Memory like an elephant

Everybody loves an elephant, and some of the most enthralling stories my elders told me as a child involved encountering the great beasts in everyday, familiar settings. Often the stories would involve everything going along smoothly, until the clever elephant used the reach of its dexterous trunk to disrupt proceedings, usually in some inventive, illegal or slightly risque way.

My father saw a parading elephant reach out and steal lettuces from a green-grocer's display in Hurstville. (Great) Aunty May was in the crowd when an elephant removed a hat from the Mayor of Marrickville while he was giving a long speech in the 1920s and put it on a little girl. Grandfather, oracle of all things steam and rail, told me a story remarkably similar to this one posted by David B, Site Admin of the Railpage Australia and New Zealand Forum, on 16 Nov 2005:

My great uncle (who had 50 years with VR) told me of a particular circus train which had water problems. Not long into the journey the fireman noticed the tender was very low on water. They stopped at the first available place to take water and continued on their way. Not long after, the tender was low on water again. The crew couldn't find any leaks but couldn't understand why it was using so much water. They filled up again and kept going. It was only when the fireman looked back he saw the cause. Behind the loco was one of the abovementioned elephant wagons. Every now and again a trunk would appear out the end, open the lid of the tender, dip in, spray all the other elephants to keep them cool, then close the lid again!

So far, all I know about the Robur Tea elephant is that she worked with Wirths' Circus and that these photos, from the State Library of NSW, were taken in March 1939. The shop above is in Maroubra Junction, where she seems to be delivering a box of tea she has carried from the Robur Tea Company, possibly in the city. I'm keen for more information about the elephant, the campaign, and what happened on the day of this photo shoot. If you were around in 1939 and have a memory like an elephant, or if someone told you stories, no matter how vague, I would love to know more!