....The Kruse Elephants..1963....

....Christmas Circus at Olympia. 16.12.63. The annual Betram Mills Circus opens once again for the christmas seasons at Olympia on wednesday afternoon when it will present many acts new to this country. This afternoon thousands of children were guests at a dress rehearsal. Photo shows: The elephant act. There are 6 elephants in this act. Four are from India and are about 18 years of age and two are from Thailand and are only 3 years old. Joan Kruse is a Liverpool girl who joined Bertram Mills Circus at the age of 16. She is married to Gosta Kruse, a swedish elephant trainer by whom she was taught to train elephants. The two youngest elephants were brought to england when they were only about a year old and they have been hand-reared by Joan and her husband. Joan has a 7-year-old daughter who is as much at home with the elephants as are her parents....