The Royal Menagerie 1829 (From Dave Price)

Buckles13, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. This old engraving shows the home of a once famous menagerie which was exhibited on the Strand, London. Stephen or Stephano Polito was an Italian who toured England with his animals beginning in the late 18th Century. In 1810 he acquired the permanent collection of the Pidcock family, which was housed in this building. The site had been known as Exeter Exchange or simply Exeter Change; Polito began advertising as the Royal Menagerie. This image represents the building during winter, as Polito and his successors continued to troop the menagerie during warm weather. After Polito's death his brother John and later John's father-in-law Edward Cross took over the menagerie. Cross' name is seen here along with the information that he was also a dealer in foreign birds and beasts. Cross supposedly exhibited tigers, hyenas, zebras, kangaroos, and many other exotic animals and it is said that a white tiger appeared here as early as 1820. There was a rather famous elephant Chunee (seen along with other exhibits over the door), which was shot to death here in March 1826. This engraving was published in 1829 shortly before the old building was pulled down. Dave