Friday, October 22, 2010
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A Blog designed for discussion of topics related to, but not limited to, Circus, Zoos, Animal Training, and Animal Welfare/Husbandry. Sometimes opening up the dialog is the best starting point of all. And if for nothing else when people who agree and don't agree, get together and start discussing it, it will open up a lot of peoples minds. Debate and discussion even amongst themselves opens a window where there wasn't one before.
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8 comments:
I've seen this photo before. I think it's Prof. Lockhart, an English trainer in the early 1900s.
Jim,
Thank you. You can sure appreciate the affect that a lumen tree has, when you see an old photo like this taken out in the open, can't you. LOL
I have always wonder if he was the inventor or the first with an idea to put a lash on the end of a hook. As I mentioned a long while back on the "history channel", the short tapered hickory handle, with a hook in the end is what Lou Regan used when I first went to work for him in 1974. I have found it to be extremely effective in giving a large herd of elephant the "illusion" that you have a long reach, and eliminated the need for a man at ever animal. What I am still looking for as an answer since 1994, and maybe someone here will have it, is Did Professor Lockhart invent or have the first idea to make this tool? Lou called it "his lockhart" and when I asked, "why do you call that a "lockhar", and your 6 foot long hook a "herd" hook, he said because the first man to ever use it was from England and was named Prof. Lockhart(he also had a "cane" hook on the end of a cane, which I just figured, and didn't have to ask.) What I have never been able to find out from anybody is, was Prof. Lockhart the one who invented/conceived the lash on the end of a hook? You always, always see one in his hand. If others had them they are in later photo's of anything Prof. Lockhart is in. Lou never met the man, and as far as I know he was dead before Lou started around animals back in I think the late 20's. That has to mean that someone also told Lou it was a "Lockhart". Why would he just decide to call it that? As an example, guns are known as Winchester, Colt, Browning, etc. etc. because that is who invented/manufactured that make. The aren't just called "guns." I know of no other "tool" that has a person's name attached to it, or have ever heard of such a thing. I have never heard of a "Woodcock" or a "Gautier." They are called "hook", herd" "cane" "golf club", "nylon" etc. etc. I have never heard a whip called a "Gunther" or a "Charley", just in recent times a "Knie" whip, because they now have the manufacturing right to that style of whip, not because they invented it. There are many medical "tool" that are called by the name of the person who invented them or manufactured them, as well as cars, airplanes, boats, etc. etc.
Did Prof. George Lockhart invent/conceive/manufacture the first hook of this kind? If not why would Lou have called it a "Lockhart", because "that is what I have always heard it called. It was, supposedly invented by a trainer from England named Prof. Lockhart." Trust me, Lou wasn't one to make something up. He was as "traditional" as traditional comes. He showed me how to make my first "lockhart" and would let me use a rasp on the wood. I had to taper it, with pieces of broken coke bottle, while listening to Lou rue(in 1974) the poor quality of glass on coke bottle's today. Not good and think like they used to be. No, Lou was true blue old school, insisting on the "old" way's. He would not have called it a "lockhart" just to call it something.
Wade
I have a copy of this photo, it's Pearl Souder, Ringling Bros. Supt. at the Baraboo winter quarters. Don't have answer for your other question. I always figured it was named after one of the Lockhart brothers. Sam Lochart and Pearl Souder were together on the Ringling show in 1898, that could be why Mr.Souder started using one.
Hi Wade, The story about the hook is news to Dad and me. The only people Dad only saw use a hook and whip combination was Billy Smart Jnr. and, for a short period, Bobby Roberts Jnr. In these instances the hook was at the end of the whip where the lash joins. Dad has heard of the hook being at the other end.
However, this wouldn't be the first innovation attributed to the Lockharts. George Lockhart Jnr. always claimed his father came up with the trunk-to-tail behaviour (!) As you know, I wrote a book that covers the Lockhart history. Prof. Lockhart I am led to believe was the title used by Harry Lockhart, younger brother of Sam and George Lockhart. Harry died somewhat prematurely in 1905 (one year after brother George was crushed to death during an elephant stampede at Walthamstow station, UK) in Mexico City, working for Orrin Brothers Circus.
Here is an article I wrote on Harry long after my book's second edition was published: http://jamieclubb.blogspot.com/2010/02/lost-lockhart.html
That is outside the elephant barn in Baraboo right beside the river. I have seen other photos from that time as well and believe the trainer to be Cris Zeitz. Maybe they were all posing.johnny
Col. Herriott,
It's about time!!!!! How have you been, I was starting to worry. Well, there you have it. Four different suggestion's, from four qualified folks, on who the gentleman is. Let's see if we can keep it from turning into a brawl shall we, jujitsu Jamie may have an edge. LOL I hope all is well, John Milton and my best to Mary Ruth.
Wade
Wade, I emailed you a couple of pictures this morning that relate to this one.
Jamie,
When you posted your great "Lockhart" history, I was going to mention what I had been told, but we had recently at that time had a "discussion" on the "history channel", I assumed, wrongly that you would have seen it. Roy Wells for once, can verify what Lou told me. I have always been intrigued by it's "history" being familiar with the tribal method of passing on history word of mouth, with normally a lot of accuracy. But, not wanting to concede another innovation to the Queen, I have always attempt to find out it's validity. Much like the term "a Jim Clubb cage act" has come to mean an act with mixed species, it would seem that the "Lockhart hook" being invented by Prof. Lockhart seems valid.
Lou also mentioned the use of a willow whip with a small hook at the lash/keeper end used by some in Europe, and also the willow whip with the hook in the butt end used by some in America. I never liked those, as the handle tended to "bend" and not be of much use in an emergency, and like spurs the smaller they are the and the more strength needed to engage them.
Lou's "Lockhart" was a 2-2 1/2 foot long round tapered piece of hickory wood, with a hand made hook cut off of the tines of an old rake, and carefully formed with two "bends/angles" using two different sized steel bars to pound the angles after the tempered steel tine was heated. It was set into the wide taper of the handle, via a drilled hole, with a brass ferrel(not steel or aluminum, as that "dented" and didn't look good polished up like gold, back in the proud day's before black electrical tape, in a attempt to hide what was in your hand), all soaked in a bucket of water for 48 hrs. so that the wood would swell around the shaft of the hook, and it would never need to be secured, with a pin. The lash was secured with a keeper at the narrow end of the handle. As Lou only had 3 elephants at the time(1974) he only used the "Lockhart" when he was exercising the elephants in the wintertime, by running them around the ring at varying speed's like exercising liberty horses, as it was easier for him at his age(and now me at mine, WTF) to stand stationary and move them with the whip, as opposed to pushing them by chasing. He didn't feel it was necessary to use it in the ring for the performance as their were just 3, and not a large distance to cover. FYI he called a whip with the small hook in the lash end, a "hulligan hook". I don't think that has any historical validity though. I just think that was Lou being Lou. LOL
Be safe and extend the same sentiments and good wishes to your father,
Wade
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