Liverpool Zoological Gardens in United Kingdom

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Liverpool Zoological Gardens
Local name
Type	zoo
Founded	1832
Closed down	1865
Place	Liverpool
Country	United Kingdom
Related persons
Owner	1833-1848: Thomas Atkins 1848-1851: Elizabeth Atkins 1854-1860: John Atkins 1854-1860: Edwin Atkins

Zoological department

Zookeeper	-1848: Elizabeth Sanger

Elephant department
Elephant keepers
1843-1848: Richard Howard -1843: Henry Andrews

Record history
History of updates	2024-03-06xx

Latest document update	2024-03-06 08:32:12

Description

Liverpool Zoological Gardens, in Liverpool, United Kingdom , was founded in 1832. Liverpool Zoological Gardens closed down in 1865.

Taxidermy specimens

Liverpool Zoological Gardens has in its collection 1 elephantine museum specimens with records in this database:

(Measurements of teeth and body parts follow the system described by Maglio (1973; P = plate number, L = length, W = width, H = height, LF = lamellar frequency)

Rajah Destroyed by fire
Accession nr: . Received: 1848-06-20 ♂ Rajah
Species: Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)
* Born at Asia unspecified location † Dead 1848-06-20 at Liverpool Zoological Gardens
Death: shot Death reason: executed with rifles
††† Destroyed 1861-09-00 by fire at elephant house, Liverpol Zoo

Casualties

2 casualties

1843-12-23: elephant keeper Henry Andrews fatal attack by Rajah. † Henry Andrews Died 1843-12-23, Liverpool Zoological Gardens. The handle of a broom, with which the deceased had often struck the animal, was found near the place, broken in two pieces.
1848-06-13: veterinarian Richard Howard fatal attack by Rajah. grew infuriated after being struck twice with a broom by its keeper (Richard Howard), to make him budge, and he ran at the man, jammed him against the bars of the cage, let him fall, and then crushed him to death underfoot. † Richard Howard Died 1848-06-13, Liverpool Zoological Gardens.

Comments / pictures

1833: The Zoological Gardens were opened on 27th May 1833 by Thomas Atkins, the long-time proprietor of a travelling menagerie, the beasts of which were, of course, destined to form its principal attraction. Now nearing his seventies and no-doubt tired of life on the road, Atkins had acquired an old brick-field and pit named “Plumpton’s Hollow” on the edge of town for his purpose, on the south-side of West Derby Road beyond the old Necropolis.
Liverpool Zoological Gardens in United Kingdom United+Kingdom

Liverpool Zoological Gardens in United Kingdom United+Kingdom

1843: The elephant Rajah killed elephant keeper Henry Andrews.
1848: Thomas Atkins died on the 6th June 1848, aged 84, and his widow Elizabeth became new owner. Shortly after that the elephant Rajah killed elephant keeper Richard Howard, and was shot 20th of June 1848.
1852: In January 1852 Elizabeth sold the Gardens to Mr John Durandu, “a bullion dealer and exchange broker, Waterloo-road.
1854: By April 1854, Atkins’ son John had taken the Gardens back into family ownership. And, “In order to secure some new and curious specimens of the animal world,” his brother Edwin had “started, in 1852, on the perilous journey of exploring the almost unknown tracts of the interior of Africa.
1860: Atkins sold the Gardens to the Zoological Gardens Company Ltd (“a company of capitalists”) in early 1860.
1861: When the elephant house burned down in September 1861 all it contained was the Skeleton of Rajah, which was thus “reduced to ashes”.
1864: the proprietors did offer to sell the land to the corporation for £28,000 to make for a public park, and it was sad that this means of preserving an open space with mature gardens for posterity was declined.
1865: Ultimately the temptation to realise the site’s development value, especially that of the frontage to West Derby Road for shops and pubs, proved too much, and the Gardens finally closed on 30th September 1865. The ground was levelled and laid-out for building purposes, with Boaler Street driven right through its middle, served by several streets leading off.

References for records about Liverpool Zoological Gardens

Recommended Citation

Koehl, Dan (2026). Liverpool Zoological Gardens, Elephant Encyclopedia. Available online at https://www.elephant.se/location2.php?location_id=1862. (archived at the Wayback machine)

Sources used for this article is among others:

https://russellcroft.net/urban-history-liverpool/liverpool-zoological-gardens/

Links to websites about Liverpool Zoological Gardens

Taxidermy specimens

Casualties

Recommended Citation

Sources used for this article is among others:

Recommended Links on Internet: