London Zoo and the Victorians, 1828-1859

London Zoo examined in its nineteenth-century context, looking at its effect on cultural and social life At the dawn of the Victorian era, London Zoo became one of the metropolis's premier attractions. The crowds drawn to its bear pit included urban promenaders, gentlemen menagerists, Indian shipbuilders and Persian princes - CharlesDarwin himself. This book shows that the impact of the zoo's extensive collection of animals can only be understood in the context of a wide range of contemporary ap