One hundred years ago
THE death of Mr. Charles Jamrach, which took place on Sunday, leaves a vacancy in one of the most curious occupations in the country. "The wild- beast man", as he was sometimes famil- iarly called, had an establishment in the Ratcliff Highway, and here one might any day, and without notice, buy an ele- phant, a tiger, a couple of bears, and a coil of cobras, as easily as one buys rab- bits or guinea-pigs. In days when fairs were great events in the country dis- tricts, the demand for menagerie ani- mals was prodigious, and Mr. Jamrach never failed to have a large assortment of tigers and lions on hand. Latterly, however, the public taste has somewhat changed, and though there was always a good selection at Jamrach's, the demand was not so brisk. A writer in the Standard declares that at one time they thought nothing at "the Highway" of buying four thousand pairs of paro- quets, being sure of getting rid of them in a week, but that now such "deals" are impossible. In more ways than one, "Jamrach's" was an exciting place to visit. The passages between the two storeys of cages were narrow, and to walk down them was occasionally like running the gauntlet. Furtive paws were darted out between the bars, and made grabs at the passer-by, and one might find one's coat-tails being "hung on to" by a playful puma while turning round to ask a question. In spite, however, of this, "Jamrach's" was, and no doubt is, a very attractive place.
The Spectator, 12 September 189/
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