Caroline (Finch) McPherson (abt. 1828 - 1911)

Born about 1828 in Thundersley, Essex, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Wife of John McPherson — married 24 May 1845 in Birmingham, Warwickshire

Descendants

Died 1911 at about age 83 in Willesden, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom

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Biography

Caroline was born in Thundersley, Essex, about 1828 according to the 1841 census. She is the daughter of John Finch and Sarah Wombwell. ^[1]

At the age of seventeen, Caroline married John McPherson in St. Philip's Cathedral, Birmingham May 24, 1845. It's likely she was not literate, as she signed with an x.^[2]

In 1847, at the age of nineteen, she was working as a lion tamer in Hylton's menagerie. It is curious that she was working in Hylton's menagerie and with a lion named Nero, given that her mother was Sarah Wombwell and a relative of George Wombwell, owner of the celebrated Wombwell's menagerie who famously had an unusually large lion named Nero, a sculpture of which may be seen on George's tomb in Highgate cemetery. ^[3] The Nero Caroline worked with could not have been the same lion as George's because George's Nero died in 1836 at the age of 22.

Caroline's older sister Mary Ann (Finch) Chittock had married one of George Wombwell's animal keepers and was travelling with her husband and baby daughter in a different circus.

In October 1847, Caroline's Nero badly mauled Mary Ann's daughter Catherine Ellen, who was in Caroline's arms at the time. The newspapers reported:

“Attack upon an Infant by a Lion “Nero.” — On Monday night a most appalling scene took place in Mr. Hylton’s menagerie, at Nottingham. During the last nine months, a young married woman, named Caroline McPherson, commonly called “The Lion Queen,” has been accustomed to enter the den of the lion “Nero,” and exhibit her powers over the “monarch of the forest.” Her sister, Mrs. Chittock, who, with her husband (formerly a keeper at Mr. Wombwell’s menagerie), travels with a show, having arrived in the town, and not having seen each other for several months, Mrs. McPherson sent her husband to bring Mrs. Chittock’s child, about three years old, of which she is very fond, down to her. He did so, and the child passed the greater part of the day with her. At twenty minutes to ten o’clock, her little niece becoming sleepy, Mrs. McPherson was about taking the child to bed in one of the caravans; but, owing to the crowded state of the menagerie, she was compelled to go between Nero’s den and the rope placed in front of the cages to prevent spectators approaching too near them. When close to to the lion’s den, she held up the child in one arm, and, patting Nero on his head with the other, said “Look, Nero, see what a fine child I’ve brought to see you.” In a moment the savage brute dashed out its paws through an opening under the iron bars, and clutched the child by the head. The piercing and terrific screams of Mrs. McPherson spread dismay through the booth, which was increased by cries of “the lion’s coming—the lion’s coming.” The audience rushed to the door in wild confusion, and fell over each other in their eagerness to escape; hats and bonnets were knocked off, and several females fainted. The keepers, however, succeeded in allaying the fears of the crowd before any one was much injured. Mr. Lang, a printer, who was in the room at the time, burst through the crowd, to the assistance of Mrs. McPherson, who still retained hold of her niece, but not succeeding in rescuing it, fell, and injured her arm. After a violent struggle, Mr. Lang succeeded in rescuing the child from the deadly grasp of the lion. The moment he had succeeded, Nero’s rage became terrific; he paced his den rapidly, lashed his tail against the sides of his cage, and roared terrifically at being thus disappointed of his prey. The child, covered with blood, its face, neck, and arm grievously mangled, and its frock and other clothes torn to ribbons, was conveyed to her parent’s caravan, and Mr. Robert Davison and another medical gentleman were speedily in attendance upon the little sufferer, who has ten or a dozen wounds, some of them very severe, particularly on the back of the neck, and in the thick part of the left arm; but Mr. Davison entertains no doubts of the recovery of his patient. “Surely,” our readers will exclaim, “the Lion Queen had not again been in Nero’s den!” Such was her confidence and courage that she twice the same night exhibited her commanding power over Nero, and has continued to enter it as usual prior to this frightful scene. — ^[4]

“A very distressing event occurred at Nottingham Goose Fair, on Monday last, which most probably will terminate fatally. Between 9 and 10 o’clock at night, a vast crowd of persons had assembled in Mr Hylton’s menagerie, to view the collection of wild beasts, amongst which was the celebrated lion ‘Nero’, when suddenly a tremendous scream was heard proceeding from the den of the animal. During the last nine months a young woman by the name of Caroline McPherson had been in the habit of exhibiting her powers over the animal in its den. On this occasion she had in her arms her niece, Catherine Ellen Chittock, a child three years old, and while she walking in front of the lion’s den, within the rope put up as a boundary from the company, the animal suddenly put forth both its claws through an opening underneath the iron bars, and seized the head of the child. The crowd having observed the woman walking towards the den, and supposing she was about to enter it with the child, had closed in upon her, so that the beast fairly got hold of the child with its claws, and tore the back and front of its head, forehead, nose, ears, and its right arm in a most frightful manner, and it was only by main force the poor sufferer was dragged away ... The child, covered with blood, its frock and other clothes torn to ribands, and its person presenting a mangled appearance were removed to a caravan in the fair, in which its parents travel, were [sic.] it was attended by two medical men, who pronounced its wounds to be of a most dangerous character. The child lay without hope of recovery.” ^[5]

“The aunt of the child, Miss McPherson, the lion queen, was in the act of walking in front of the den of the animal, carrying her niece, when the lion sent forth his paws through an opening at the lower part of the caravan and seizing the child’s head tore it most frightfully both behind and on its forehead and face and before it could be liberated, which was done by main force, one of its arms was dreadfully lacerated and its right ear literally torn off, as it only hung by a little skin. A cry was raised that the lion had got at liberty and the women shrieked and ran over each other towards the door for safety. At length the keepers succeeded in calming all apprehension on this head and the real cause of the alarm became understood. The child was conveyed to its mother, in the caravan and surgical aid was obtained. While in London Mr. Hylton removed the lion from his own caravan and there were no locking bars on the den in which Nero was exhibited, which was in fact the cause of this mischief. The lion queen and a man who assisted her to drag the child from the lion’s claws, both had wounds inflicted upon their hands by the animal, as he struck at everything within his reach. The child lies with little hope of recovery.” ^[6]

“A Child Attacked by a Lion.—On Monday last, a little before ten o’clock, a very fierce attack was made by the lion Nero, in Mr. Hylton’s menagerie, at Nottingham fair, upon a child three years of age, daughter of Mr. Chittock, the owner of a caravan attending the fair. The aunt of the child, Miss McPherson, the “Lion Queen,” was in the act of walking in front of the den of the animal, carrying her niece, when the lion sent forth his paws through an opening at the lower part of the caravan, and seizing the child’s head tore it frightfully both behind and on its forehead and face, and before it could be liberated, which was done by main force, one of its arms was dreadfully lacerated, and its right ear literally torn off, as it only hung by a little skin. The child lies with little hope of recovery.” ^[7]

Fortunately Catherine Ellen survived and grew up to marry a travelling showman.

I can't find Caroline, John, or Amelia in the 1851 census. Likely they were still travelling with the circus.

In 1861, her name is transcribed "Caroline McPerson" and she describes herself as a mariner's wife. John is not there, she is with daughters Amelia and Ellen. ^[8]

In 1871 she is listed simply as McPherson (Wife), with husband McPherson (Head) and children Ellen, Arthur, and Albert. Amelia is married by this time. ^[9]

In 1881, John and Caroline are with Ellen, Arthur, and Albert. ^[10]

In 1891 she is listed as Caroline MacPherson and is a widow, with children Arthur, Albert, and Ada. ^[11]

In 1901 she is living with unmarried son Arthur, daughter Ada, sister Maria (Finch) Ford and granddaughter Lily (Albert's daughter). ^[12]

She passed away in 1911.^[13]

Sources

1. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1841," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQ2D-VS1 : accessed 2 March 2016), Caroline Finch in household of John Finch, Thundersley, Essex, England; from "1841 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
2. ↑ Marriages Jun 1845 Finch Caroline Birmingham 16 358 McPherson John Birmingham 16 358
3. ↑ Wikipedia entry for George Wombwell [1]
4. ↑ Nottingham Mercury, 9 Oct. 1847.
5. ↑ Sawdust Sisterhood: How Circus Empowered Women By Steve Ward.
6. ↑ The British Lion Queens, A History, Shaun Everett, p. 8
7. ↑ The Bristol Mercury and Daily Post, 09 Oct., 1847
8. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1861," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2MP-4SXL : accessed 2 March 2016), Caroline Mcperson, Milton, Kent, England; from "1861 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 9, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
9. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1871", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VBD1-XBD : accessed 2 March 2016), Arthur Mcpherson in entry for Mcpherson, 1871.
10. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1881," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK6B-CQJB : accessed 2 March 2016), Caroline Mc Pherson in household of John Mc Pherson, St Paul Deptford, London,Kent, England; from "1881 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing p. 56, Piece/Folio 710/104, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm 101,774,381.
11. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1891," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q8DD-M2M : accessed 2 March 2016), Caroline Macpherson, St Paul Deptford, London, England; from "1891 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 12, London county, subdistrict, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.
12. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1901," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X96Q-12R : accessed 2 March 2016), Caroline Macpherson in household of Arthur J Macpherson, Willesden, Middlesex, England; from "1901 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing Willesden subdistrict, PRO RG 13, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
13. ↑ Name Caroline Mcpherson Event Type Death Registration Quarter Jan-Feb-Mar Registration Year 1911 Registration District Willesden County Middlesex Event Place Willesden, Middlesex, England Age (available after 1866) 84 Birth Year (Estimated) 1827 Volume 3A Page 150 Line Number 120 "England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2NRS-X2P : accessed 2 March 2016), Caroline Mcpherson, 1911; from "England & Wales Deaths, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Death, Willesden, Middlesex, England, General Register Office, Southport, England.