The magazine of the art-form of the photo-essay
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June 2015 back issue
by Matilda Temperley
The circus world, and its tightly woven society, has always fascinated me. To an outsider looking in, the circus
appears as a diverse extended family. The performers are all masters of their own esoteric skills. It was in 2009, while
documenting circus showmen in Ireland, that I first met Thomas Chipperfield. Then aged 18, Thomas had just taken
over from his father as a fully-fledged lion tamer in Duffy’s Circus.
In January this year I drove to a bleak moor in the north of Aberdeenshire to visit Thomas. I was greeted by his parents,
three tigers, two lions, an assortment of dogs, ponies and a parrot. The family was spending the winter there training
the animals and waiting for the summer shows to begin. Thomas Chipperfield is now the only person left in Britain
training big cats. He is both passionate and defiant about what is an emotive issue.
Thomas was born in the circus, just as his animals were. In Scotland I witnessed him training two brother lions,
Assegai and Tsavo. As he tickled Tsavo’s stomach with his stick to make him roll over, he explained that his training
was based on a reward system, aided by mutual respect and the curious nature of all cats. Thomas was slow, steady
and patient, his father observing the lion’s body language from outside the cage. When asked about reports of cruelty
in animal circuses Thomas gave a measured response. “I can only speak for myself, but no one can forge a
relationship with big cats like I have by using inhumane training methods. Only fear and resentment can be formed
through cruelty.”
When Thomas’s father was young, exotic animals were the mainstay of circus acts. Since their heyday in the 50s, the
animals have been replaced by aerialists and acrobats. Today, only two circuses are licensed by Defra in the UK to
include animals and these are subject to strict monitoring: Circus Mondao and Peter Jolly’s Circus. There are no
longer any elephants, monkeys, gorillas or chimpanzees working in the UK circus but there is a camel, a zebra, a
selection of reptiles and Thomas’s big cats.
It is clear that trust is implicit when Thomas allows Tsavo, a huge mature male, to lick his face. If he gets this work
wrong, he dies. As Thomas says: “The big cats have to perceive you as the alpha male, but in a way that doesn’t make
them afraid of you or resent you. If you’re too soft you’re perceived as weak, and if you’re too hard you’re seen as a
threat. Either way you would get hurt.”
Thomas Chipperfield cleaning the lion enclosure with his and his parents caravans in the background. Thomas has
always lived right next to the enclosure so he can keep an eye on his lions. A field near Frazerburgh, Scotland, Jan 15.
Thomas Chipperfield feeding the horses near Frazerburgh, Jan 15.
Thomas Chipperfeild collecting meat for his dogs and the big cats. As they are now in Scotland the meat is venison.
Thomas works through the nights cleaning fishing equipment to earn extra money.
The meat trader in Frazerburgh, Scotland.
Thomas Chipperfeild and a tiger who is chuffing to him through the cage.
Tommy Chipperfield watches the brother lions (Assagai and Tsavo's) body language as Thomas Chipperfield trains the
lions.
Thomas Chipperfield training Tsavo. It’s a reward system using pieces of meat on sticks.
Guarding the caravans.
Thomas Chipperfield in his caravan next to the big cat enclosure.
Thomas Chipperfield and Tsavo.
Thomas Chipperfield and Tsavo. He trained him by using a reward system with peices of meat.
Tsavo a mature male lion. THomas has lived with him since Tsavo was 6 months old.
Tsavo and Thomas kissing.
Tommy Chipperfield in his living wagon. He is from a 300 year long family tradition of animal training.
Tsavo and Thomas with Assagai in the background. Thomas is gesturing for Tsavo to sit up on his hind legs.
Thomas and Tsavo in the arena, January 2015, training for summer shows. The Chipperfields’ living wagons are in the
background.
Assagai and Tsavo being trained in the ring near Frazerburgh, Scotland.
