74 
HAMLYN'S MENAGERIE MAGAZINE. 
Important Notice. 
ALTERATION EN TELEPHONE NUMBER. 
On and after January 1st, 1917, 
AVENUE 4360. 
NOTICE. 
The subscription for Vol. II., 1916— 17, is 
10'/-, post free. All subscriptions commence with 
No. 1, Vol. 21. Yearly subscriptions only received. 
Specimen copies can be sent post free on receipt 
of twelve penny stamps. Subscribers not receiv- 
ing their Magazine should communicate at once 
with the Editor. 
IMPORTANT NOTICE. 
All Subscribers in Norway, Sweden, Den- 
mark, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Holland and 
United States, who have not received their usual 
numbers, are requested to communicate at once 
with the Editor. They will in future receive the 
Magazine through the Office of Messrs. W. H. 
Smith and Son, Strand, W.C. 
* * * * 
By arrangement with Messrs. W. H. Smith 
& Son, 186, Strand, W.C, "Hamlyn's Menagerie 
Magazine" is on sale on the 16th of each month 
at the following Railway Stations : — 
Charing Cross (South Eastern and Chatham 
Railway). 
King's Cross (Great Northern Railway). 
Liverpool Street (Great Eastern Railway). 
St. Pancras (Midland Railway). 
Victoria (South Eastern and Chatham Rail- 
way). 
Waterloo (South Western Railway). 
DEATH OF Mr. JOHN HAMLYN. 
THE OLDEST DRAPER IN THE WORLD. 
Born at Martock, Somerset, May 2nd, 1815. 
Died at Shepton Mallet, Somerset, Feb. 4th, 1917. 
Aged 101 years 9 months. 
The "Shepton Mallet Journal." Friday, Feb- 
ruary 9th, wrote as follows : — 
"DEATH OF OUR CENTENARIAN. 
The death occurred about midnight, on Sun 
day, of Mr. John Hamlyn, of Leg Square, Shep- 
ton Mallet, the oldest resident in the county, 
and for many years a very well known character 
in the town. Mr. Hamlyn was born at Martock, 
Somerset, on May 2nd, 1815', and would there- 
fore have completed his 102nd year in a few 
months' time. His association with Shepton 
Mallet commenced when he was a boy. He had, 
and still has, distant relatives in the town. 
When he was about fourteen or . fifteen he 
became an apprentice to the first Mr. Richard 
Burt, who carried on business at that time in the 
house now occupied by Mr. Ashford, in the 
Market Place, then a very different place from 
what it is now. He had a vivid recollection of 
men whose names only live now in parochial 
records, but who' then figured prominently in 
the town, the Wickhams, Purlewents, Morgans, 
Hardistys, and the senior generations of other 
families still represented. After completion of 
his apprenticeship he went to Taunton, and set 
up in business, and prospered. He went later 
to Windsor, and with a growing family, and 
tempting offers made him, he sold a good busi- 
ness there, and proceeded to the Metropolis, 
where he occupied important positions in one 
or two of the leading firms. Family law suits 
and loyalty to relatives reduced him to a different 
position from what he had occupied. When he 
returned to Shepton Mallet many years ago to 
reside with his sister, Mrs. Coombs, widow of 
a leading local draper, he was possessed of means 
sufficient to last out an ordinary life. He has 
for some years been more or less dependent on 
the goodwill of relatives and friends. He had 
a most happy temperament and placid dis- 
position. Till just before Christmas, though 
visibly failing, he was still able to manage his 
own marketting, and was almost daily to be 
seen about the town to the wonder of all, going 
about safely, unaccompanied as a rule. His 
memory and intellect were highly preserved. 
To a visitor recently he gave the message to be 
ipassed on to others as a rule of living, " Be 
steady and frugal, and never forget to thank 
God for all his mercies." 
The funeral took place yesterday (Thursday) 
afternoon. Mr. John Hamlyn leaves one son, 
Mr. John Daniel Hamlyn, the famous Naturalist 
and Wild Animal Importer, who is a Councillor 
of the Borough of Stepney and a Guardian of 
the Stepney Union." 
The Trade Journal, "Men's Wear," February 
10th :— . 
"The trade will regret to learn of the death 
of one of its oldest members, Mr. John Hamlyn, 
of Shepton Mallet, who passed away on Monday 
in the 101st year of his age. With the exception 
