HAMLYN'S MENAGERIE MAGAZINE. 
59 
SOME NORFOLK MENAGERIE 
NOTES. 
Bv "Olu Keeper." 
The advent of a travelling menagerie in Nor- 
folk, in the first half of last century, was looked 
upon as an event worth recording, and was con- 
sidered so interesting an event as to figure con- 
spicuously in the County paper. 
Having by me a number of excerpts from a 
well-known publication which I hope will interest 
some of your readers. The names of some early 
menageries herein mentioned are wholly unknown 
to the present generation. 
Taking them in order we find that on 
December 3rd, 1803. — Polito's Menagerie of 
Wild Beasts were exhibited in the Duke's Palace 
Card, Norwich. It came again in August, 1811. 
February 3rd, 1810. — Bagshaw's Menagerie 
opened on the Castle Ditches, Norwich. 
December 21st, 1816.— Wombwell's "Royal 
Menagerie of Foreign Beasts and Birds" was ex- 
hibited on the Castle Ditches. 
January 3rd, 1818. — Shore's Menagerie 
visited Norwich again in April, 1825. 
April 15th, 1824. — Wombwell's National 
Menagerie was exhibited at Tombland Fair, Nor- 
wich; described as "the greatest variety of living 
animals ever collected together since the days of 
Noah." 
December 31st, 1825. — Wombwell exhibited 
his menagerie on the Castle Hill, his great attrac- 
tion being "the two unequalled lions, Nero and 
Wallace, the same who fought and conquered the 
dogs at Warwick." 
December 29th, 1827.— Miss C. Morgan's 
Menagerie was exhibited on the Castle Hill. 
January 26th, 1828. 
Norwich. 
-Atkin's Menagerie at 
December 22nd, 1832. — Atkin's Menagerie 
was exhibited at Norwich. " This was the first 
occasion on which a 'Lion-tamer' appeared with a 
travelling menagerie in the city." In the centre 
of the show was introduced a large iron cage whch 
the keeper entered and put the animals through 
their performances. 
December 21st, 1839.— Wombwell's Men- 
agerie at Norwich. The collection included three 
elephants. "In consequence of the rapid growth 
of the enormous elephant, G.W. has been obliged 
to erect the largest machine, in the form of a 
waggon, so ponderous as to require six roller 
wheels to support it, and from 12 to 18 horses to 
draw it." 
October 13th, 1841. — Van Amburgh, with his 
collection of trained animals, performed at Lynn. 
The elephant arrived covered with a sort of coat, 
a la mackintosh, and, to prevent injury to his 
feet, he had on something in the shape of boots." 
It was described on its visit to Norwich as a 
menagerie — inferior to Wombwell's; as a specta- 
cle scarcely to be compared with Carter's." 
December 24th, 1841. — Wombwell's Men- 
agerie arrived at Norwich. The collection in- 
cluded a pair of giraffes, one of which was killed 
by an accidental fall. "The elephant is a magni- 
ficent animal, but we think the walking exercise 
which Van Amburgh 's elephant is obliged to take, 
instead of being drawn from place to place by 
horses, conduces to a clearer complexion, and a 
better state of health." For the first time Womb- 
well advertised that he had a keeper "who goes 
into the den of the trained lions and tigers." 
October 16th, 1844. — Van Amburgh 's Circus 
and Menagerie exhibited in a large marquee in 
Chapel Field, Norwich. 
December 22nd. 1845. — The van of a men- 
agerie walking through Potter Heigham [ven- 
tured into a ditch, and the bars of the tiger's 
cage giving way "the animal escaped, after bit- 
ing off the head of an eagle." The neighbouring 
farmers, armed with guns, and labourers with 
pitchforks, went in pursuit. An attempt to en- 
tangle him in a sheep-net failed. " A large ham- 
per containing a piece of flesh was then placed 
in his way. Upon his jumping in to Siieze the 
food the lid was drawn down and soon secured, 
the animal uttering the most hideous yells." 
December 13th, 1848. — The elephant belong- 
ing to Wombwell's Menagerie died at Norwich. 
It was said to be 85 years old. 
ANIMALS FOR SINGLE-HANDED 
COLLECTIONS. 
By Fraxk Fixx. 
The large attendance at the Zoo, and the 
continued demand for pets of all sorts — difficult 
as this is now to supply — augur we'll for the pros- 
perity of the zoological interest after the war, and 
indeed, I should not be surprised if peace found 
a great increase and extension of that interest. 
For, as I am constantly insisting in lecturing, 
