The Elephant Man

Tony Ratcliffe is the man behind New Zealands iconic circus, The Whirling Bros Circus. Many New Zealanders experienced the thrill of watching exotic animals and circus performers under his Big Top during the late 20th Century.

An integral part of that show was Jumbo the Elephant, another New Zealand icon that stole the hearts of us all.

The Elephant Man – A Pictorial Autobiography of the Whirling Bros Circus tells of how Tony Ratcliffe created Whirling Bros, and how he built it into New Zealands biggest and longest-running national and international travelling show.

With a stunning array of pictures and photographs Tony brings his story to life - the grandeur, the daring, the skill and the scale of his enterprise.