We start this Frome Times Past with a question: ‘Why did the elephant drive down the road?’
No, it’s not an old-time music hall joke, because as the accompanying image shows, there is a serious answer to it; namely, to promote a circus appearance in Frome.
The date was Sunday 25th September 1960 and the circus in question was the Bertram Mills Circus, whose appearance in Frome was part of their Silver Jubilee tour.
Advertisements had appeared in the local newspaper announcing not only the circus, but promoting the spectacle of seeing an elephant drive through the town’s streets.
At the duly-appointed time of 2pm the procession, including the motoring elephant, began its journey from the railway station and along the spectator-lined streets.
The route it undertook included Portway, Christ-church St. East (where this photograph was taken) and West, towards Broadway and Egford Playing Fields.
The circus, which also boasted a menagerie, then stayed in the town for two days, giving daily performances at 4.45 and 7.45pm.
At this point, a big ‘thank you’ must be given to Frome Museum’s Brian Marshall, as on finding this image FTP contacted him to see if he might have any knowledge of it.
Not only did he give the exact date this event occurred, and the name of the circus being promoted, he then added that he had, in fact, witnessed the spectacle himself!
He also revealed that the Bertram Mills Circus was not the only one to appear in the town over the years.
As well as several one-day visits by smaller circuses, there were others who stayed for longer durations.
These included Chipperfield’s Circus, who came to Frome in late June 1962 and the Robert Brothers Circus who appeared for three nights in September 1968.
The latter also used Egford for their shows, while the former set up their big top on Bath Road Playing Fields (where Frome Sports Centre is now located).
As for the onlooking policeman, FTP assumes he is possibly waiting for the elephant to commit a traffic offence; perhaps turning without signalling onto a trunk road!
Mick Davis & David Lassman
Costumes were donated to Frome Heritage Museum in 1976 by Mrs J.Beament of Cambridgeshire a granddaughter of John and Emily Horner, whose family lived in the Mells Rectory and they are included as visitors in the 1891 census of Mells.
These Victorian dresses were hand-made of fine silk and are in excellent condition considering their age. Both the cream silk two-piece costume and the tartan day dress are trimmed with lace and the mannequins are also draped with beautiful lace shawls. They are photographed on the spiral stairs and the magnificent iron balustrades from Cockey’s Foundry.
As all the costumes are normally wrapped in acid-free white tissue inside boxes within the Collections Room, this is your chance to view these examples of the ‘Hidden Treasures’ conserved in Frome Museum. The Horner Costumes will be on display from now and into July.
The late Revd. F.W. Cleverley wrote, ‘A History of Mells’, which was published by the Frome Society for Local Study and available from the society and at the museum. He wrote of some amusing village anecdotes including one about the Misses Horner, who were in the habit of entering the cottages without first knocking.
On this particular day, a miner had returned from the pit and his wife had prepared his bath in the kitchen and left without locking the door, when suddenly the sisters walked in. The author wonders who received the greater shock.
These sisters remain in the memories of many local villagers because unlike their father who died in 1875, one died in 1947 and the other four years later.
Frome Museum is open 10am to 2pm Tuesday to Saturday and on Independent Market Sundays. Entry is free, but donations are always welcome.
Article written by Frome Museum.
