Circus winter quarters.

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Pertinax

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
Do any other of our older members remember which Circus used to have its permanent winter quarters(and 'zoo') near Bracknell (or was it Windsor) in Berkshire? Was it Bertram Mills?

You could visit for a modest charge and watch the Lions being trained in permanent rings, see them in their cages and also see all the other circus animals too. I cannot remember other species well except Elephants and a big cage of Rhesus monkeys. It was a good idea as it was interesting, made them some money in the off season and showed that their training methods were open to public scrutiny.

Anyone know when it closed down?
 
Was Bertrum Mills, according to google the winter quarters were near Ascot race course.
It sucks that I grew up in the times when circusses were dying out due to animal lib :(
 
Fair enough. I think it's good that they allowed the public to see the training, at least it shows training methods aren't nessecerely abusive.
 
Marwell Dalek said:
I'm personally glad I wasn't alive to see it.i/QUOTE]
In those days circuses were as acceptable as zoos really. Just part of the British scene and few people objected to seeing animals perform or tried to get them banned. I had some of my very first close encounters with large wild animals at that Winter Quarters. Animals like the Lions being put through their paces in the training ring were far more active/alert and 'fierce' than they normally appear in zoos. For a small child it was all extremely exciting....

I hasten to add that I am not pro-circuses(animal ones anyway) nowadays!
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Lol, no one seems to be nowadays :rolleyes:
 
ashley-h said:
Lol, no one seems to be nowadays :rolleyes:
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It seams that way but many people dont object to animals performing in other areas such as zoos,film,tv and they dont mind eating intensively farmed meat where the animals are kept in awful conditions and treat badly.
 
I agree, maybe we should bump the circus debate thread ;)
 
Smart's Circus winter quarters were the ones you are thinking of. They were based at Winkfield - just down the road from Windsor (and the place was called Winkfield Zoological Gardens?). I think I recall reading that in the early days of the safari park the elephants used to be walked each morning from the circus winter quarters to their enclosure in the park and back again each evening.
 
well if i am right i think southampton zoo was the home of the chipperfield animals rember a grumpy chimp
 
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Paradoxurus said:
Smart's Circus winter quarters were the ones you are thinking of. They were based at Winkfield - just down the road from Windsor
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That's it -Winkfield- the name comes back to me now. there was a rough carpark and some big animal barns which contained all the animals and the training rings etc. It was a bit bleak but then you always visited in winter as it was a 'winter quarters'.:rolleyes: It was comfortable enough for the animals inside though and I never saw any sign of animals mistreated or looking unhealthy etc.
 
zoolover said:
well if i am right i think southampton zoo was the home of the chipperfield animals rember a grumpy chimp
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Southampton Zoo was not the winter quarters for circuses of any branch of the Chipperfield family. It was more a quarantine station for safari park stock.
 
Paradoxurus said:
Southampton Zoo was not the winter quarters for circuses of any branch of the Chipperfield family. It was more a quarantine station for safari park stock.
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But in the late 60s early 70s weren't the majority of safari parks operated by the Chipperfields? Longleat, Woburn and Lambton Lion Park certainly were. Even if they were not over wintering I'm guessing that animals that showed an promise of training were diverted the circus route and the others went to the safari parks (opinion not fact). The book "my wild life" by Jimmy Chipperfield was a good read
 
Yes that is true but Chipperfields 'winter quarters' were at an entirely different location, so too were Sally Chipperfield's, Mary Chipperfield's, Chipperfield Brothers and Jimmy Chipperfields Circuses.

Inevitably there was some overlap but Southampton zoo's primary purpose was as an animal attraction and quarantine facility.

Alex Kerr did operate a short-lived collection at Ascot which I think might well have been at the Bertram Mills winter quarters or not far away.

Then of course Thorney Wildlife Park was operated by the Robert Brothers of circus fame but their winter quarters were elsewhere.
 
There was the one about the 3 eles being in the Great British circus, caused a bit of a debate.
 
Do it, you might enjoy it :)
 
camel leopard said:
Oh yeah that circus is coming to my town debating wether to go or not? hmm
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You'll never be able to make an informed decision unless you go and see for yourself.

Before you go, put out of your mind all the emotive clap trap being peddled by the AR people. Propaganda spouting armchair experts.

Remember that an RSPCA funded investigation by an ethologist and a British Parliament investigation by experts BOTH concluded that animals in circuses were not disadvantaged by that lifestyle. You can go and see for yourself with a clear conscience!
 
I have been to animal circuses before and i wasnt against them just thought the cat enclosures could of been bigger.

Its quite intimadating with all the protesters espcially last time i went because i knew some of them lol.
 
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