Eddie Drake - Toka

Originally posted 04/13/2012
Updated 05/29/2012 with news article and image

An interesting ad in a 1977 issue of The Circus Report announces an act and elephant rides available for rent.

Circus Report, 6th year No 17, Page 8, 04/25/1977
Courtesy of CircusHistory.org

Shiloh Me Some Elephants

An imported entry from Circus Diaries regarding an event during the 2010 Kelly Miller Circus season with commentary written by Dick Flint for Buckles Blog. Photos by Ryan Easley.

"Probably the largest herd of performing elephants under an American big top this year was seen on June 2 in Shiloh, Pennsylvania, on the Kelly-Miller circus. “From the Kelly-Miller ranch in Oklahoma” were two herds under the combined direction of Armando Loyal and Jason King. The event occurred when Cindy Migley’s Circus Spectacular date for Philadelphia’s Lulu Shrine Temple in Plymouth Meeting, Pa., closed and the show with Jason King and three more of Barbara Byrd's large herd was headed to the Chicago area but laid over for a day to visit John Ringling North II’s Kelly-Miller show." //Dick Flint, Baltimore


It was very interesting to watch the interactions between all the elephants as they were put together in the yard. Lots of rumbles and trumpeting could be heard. All of the elephants except for Viola are kept on the same side of the barn at night during winter quarters. They all get along rather well.


When photos of this event were submitted to Buckles Web Log by Dick Flint, an anonymous comment questioned respected circus historian Buckles Woodcock, "How many elephants does it take to do a "long" mount?" He replied, "More than one."


Because both Lisa and Viola do not mount, they were not going to be able to use one of them for the t-mount and long mount. Armando took my suggestion of using them both as a base and having the others mount off their backs.




Buckles Blog: Commentary and Photos from Dick Flint
>> http://bucklesw.blogspot.com/2010/06/from-richard-flint-1.html
>> http://bucklesw.blogspot.com/2010/06/from-richard-flint-2.html
>> http://bucklesw.blogspot.com/2010/06/from-richard-flint-3.html

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Chessington Zoo - Rosie

Dick Chipperfield states in his 1963 book "My Friends The Animals" that, at age 24, his first elephant was not a good circus elephant. She was subsequently sold to the Chessington Zoo.

"Taken on March 29th, 1935. The caption reads: Good morning, Mrs. Elephant. Rajah, the poney, likes to accompany the assistants at feeding time at the Chessington, Surrey, Zoo. Here they are calling on \'Rosie\' the elephant, who seems to be giving them a good welcome."
Courtesy of Meaghan Edwards, ZooChat.com

Moolah Shrine Circus 1988

An assortment of photos of circuses performing in St. Louis have been found in my father's collection. Unfortunately, most are unlabeled and they all are mixed up. An effort is underway to sort the photographs and identify the herds and handlers. St. Louis, Missouri, is the hometown of ShowMe Elephants. I look forward to beginning these sets.

Moolah Shrine Circus, St. Louis, 1988
Photo Courtesy of M Easley

Colchester Zoo - Moto and Toto

IN THE 70S IN SOUTH ENGLAND I HAD THE JOB OF PICKING UP TWO FULL GROWN ELEPHANTS UP, CALLED MOTO AND TOTO FROM COLCHESTER ZOO ? NORTH ENGLAND, AND I HAD TO TAKE THEM BACK TO THE ZOO IN MARGATE KENT, WHO HAD PURCHASED THEM, ANY REFERENCE TO THIS PAIR OF ELEPHANTS. //X CHIPPERFIELDS ELEPHANT KEEPER, PETER

From "The Colchester Express," 1967
Courtesy of Gorotex / ZooChat.com

Lakeside Park Zoo - Judy

A record compilation from the late Murray Hill's Animal Education, Protection & Information Foundation shares names of many elephants not found elsewhere. One such animal is Judy.

The records compilation date in April 1964 the young bull, about three years old, at Lake Side Park Zoo in Jefferson, Ohio. Jefferson, a small village with a current population of about 3,000, is located in the uppermost northeast corner of Ohio. No further information can be found regarding a zoo facility in this location.

Jim Stockley Collection - Chipperfields 1956

"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 Schmidt to Ringlings in America." //Jim Stockley

Chipperfield elephants, 1956
Courtesy of J Stockley

Mystery Photograph

From Buckles Woodcock's "Buckles Blog:"

Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Unidentified
No idea where I got this. The trucks look more interesting than the elephants. I'm guessing that this is either the Circus Festival at the Sarasota Fairgrounds or the marshaling area for the Milwaukee Parade. Note the calliope in the background.
Posted by Buckles

Anonymous said...
This is a tough one--the nicely painted truck reminds me of Toby Tyler, but the three babies remind me of Great American (Lisa, Heather, and Donna) from 86 or 87. Great American was the host circus at the Milwaukee Parade in 87.
Maria Vonderheid

J Goodall said...
The photo was not taken in Milwaukee. Never have seen the calliope in the background.

Paul Ingrassia said...
Most certainly not Milwaukee. the two years Alan was with us I recall a little too well so that not it either...

Anonymous said...
Appears to be Sarasota Festival and either Toby Tyler Africans Or Allen Hills. I would lean toward Toby Tyler because of the adjoining trailer.

Anonymous said...
Appears to be the "Two Jesters" in the background.

johnny said...
Either of the acts of Africabs at that time were quite impressive and the three that Joe Frisco Jr. trained for Great American from scratch were very nice and certainly gave Joe his credentials as an Elephant Trainer and one of the few select African elephant trainers. The Toby Tyler three remain somewhat controversial on just who did what, but when I saw Paul Duke work them with an unidentified young lady assisting him, they were quite impressive as well.

Richard said...
The wagon is the Harp & Jesters from the Ringling Museum.
Dick Flint

Without a date or location, it is more difficult to identify these elephants. The elephant truck is not the one featured on Allen C. Hill's Great American Circus in 1994, pictured recently in photographs contributed from the collection of Bill Prickett. Help is sought to identify the elephants, their owner and the vehicles pictured to the right. Can it be confirmed this is the Great American herd with Lisa, Donna and Heather?