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Search:
Circus Chipperfield in United Kingdom
Location info
0 Present
0 births
6 Deaths
31 Relocated
Circus Chipperfield
Type
circus
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
:
Maud Chipperfield
(assistant director)
1939-1955:
Marjorie Stockley
(director)
1948:
Rosie Chipperfield
(assistant director)
1951-1968:
James Stockley
(director)
1964-1967:
Brian Boswell
(assistant director)
Key People
:
Peter Balder
(animal trainer)
:
Terry Duggan
(animal trainer)
:
Doreen Duggan
(animal trainer)
-1979:
Sally Clubb
(animal trainer)
-1979:
Jim Stockley
(animal trainer)
-:
Johnny Chipperfield
(animal trainer)
-:
Maude Chipperfield
(artist)
-:
Doris Chipperfield
(artist)
-:
Tommy Chipperfield
(animal trainer)
-1955:
Mary Chipperfield
(animal trainer)
-1958:
Yolan Konyot
(artist)
Veterinarians
Elephant department
Head keepers
of elephants
-:
Wenzel Kossmayer
(elephant trainer)
-:
Douglas Kossmayer
(elephant trainer)
1948-1954:
Ivor Rosaire
(elephant trainer)
Elephant keepers
Record history
History of updates
2024-03-08
Latest document update
2024-03-08 19:05:39
Relevant literature
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Description
Circus Chipperfield,
United Kingdom
.
Comments / pictures
The 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):
Blackie
,
Dahlia
,
Dinah
,
Jimmy
,
Kamala (Camella)
,
Lelia
,
Mable
,
Mary
,
Sally
,
and five elephants later sold to the Government of Borneo in 1951:
unknown name
,
unknown name
,
unknown name
,
unknown name
and
unknown name
.
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:
Baby
,
Blackie
,
Cita
,
Dahlia
,
Dinah
,
Jennie
,
Jimmy
,
Kamala (Camella)
,
Lelia
,
Mable
,
Mary
,
May
,
Rani
,
Sally
,
Suzie
,
Old picture by photographer Justin Nelson of 12 Chipperfield elephants in Clonmel railway station, Tipperary, during tour in Ireland in 1952.
Clonmel railway station, Co. Tipperary 1956 - the 12 Chipperfield elephants leave the station with
Doreen Duggan
leading Mary elephant. John L Chipperfield is mid-way down the line and Dick Chipperfield bringing up the rear. The show went to Ireland with 15 elephants and sold Jimmy, Blackie and Monica (two males and a female) to Fossett\'s Circus. Later, eight of these twelve would go with
Hugo Schmitt
to Ringlings in America.
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.)
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
.
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
.
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 (2024). 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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