We also have a Wallace the Lion in Sunderland - I don't know why, but it seems to have been a popular name for lions in the 19th century. He was also part of a travelling menagerie. He attacked his trainer when the show was in Sunderland. Much later, the trainer died in Sunderland (not because of the lion attack) and Wallace was acquired by the museum via Yellowley the South Shields taxidermist. So both ended up in the same town.
I often think it would make an interesting paper to bring together all the stories about lions in 19th century shows. I even have a title "England's Pride: the travelling lion in Victorian Britain" - if somebody else would do the rest of the work!
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From: History of Natural History on behalf of David lampard
Sent: Fri 11/18/2005 3:50 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [HIST-NAT-HIST] george wombwell
In Ipswich Museum we have at least 29 specimens from Wombwells menagerie
purchased between 1847 and 1852. There was a display case of of "Big Cats"
in Ipswich Museum until 1906 and I think that many of the specimens came
from Wombwells. We have a further 14 specimens from Glasgow Zoo via E H
Bostock who was a member of the Wombwell family. Again I believe that
Wombwells circulated lists of deceased animals to museums as a standard
business practice. During their most successful period Wombwells had three
travelling menageries on tour in the UK and I believe they managed the
Royal menagerie. They are rather more infamous for "Wallace" the lion, who
was involved in dog fights during the shows. Saffron Walden museum now has
Wallace mounted in their collection. we have a "son of Wallace" from
Wombwells.
Wombwells had a winter quarters in East anglia and owned the Hippodromes in
Ipswich and Great Yarmouth.
The personnel of the menagerie were documented in Ipswich during the 1851
census.
I have put together a small file over the years with bits and pieces of
information about our specimens, and there a various entries in our minute
books and local newspapers of the time.
There are specimens scattered across the UK with the documentation being
spread likewise and I have seen surviving posters advertsising the
menagerie in a number of places.
Sheffield University library hold the National Fairground Archive and there
are a number of circus family history societies that may provide further
infoarmation.
I suspect that a full survey of Wombwell specimens would be a worthwhile
undertaking
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