Lion tamer

[Annie65115]

Whilst researching a friend's family tree, we found that an ancestor was a musician in a circus in the 1901 census, and whilst looking through the appropriate census for the other circus workers,  I was delighted to spot 23 year old Elizabeth Williams, a lion tamer.

Lion tamer! A 23 yr old woman in 1901! She was born in St Luke's, London, and married to William Williams, a circus musician born in India and I very much doubt that I could trace her back to her birth family to see her background, but various questions beg to be answered:

how did she get into lion taming?
what would a female lion tamer wear in the ring?
did they used to de-claw the lions, or pull teeth, or anything to reduce the danger?

does anyone here know anything about lion tamers?

[Milliepede]

That is an interesting find.  We could try and find a marriage to Williams - if she was only 23 in 1901 can't have been married too long.

Whereabouts was the census taken?

[Milliepede]

Found it now.  I wonder if she marries again to a Mr Sutton (maybe the lion got Mr Williams  ) as she is with him and step children called Williams on the next census.

Okaaaay Mr Sutton marries Elizabeth Cooper a widow soooooo maybe she married again in between or this isn't her at all despite the children with Williams surname.  Tangled as a lions mane.

[Milliepede]

Albert William Williams parents William & Elizabeth baptised 5 March 1905.  Father a musician.

Elizabeth Mole born St Luke Middlesex 18 father John Mole married Henry Cooper 1896.  Am guessing if this is the same Elizabeth she never actually married William Williams but got swept up in the circus as it were.

1881 with parents John and Helen/Ellen and siblings.

Not found any circus in her background at all and I can't find the Moles in 1891, they must have gone to ground.

[dee-jay]

The earliest female lion tamers appear to have surfaced between the late-1830s and mid-1840s but you are unlikely to find them other than in newspaper reports, and then mostly in their married names, viz. 'the celebrated Mrs King';  and 'Mrs Mordaunt'. 

'Miss Ellen CHAPMAN' was presented when Wombwell's Menagerie appeared by command before Queen Victoria and the Royal Family at Windsor in 1847;  but in contrast 'Madame Pauline de Vere' appears to have had at least two identities, if not more:  daughter of 'Hylton' of menagerie fame; Jane [nee .....?] wife of Elijah FREEMAN, a keeper turned lion tamer of Wombwell's;  and above-mentioned Ellen [nee CHAPMAN], wife of George SANGER. However, the claims of competitive showmen advertising their wares in newspapers should be taken 'with a pinch of salt', as 'Madame Pauline de Vere' was advertised in excess of 50 years, including some 12 years after the death of Jane FREEMAN, wife of Elijah .....!! 

The worst tragedy of a 'Lion Queen' was the death of Ellen BLIGHT [not BRIGHT as often reported] who was killed by a Tiger at Chatham in 1850 'in the 17th year of her age'. She was a niece of George WOMBWELL, whose nephew William WOMBWELL had a narrrow escape when savagely mauled by a Lioness in 1848, only to be gored to death aged 25 by an Elephant a year later.  These two cousins share a joint gravestone in Coventry cemetery. 

[Annie65115]

Fascinating stuff!

I can't imagine being swept into lion taming as the circus passes through town --- Hats off to these women who were defying societal expectations!

[cathayb]

for a friend
Long one.
My great grandma Hannah Gough "married" George Peters (a West Indian) around 1878. They were in the circus but not always travelling. Their oldest child (Great Uncle) James was born in 1879 in Salford, Manchester. Charlotte born in Liverpool, in 1881. On their birth certificates George was a travelling showman. Then Robert (my grandad) was born in 1883 and they were living in Bristol. George was a labourer. When travelling with the circus all the children had roles in the circus.
Sometime during 1880's in Manchester (possibly) George was killed by a lion. Hannah put James with another circus troupe. He broke his arm and in 1891 was sent to an orphanage in London. I've got birth certificates for these three.
My problem is the youngest child Henry. I've got a birth certificate for the only Henry Peters I could find in Bristol around the right time. Born 4th August 1886, Barton Regis Workhouse. Mother and informant is Hannah Peters, but there is no maiden name, flower seller of Bristol. There is no name or occupation of father.
I am wondering if I have the correct birth certificate for Henry. There is no other Henry in Bristol with a mother called Hannah Peters. Robert born in 1883 was born in Bristol so do I have the right Hannah Peters and child?
in particular we would love to find a newspaper report of george peters being killed by the lion?

[Annie65115]

I've found several reports of the death of a "Negro", mauled by lions at a circus performance in Cannes in Sept 1882. The circus was Sangers. Might this have been George? If so, it means that he died before the birth of his youngest child.

[dee-jay]

Their oldest child (Great Uncle) James was born in 1879 in Salford, Manchester. Charlotte born in Liverpool, in 1881. On their birth certificates George was a travelling showman. Then Robert (my grandad) was born in 1883 and they were living in Bristol. George was a labourer. .....
I've got birth certificates for these three.
My problem is the youngest child Henry. I've got a birth certificate for the only Henry Peters I could find in Bristol around the right time. Born 4th August 1886, Barton Regis Workhouse. Mother and informant is Hannah Peters, but there is no maiden name, flower seller of Bristol. There is no name or occupation of father.

Can you please quote the birth dates for the first three and the informant(s)?  Those details should enable a rough calculation for their whereabouts when conceived and perhaps a trace via circus advertisements in the UK. 

A lion tamer was likely to have been attached to a menagerie and would probably have been advertised with an exotic name and description,  - not necessarily accurate in all respects .....!!   However, the publicity surrounding the death of a lion tamer in action was worth its weight in gold to a Proprietor, as countless Victorians would throng to scenes of the macabre and/or to see the man-eater, whether alive or stuffed.