BRIEF HISTORY DURING THE SNOW ERA (1813-58)
The origin and conclusion of zoos in London started with the Edward Cross's
Menagerie (1773-1829), proceeded to the Surrey
Zoological Gardens (1831-1877), and culminated with the Zoological Gardens
in Regent's Park (1828-present).
Zoological Gardens
The Zoological Society of London was founded in April 1826
by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles (see picture) and
other like-minded individuals. 
Raffles was also the first President but died shortly after assuming his post in July 1826,
one day
before his 45th birthday; the organization lived on.
The purpose of the society was research, studying animals in the comparative
freedom of a leased site in Regent's Park. They intended to have a
collection of living animals, a museum with prepared specimens, and a library.
The zoo was meant primarily for scientists and the public was admitted by
entrance fee as a
means to finance their research. 
Two years
following the founding, the group in 1828 opened the zoological gardens (or zoo) on the north side of Regent's Park.
In the ensuing years, the London zoo acquired the world's largest animal collection, including
in 1851 a four-ton hippopotamus named Obaysch (see 1853
map below). The first elephant was acquired in 1831, followed by an
Indian rhinoceros in 1834 and the first giraffes in 1836. The world's first reptile house was
opened in 1849, followed in 1853 by the world's first public aquarium.
Most of the early buildings and much of the detailed development was done by Decimus
Burton. The earliest of Burton's structures in the zoo were small, set in an elegant
garden. Included were aviaries to display exotic birds and a bear
enclosure where the animals could be fed with a bun on a stick (see pictures
below in 1830 and 1840s). The illustrations of the camel house and
carnivora presented below also show more of the times and location.
An early photographer of the zoo was the Count of Montizon
(Don Juan de Bourbon y Braganza), a grandson of King Carlos IV of
Spain. Starting in the summer of 1852, he took photos in the zoo both to
record the animals and to demonstrate his skills with the new technology.
Some of his earliest photos are included with the detailed 1853 map (see below).
|
 LOCATION
IN 1859 REYNOLDS MAP
(Quarter Mile Section - E 10)
|
Sources:
Edwards J. London
Zoo from Old Photographs, 1852-1914, 1996.
Encylopaedia
Britannica (internet), 2000.
Porter R. London: A Social History, 1994.
Richardson
J. The Annals of London, 2000.
Weinreb B, Hibbert C
(eds). The London Encyclopaedia, 1993.
Zuckerman
L (ed). Symposia of the Zoological Society of London 40, 1976.
|
Plan
of London Zoo in 1827
Click
here to see more details 32
years later
|
|
|
Pictorial
Overview of Zoo in 1829
Click
here to see 30 years earlier
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Picture
of Bear Pit in 1840s
Click
here to see 10-19 years earlier
|
|
|
Shepherd's
Picture of London Zoo in 1842
Click
here to see 17 years earlier
|
|
|
Site
in Davies' London Map of 1843
Click
here to see more details 16 years earlier
|
|
|
Picture
of Carnivora Terrace in 1843
Click
here to see 16 years earlier
|
|
|
Site in
Crutchley's London Map of 1846
Click
here to see more details 13 years earlier
|
|
|
Detailed
Map of Zoo in 1853 and Some Animals
Click
here to see more details 3 years earlier
|
|
|
Site in Stanford's Map of
1862
Click
here to see more details three years
later
|
|