directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz.
1963-08-24: 8 elephants went on RBBB european tour: Cita, Rani, May, Suzie, Jennie, Dinah, Dahlia, and Mable.
1963 September: Mary, Camella, Lelia and Sally were the 4 that stayed with the circus.
1963: This makes a total of 12 elephants.
1963: A new import of 5 elephants: Jane, Carol, Marjorie, Anna and Maryann.(Maryann was re-named Dorothy)
1964-05-12: 8 elephants went on tour with Trolle Rhodins Circus Caravan in Scandinavia: Cita, Rani, May, Suzie, Jennie, Dinah, Dalia, and Mable.
Circus Chipperfield in United Kingdom United+Kingdom
John L. Chipperfield assisted by Jim Stockley, on tour in South Africa, 1965.
1965-1967: Chipperfields Circus toured Southern Africa, and returned to the UK 1968.
5 elephants from this tour was sold to zoos in South Africa, among them Dorothy/Maryanne, who was 1984 sold back to Brian Boswell Circus, Anna and Marjorie were both sold to Vereeniging Zoo, and Carol and Jane were both sold to Springs Zoo.
Circus Chipperfield in United Kingdom United+Kingdom

South West India Docks, 1968: Four elephants returning from a Chipperfields Circus tour of South Africa. Left to Right: Sally, Lelia, Mary and Camella in the sling. The man with stick is John L Chipperfield..
1967?: three older elephants sold to Kolmården Zoo in Sweden; : Dina, Dalia, and Mable.
1968 in November: 5 elephants sold to Ringlings in USA, were shipped from Hamburg with the Swedish ship “Atlantic Saga”: Cita, Rani, May, Suzie and Jennie.
1969: Old Camella (Kamala) died.
1969-1971: A new juveniel elephant bought, named Camella.
1972: A new Group of small elephant arrived from Bangalore: Mohini, Minoti and Manju.
1973: A new import, bought from Brian Williams at Tysely Pet Stores: Lechmee, Mina (Meena), Lisa, Sophie.
1975: Young Camella joined Lechmee, Meena, Sophie, Lisa as a Group of 5 that Doreen Duggan took to Elfi Altoff in Austria in 1975.
1975-1979: Was Sophie, Lisa sold or died during those years?
1979: Manju, Mohini, Minoti were sold to Ashtons in Australia April 1979 but never made it because the ship made landfall in Durban and voided the veterinary requirements. Minoti is now at Brian Boswell circus.
1979: The circus had a fire accident, and Sally and Lilia died from the result of a fire later.

Jimmys older brother Dick Chipperfield continued with the Circus, his son Dicky Chipperfield took over the Circus, with his sons Richard and Graham.
1994-1999: Camella, Lechmee, Mina (Meena) went to America with Graham Thomas Chipperfield.
After 1999: The last elephants Camella, Lechmee and Mina (Meena) were sold to Circus Medrano (Cirque Medrano) in Spain.

References for records about Circus Chipperfield

Recommended Citation

Koehl, Dan (2023). Circus Chipperfield, Elephant Encyclopedia. Available online at https://www.elephant.se/location2.php?location_id=626. (archived at the Wayback machine)

Sources used for this article is among others:

  • Jim Clubb, UK
  • Pamela Macgregor-Morris, Chipperfield's Circus
  • Origin of elephants in Borneo, by Earl of Cranbrook, J. Payne and Charles M.U. Leh
  • Jim Stockley, South Africa


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