tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863866044935943649.post964062709188942818..comments2023-01-19T23:37:33.930+13:00Comments on Australasian Zoo & Circus Animals Historical Journal: List of Wirth's Circus Elephants - to dateLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11391254858628743563noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863866044935943649.post-44765452671352273222018-01-09T18:50:53.775+13:002018-01-09T18:50:53.775+13:00Actually Princess Alice (died 1941) was 65 years o...Actually Princess Alice (died 1941) was 65 years old when she died. Alice (not Princess Alice) another female obtained from Burma in 1923 (and much larger than Princess Alice) died in the 1950s also aged around 65 years. Betty the elephant belonging to Sole Brothers did die of tutu poisoning. Images are on the ATL site of the NZ National Library. I've been on a number of other Heritage projects for some time now unfortunately so this blog isn't being updated much at all. When I do get more time I'll update my posts. CheersLizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11391254858628743563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863866044935943649.post-1927138173119075612017-12-27T16:07:52.274+13:002017-12-27T16:07:52.274+13:00Hi - Is Betty the same baby elephant that belonged...Hi - Is Betty the same baby elephant that belonged to the Sole Brothers circus? I looked for a Betty, died Hamilton, tutu, 1950 but didn't find anything confirming the story. The closest I got was 'Baby elephant Betty' put down in 1937 in Epsom Show Grounds Auckland. She had eaten Tutu as a young calf but had recovered after a long illness.<br /><br />https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19370710.2.121?query=elephant%20tutu<br /><br />Also, when searching for 'Wirths circus' I found this article reporting on an elephant that had killed a man in 1909 which may interest<br /><br />https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HNS19090712.2.55?query=elephant%20wirths<br />https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19090628.2.70?query=elephant%20wirths<br /><br />Wirth's elephant and the train - also 1909 - <br /><br />https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/PGAMA19090216.2.28.4?query=elephant%20wirths<br /><br />Apparently Alice quite liked condensed milk! 1936<br /><br />https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/BOPT19360409.2.32?query=elephant%20wirths<br /><br />I hope I'm not overwhelming you with stories - but there is quite a few on Paperspast. Here's another story of an elephant helping himself to bags of flour in Ballarat 1921<br /><br />https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19211022.2.93?query=elephant%20wirths<br /><br />A run of bad luck for Wirth's - 1931<br /><br />https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19311209.2.46?query=elephant%20wirths<br /><br />This article may have it wrong but they list Princess Alice as being 131 years old in 1938 and having carried King George and Queen Victoria on her back at different times.<br /><br />https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19380420.2.212?query=elephant%20wirths<br /><br />I'll leave it there for now. Good luck with your archive<br /><br />Gnomesbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16579916112204674069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863866044935943649.post-55606606856572064542013-09-11T09:26:16.084+12:002013-09-11T09:26:16.084+12:00Hi Vanessa
Thanks so much for your comment!Hi Vanessa<br /><br />Thanks so much for your comment!Lizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11391254858628743563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863866044935943649.post-17020700887675721662013-09-10T17:34:31.029+12:002013-09-10T17:34:31.029+12:00I'm related to the Wirth Circus so this is gre...I'm related to the Wirth Circus so this is great to see!! :-)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11651594707958235305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863866044935943649.post-67870388891043606452013-07-30T11:12:24.366+12:002013-07-30T11:12:24.366+12:00Ross I've had a look in the TROVE website whic...Ross I've had a look in the TROVE website which is where your best information will be available. According to the Sydney Morning Herald 19 July 1943 Seven elephants arrived which is the number in the group Wirth's had. So yes that an elephant died at Albury belonging to Wirths Circus isn't correct. No deaths occurred in 1943. What is correct that Wirths used the elephants to haul the circus equipment from Melbourne to Sydney. Because of WW2 petrol was in dire shortage. It took a month for the Circus to trek overland and reach Sydney. There is however a record as I recall of two circus elephants being killed in a train wreck. I recall it was Perry's circus. One of the elephant's skeletons was located a few years ago and used as art piece.Lizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11391254858628743563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863866044935943649.post-65898924909136736272013-07-30T10:56:55.466+12:002013-07-30T10:56:55.466+12:00Hi Ross
It could well true. I have heard of it ye...Hi Ross<br /><br />It could well true. I have heard of it yes. But I'll have to look further into it. I've had other projects on the go so haven't had a chance to make further headway on this.Lizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11391254858628743563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863866044935943649.post-66904307761506320902013-07-30T10:55:39.232+12:002013-07-30T10:55:39.232+12:00Hi Dan thanks for letting me know about Abu I'...Hi Dan thanks for letting me know about Abu I'll amend my records.Lizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11391254858628743563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863866044935943649.post-10409963032462501322013-07-25T21:28:39.800+12:002013-07-25T21:28:39.800+12:00Hello, im doing some homework with Wirths in 1943,...Hello, im doing some homework with Wirths in 1943, they had to walk the circus to Sydney from Melbourne. in June/July that year they stopped in Albury and most likely set up a side show due to a lack of staff to set up the big top. wives tale says that they may have had an elephant die while in albury and buried in the railway yard... ever herd this?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02763667542431746045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863866044935943649.post-32447827844674177852013-05-20T19:32:07.559+12:002013-05-20T19:32:07.559+12:00It seems I made have done an error with Abu, accor...It seems I made have done an error with Abu, according to Tony Ratcliffe "ABU was never with WIRTHS CIRCUS , she was imported by Capt Schultz for ASHTONS"DanKoehlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18245638586616063380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863866044935943649.post-44048473730175424282012-06-18T08:29:40.849+12:002012-06-18T08:29:40.849+12:00Hi Ryan
The report I found referred to Jewel as b...Hi Ryan<br /><br />The report I found referred to Jewel as being a bull elephant - not that newspaper reports are necessarily accurate. Wirth's did tour the USA as one stage. I know that they were out of business by 1965. I'll look into my notes and get back to you on this.Lizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11391254858628743563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863866044935943649.post-77663990023018470122012-06-17T05:50:32.373+12:002012-06-17T05:50:32.373+12:00Regarding Jewel, the animal was a female with a lo...Regarding Jewel, the animal was a female with a long circus history in the United States, beginning in 1926 until her death in 1966 die to a truck wreck. In 1961 (the year of the killing), she was on lease from Hunt Brothers Circus, who had purchased her from Ringling in 1938. Can you help explain why this Australian circus was in North America at this time?Ryan Easleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06171719315020164074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863866044935943649.post-54091441357357223192012-03-22T13:54:44.546+13:002012-03-22T13:54:44.546+13:00On Alice the one Melbourne Zoo was simply named Al...On Alice the one Melbourne Zoo was simply named Alice. Princess Alice which came from Wonderland City (originally from Bostock & Wombwell) died in 1941.<br /><br />The second Alice I suspect was obtained around 1923. There was an importation by Wirth's of 9 elephants. One of them named Mary was aged 35 years and had a calf at foot then named ButschaLizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11391254858628743563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863866044935943649.post-67515368313067281952012-03-22T13:51:12.130+13:002012-03-22T13:51:12.130+13:00Thanks Dan that's very helpful I'll add he...Thanks Dan that's very helpful I'll add her onLizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11391254858628743563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863866044935943649.post-62859543654344632142012-03-14T01:43:19.664+13:002012-03-14T01:43:19.664+13:00According to Melbourne Zoo, Abu at Ashtons Circus:...According to Melbourne Zoo, Abu at Ashtons Circus:<br /><br />* http://www.elephant.se/database2.php?elephant_id=2046<br /><br />was also kept at Wirths. They do not specify her name, but the studbook nr 31, which is Abu.<br />Ill try to doublecheck this, but trasnfer dates makes sense:<br /><br />1 Feb 1953 Trade from CIRCUS - WIRTHS MELBOURNE Traded to CIRCUS-WIRTHS 1 Apr 1953DanKoehlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18245638586616063380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863866044935943649.post-60137137391335120902012-03-14T01:26:03.526+13:002012-03-14T01:26:03.526+13:00I have new records for one Alice: she came to Roya...I have new records for one Alice: she came to Royal Melbourne Zoological Park 1952-11-01 from Wirth Circus, and was returned Wirth Circus 1952-12-01 from Royal Melbourne Zoological Park: <br /><br />* http://www.elephant.se/database2.php?elephant_id=5872<br /><br />I only had this one recorded at Melbourne before, and sold to a circus, but it seems she was only in Melbourne for a month.<br /><br />Not sure if this may be the one you say were obtained in 1908, or if its another one.DanKoehlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18245638586616063380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863866044935943649.post-64580205898165073742011-11-14T12:52:15.538+13:002011-11-14T12:52:15.538+13:00Hi Dan
I think the number is correct. I've re...Hi Dan<br /><br />I think the number is correct. I've researched each name individually. There were two Alice the elephants the first as you know was 'Pricess Alice' obtained by Wirth's from Anderson's Wonderland City, then the second Alice which I suspect was obtained sometime after 1908. There are some confusions with some of the elephants the two Alice's in particular were tricky to distinguish. Wirth's had quite a high death rate with their elephants. I think some may have been also sold on or simply just died and were never reported. Rill I do know was sold after Wirth's ceased to exist. I have pages and pages of research which I now have to pull into some kind of logical format. Wirth's did write a book which I need to get a copy of. There may also be clues there as to what elephants they had. The first elephant they obtained was Gunah Sah. I just don't know what happened to her. Her death was never reported. I think one way or the other eventually we will end up with a comprehensive list once we've managed to sort things out. It's not a final list by any means which is why I advised it is a draft only.Lizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11391254858628743563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863866044935943649.post-78692979244967896672011-11-08T04:17:28.666+13:002011-11-08T04:17:28.666+13:00Very impressing, Liz, congratulations to an inters...Very impressing, Liz, congratulations to an intersting research! I Have now updated the database with the new elephants, seems Wirth had in total 30 elephants, thats an impressive number. Any chances that some of the elephants had more than one name, and that the total number is acually less?DanKoehlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18245638586616063380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863866044935943649.post-26478684196155275652011-05-07T05:30:50.877+12:002011-05-07T05:30:50.877+12:00As I can I'll start putting in the information...As I can I'll start putting in the information I've found for these elephants - which will help!Lizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05100812038496671783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863866044935943649.post-81630528257885306122011-05-06T14:36:49.283+12:002011-05-06T14:36:49.283+12:00Very interesting! I will work to begin updating th...Very interesting! I will work to begin updating the database with your information soon.Ryan Easleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06171719315020164074noreply@blogger.com