A teenage lion tamer's death that made headlines

A teenager became a household name in the 19th Century when she was killed by a tiger in Kent.

Ellen Blight was the niece of the George Wombwell, a well-known exhibitor who founded the Wombwell's Travelling Menagerie.

Blight lived in one of the menageries with her mother Elizabeth, who was the sister of Wombwell, and her father John Blight, a bugle player.

Pauline Holmes, who wrote a play based on Blight, said at the time women lion tamers, known as "lion queens", were the "latest must-haves" in travelling shows.

She told Secret Kent that Ellen's cousin William was also a lion tamer, but he was killed by an elephant in Coventry six months prior to her death.

On the fateful day of 11 January 1850, Wombwell's menagerie, which was performing in Chatham, had closed for the night and the animals were about to be fed.

"A group of soldiers turned up from Brompton Barracks and wanted to see the lion queen show," Holmes said.

"Even though Blight knew it was feeding time she decided to do the show anyway."

Holmes said inside the cage was a lion and a tiger, and there was only one way in and out.

"When she entered the cage, the tiger was in the way," she said. "She flicked him with a stick and the tiger moved away.

"She then did some tricks with the lion."

Holmes added when Blight turned around, the tiger had blocked her exit.

"She flicked the tiger with the stick again and accidentally caught his nose," she said.

"The tiger lashed out, pulled her to the ground, jumped on her throat and attacked her."

Holmes said Wombwell attempted to get the tiger away from his niece.

One of the keepers, Steven King, hit the tiger on the head with an iron bar and the animal eventually let go of Blight.

The inquest, held at the Golden Lion in Brompton concluded Blight had died a few minutes after the attack, Holmes said.

"The backlash in the press was enormous," she added. "Blight was talked about in parliament and Wombwell was lambasted for having women being lion queens."

"He was heard at the inquest saying he wished there was no lion queen."

Even though Blight's life was tragically short, Holmes felt the teenager should not be forgotten.

"It is right she is remembered again. She wasn't a big famous person who did extraordinary things, she was an ordinary girl who lived her life the best she could."

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