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Chapman, Ellen, 1831 - 1899

 Person

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 24 Collections and/or Records:

Articles and Monographs, c1880 - 1899

 Series
Reference code: 178B39
Scope and Contents

Script for Cinderella and Life of George Sanger booklets.

Dates: c1880 - 1899

Astley's New Royal Amphitheatre Photograph, 1893

 Item — Box Sanger Circus Box 1: Series 178C114
Reference code: 178C114.87
Scope and Contents

Photograph of Astley's New royal Amphitheatre on Westminster Bridge Road. Handwritten on front of the photograph 'Dada & Mama, Topsy and Marie on balcony' and also 'Astley's Theatre taken in the last weeks before pulled down'. The people described in the photograph are 'Lord' George Sanger, Ellen Sanger (nee Chapman), Ellen Austin (nee Coleman) and Marie Reeve.

Dates: 1893

Circus Friends Association Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0122
Scope and Contents

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

Dates: 1795 - 2020

Early Circus Programmes, c1800 - 1999

 Sub-Series
Reference code: 178K43.1-28
Scope and Contents

Early British circus and variety programmes including Astley's, Batty's and Lord George Sanger's circus.

Dates: c1800 - 1999

George And Ellen Sanger, c1880-1899

 Item — Box Sanger Circus Box 2: Series 178B39; Series 178C114
Reference code: 178C114.165
Scope and Contents

Black and white framed photograph of George and Ellen Sanger. Frame is stamped G.E.Fry, Castle Studio Northgate, Pontefract

Dates: c1880-1899

George And Ellen Sanger In Carriage, c1880-1899

 Item — Box Sanger Circus Box 3: Series 178B39; Series 178C114
Reference code: 178C114.164
Scope and Contents

Black and white framed photograph of 'Lord' George and Ellen Sanger in a horse drawn carriage with grooms mounted on the horses. (Framed version of 178C114.72 and 178C114.157).

Dates: c1880-1899

George and Ellen Sanger in Carriage Photograph, c1880 - 1899

 Item — Box Sanger Circus Box 3: Series 178B39; Series 178C114
Reference code: 178C114.157
Scope and Contents

Black and white framed photograph of George and Ellen Sanger in a horse drawn carriage with grooms mounted on the horses. (Framed and larger version of 178C114.72).

Dates: c1880 - 1899

George and Ellen Sanger in Carriage Photograph, c1880 - 1899

 Item — Box Sanger Circus Box 1: Series 178C114
Reference code: 178C114.72
Scope and Contents

Photograph of George and Ellen Sanger in a horse drawn carriage with grooms mounted on the horses.

Dates: c1880 - 1899

George, Ellen and Handlers with Elephants and Camels Photograph, c1880 - 1899

 Item — Box Sanger Circus Box 1: Series 178C114
Reference code: 178C114.90
Scope and Contents

Photograph of George Sanger and his wife Ellen with elephants and camels and animal handlers. George is marked on the photograph in pen as 'Dada' and Ellen as 'Mama'. The man standing furthest right is William Sanger, George's brother. The photograph was taken at the 'Hall by the Sea' in Margate.

Dates: c1880 - 1899

George Sanger Circus, c1850-1890

 Item — Box Sanger Circus Box 4: Series 178C114
Reference code: 178C114.184
Scope and Contents

Black and white photograph of a large group of people, George and Ellen Sanger sat in the middle. Presumably a picture of Sanger with his circus workers.

Dates: c1850-1890

Group in the Park at Grand Hall by the Sea Margate Photograph, c1890 - 1899

 Item — Box Sanger Circus Box 1: Series 178C114
Reference code: 178C114.42
Scope and Contents Photograph of a group, mainly family and performers from Lord George Sanger Circus in the park at the Grand Hall by the Sea in Margate. The people are standing over and looking into a water feature in the park with some of the men holding fishing lines. Some men have fallen over. A number of women (including Sarah Harriet Sanger, furthest left, Yetta Schultz third and Kate Holloway fourth from left) are pointing in the background. Ellen Sanger is also furthest right in the background. The...
Dates: c1890 - 1899

Lord George Sanger's Great Hippodramatic and Spectacular Circus Programme, c1800 - 1899

 Item
Reference code: 178K43.17
Scope and Contents Mdlles. Marie and Yetta on the lofty wire, Brothers Artois on the horizontal bar, James Holloway, Brothers Austin, Mr. Joseph Craston with clairboyant and talking horse, Tipster, Mdlles. Violet, Topsy and Rose, on the slack wire, H. Austin, equestrian act, Dance Linwood, clown, Prof. James in ladder act, Mdlle. Florezell, contorsionist act, Mdlle. Lillian equestrian act, James Holloway clown, Madame Pauline de Vere lion tamer, Harry Whitely's singing donkey, Messrs. Cottrell and Austen,...
Dates: c1800 - 1899

Performers at Lord George Sanger Circus Photograph, 1898

 Item — Box Sanger Circus Box 1: Series 178C114
Reference code: 178C114.100
Scope and Contents Group photograph of performers from Lord George Sanger Circus taken at the Royal Estate, Balmoral, Scotland when the circus presented a Royal Performance for Queen Victoria in 1898. Front row, left to right: standing far left George Austin, fifth from left (in jockey costume) Harry Austin, man seated seventh from left a member of the Holloway family, person in costume with horns, fourth from right, Raynor Troupe member. Second row, left to right: fifth from left Kate Holloway and sixth from...
Dates: 1898

Photographs, c1850 - 1945

 Series
Reference code: 178C114
Scope and Contents

Black and white and some colour photographs and postcards of George and Jonh Sanger's circus.

Dates: c1850 - 1945

Photographs, c1890 - 1959

 Series
Reference code: 178C121
Scope and Contents

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. Also some copies of photographs of the Bostock and Wombwell menagerie.

Dates: c1890 - 1959

Portrait of Ellen Sanger (nee Chapman) Photograph, 1893

 Item — Box Sanger Circus Box 1: Series 178C114
Reference code: 178C114.46
Scope and Contents

Photograph of Ellen Sanger nee Chapman standing by a lion cub that is lying down at the door of a living wagon.'Mrs G Sanger 1893' is written on the reverse of the photograph.

Dates: 1893

Portrait of George and Sarah Harriet Sanger Photograph, c1870 - 1889

 Item — Box Sanger Circus Box 1: Series 178C114
Reference code: 178C114.79
Scope and Contents

Photograph of George standing next to his daughter Sarah Harriet who is seated.

Dates: c1870 - 1889

Portrait of George Sanger with Ellen and Henry Chapman Photograph, c1860 - 1879

 Item — Box Sanger Circus Box 1: Series 178C114
Reference code: 178C114.40
Scope and Contents

Three quarter portrait of a young George Sanger and his wife Ellen Chapman seated and Ellen's brother Henry Chapman standing behind. 'Henry Mama and Dadda' written in ink on the front of the photograph.

Dates: c1860 - 1879

Programmes, c1800 - 2019

 Series
Reference code: 178K43
Scope and Contents

A collection of mainly British and international circus programmes and some variety and music hall programmes containing circus acts.

Dates: c1800 - 2019

Sanger At Astley's Theatre, c1871-1899

 Item — Box Sanger Circus Box 2: Series 178B39; Series 178C114
Reference code: 178C114.168
Scope and Contents

Black and white photograph of Lord George Sanger and his wife Ellen, stood on the balcony of Astley's Theatre with advertisements for a Sanger Circus performance. Very faded photograph.

Dates: c1871-1899