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Ephraim 'Eph' Thompson

  • 19 Nov 2021 2:05 PM
    Message # 12137859
    Anonymous

    Dear Circus Friends

    For the last two years I have been painstakingly compiling the life story of Eph Thompson (1859-1909) who was an elephant trainer and performer at Forepaugh's Circus in Philadelphia USA (1870-1885), Hagenbeck's Circus in Germany and later with his own show traveling around Europe, before touring America 1904-1907. My aim is to have the most complete compilation of his movements and records to give him the legacy he deserves.

    I have nearly finished the research using articles available online, I'm in contact with Eph's family (the Perkins and the Boyds!), Veronica at UJP and have connected with some private collections (thanks Chris Berry and the Tegge collection, Prof Toulmin, Sheffield Uni and Aine Norris!).

    I'm now very specifically looking for any remaining articles of Eph's life that are held in private collections or that are not available in public collections online.

    If anyone has any articles, posters, letters, photographs or any other items with mentions of Eph and would like them to be included in the book, please feel free to contact me at bonnieandthebeasts@gmail.com.

    Sending you all best wishes and thanking you all for creating a community that captures all these remarkable circus lives.

    I'm looking forward to sharing my research with you all

    Best wishes
    Bonnie


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  • 22 Nov 2021 10:22 AM
    Reply # 12142278 on 12137859
    Bruce Hawley (Administrator)

    Thanks for posting your question!

    Here is the entry about Eph Thompson from William Slout's Olympians of the Sawdust Circle.

    "THOMPSON, EPH. Black trainer and boxing partner of John L. Sullivan, the boxing elephant. Performed on Adam Forepaugh’s, 1888. The elephant wore a boxing glove on the end of his trunk and would watch his chance to land one on Thompson and often knocked him over the ring bank. Went to London and trained elephants for performing in the different theatres of Europe."

    Note that Olympians of the Sawdust Circle is available for viewing on the Circus Historical Society's "Classic CHS Website" under the "People" section in the "Virtual Library."  Our Classic website has been archived in Tuft's University ARCHIVE-IT Circus Collection.  You can reach it from our current website at: Classic CHS Website | Circus Historical Society (circushistory.org)
  • 23 Nov 2021 1:17 PM
    Reply # 12144734 on 12137859
    Anonymous

    Thank you Bruce! 
  • 23 Nov 2021 8:51 PM
    Reply # 12145440 on 12137859
    Chris Berry

    My interests have long been focused on the American circus, but I do have a few European items in my collection, including this half-sheet lithograph promoting an appearance by the African-American elephant trainer Ephraim Thompson at the Folies-Bergere in Paris in 1897.

    There is some evidence that Thompson and the elephants returned to the United States at some point prior to his death, and sold his act to the Ringling Bros. Do you know what happened to Ephraim Thompson’s three elephants...?


    Last modified: 23 Nov 2021 9:08 PM | Bruce Hawley (Administrator)
  • 27 Nov 2021 1:43 AM
    Reply # 12149877 on 12137859
    Anonymous

    Yes, I have him selling the elephants to Paul Cottrell for $24000 at the end of  1908. Do you know anyone who might have a record of that transaction?  They were then booked for Ringling’s 1910 season. Do you have any info on Stewart Craven and him apparently training Eph? Thanks for you insight Bruce! 
  • 14 Dec 2022 5:44 PM
    Reply # 13025737 on 12137859
    Anonymous

    Hello Everyone

    Wanted to share this grainy image I tracked down of Eph and his 4 elephants at the Cedar Rapids carnival in October 1906 from the Gazette. I'm assuming famous Somersaulting Mary is the smallest elephant to the far right of the image. 

    Happy Holidays everyone! 

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