Chapman, Ellen, 1831 - 1899
Biography
Ellen Chapman, also known as Nellie, was born in Liverpool in 1831 to Harry (Henry) Chapman (1803-1888) and Harriet Chapman, of the Chapman circus family.
Ellen grew up with the Manders family, of Wombwell's Menagerie and in 1847, she made her debut as one of the first ever female lion tamers in the world aged 16, working with the Wombwell menagerie. Her stage name was 'Madame Pauline de Vere’ Lady of the Lions also known as the ‘Lion Queen’, a name popular with female wild cat performers of the time. Ellen worked with a mixed group of lions, tigers and leopards and was acclaimed as the first woman to put her head inside a lion’s mouth. She became an almost overnight celebrity that same year, after the Wombwell Menagerie performed for Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle.
Ellen married Lord George Sanger, the famous showman on 1st December 1850, in Sheffield Parish Church. As it was customary, she immediately became a key act on the family shows, abandoning her career as a lion tamer for a while. She appeared in pantomimes, performing the serpentine dance in the lions' den and impersonating 'Britannia' in the acclaimed Sanger's circus processions, which carried a life lion. Eventually, Ellen became the business head of the family show.
George and Ellen had three children; a son who died as a baby, Laurina (1853-1882) and Sarah Harriet (1854-1929).
In 1856, when George and John added wild animals to their circus, Ellen returned to her former profession as a lion tamer.
This type of life was perilous; Ellen survived an explosion in her caravan at Northwich and at least two lion attacks, once she was severely clawed down the back of her head and on another occasion, she was bitten on the leg.
Ellen Chapman was so famous in her time that she was mentioned by Dickens on two letters and became the subject of two paintings by George Christopher Horner, romanticising animal training and answering Dicken's plea for her to become immortalised on canvas. She also had her own Staffordshire ceramic figurine, produced to celebrate Chapman's success during her royal performance.
Ellen died on 30th April 1899, aged 67 years and is buried at Margate in the family tomb.
Found in 15 Collections and/or Records:
Articles and Monographs, c1880 - 1899
Script for Cinderella and Life of George Sanger booklets.
Circus Friends Association Collection
This collection consists of a large library of books and journals, as well as archival material including posters, programmes, photographs, films, handbills, research material, scrapbooks, original artwork and many other items of ephemera relating to British, Irish and European circuses
Early Circus Programmes, c1800 - 1999
Early British circus and variety programmes including Astley's, Batty's and Lord George Sanger's circus.
George Sanger Circus Performers Photographs, c1850 - 1910
Black and white photographs showing George Sanger Circus, performers and staff, living wagons, street parades and circus tents.
George Sanger Circus Photographs, c1850 - 1945
Black and white photographs of George Sanger's Circus, including a head and shoulders framed portrait of George Sanger.
Letter to Barnum and Sanger Circus, 18 March 1888
Letter to Sanger and Barnum Circus from Pauline Vermersch. Ink on ruled paper. Manuscript, 2p.p.
Life of Lord Geo. Sanger, The World's Greatest Showman Article, c1880 - 1899
Interview and life story of George Sanger contained in a booklet with his portrait on the front page printed in several different colours, 6p.p.
Lord George Sanger's Great Hippodramatic and Spectacular Circus Programme, c1800 - 1899
Photographs, c1850 - 1945
Black and white photographs and postcards of George and Jonh Sanger's circus.
Photographs, c1890 - 1959
Black and white photographs of George Sanger's Circus showing staff, family, performers, animals, living wagons and parades, including Topsy Sanger, Harry Austin, George Holloway, Cissie Holloway, Cissie Austin, George Sanger, James Holloway, Abe Holloway, George Austin, Bellevina Holloway, Kate Holloway, The Three Holloways, Cirque Angelo, The Four Holloways, Ellen Chapman, Harriet Sanger and June Dick.
Programmes, c1800 - 2019
A collection of mainly British and international circus programmes and some variety and music hall programmes containing circus acts.
Sanger Circus Collection
Black and white and some colour photographs, negatives, handbills, programmes and other items of ephemera relating George Sanger's circus and the Hall by the Sea.
Sanger Circus Photographs, c1850 - 1945
Black and white photographs and postcards of Sanger's circus showing performers, animals and Sanger family members including George, Ellen, Victoria Florence also Queen Victoria and royal performances, some photos on the fairground and a colour photograph, also some negatives.
Sanger Family Collection
This collection contains black and white photographs of George Sanger's Circus, photocopies of newspaper cuttings related to the Sanger Family and original drawings for costume designs by June Dick.
Script for Cinderella Pantomime, 1883 - 1884
Sanger National Amphitheatre. Manuscript for Cinderella pantomime for Sangers. Black ink and pencil with red underline on white paper and brown covers, written on one side of the pages only on ruled paper with corrections, 59p.p.