Stephen Polito: Difference between revisions

Polito was born in [[Moltrasio]], [[Italy]]. He owned a menagerie which he toured around England in the late 18th century. He went into partnership with another menagerist named Miles in 1798, and "Miles and Polito's Menagerie" exhibited at [[St Bartholomew's Fair]] in 1799. Polito's menagerie also attended [[Nottingham Goose Fair]] in 1807.

Polito acquired the permanent menagerie at [[Exeter Exchange]] in the [[Strand, London|Strand]] in [[London]] from the Pidcock family in 1810, and renamed it the [[Royal Menagerie]]. He continued to tour in the summer, and exhibited his animals at Exeter Exchange in the winter. The menagerie at Exeter Exchange was very popular during Polito's short period of ownership. It was visited by [[William Wordsworth]] and [[Lord Byron]], and animals in his collection were painted by [[Edwin Landseer]] and [[Jacques-Laurent Agasse]]. The menagerie lions,included tigers,exotic hyenasanimals, zebrasincluding an elephant, kangaroos[[Chunee]], andwhich manyWas otherput exoticdown animals,in 1826 after killing a keeper and thebecoming elephantungovernable and in a permanently enraged state due to [[Chuneemusth]], whichand wasa shotpainful torotten death in 1826tusk.

HisThe collection was acquired by his brother, John, after his death, and then by a former employee, [[Edward Cross (zoo proprietor)|Edward Cross]] (also John's father in law). Cross continued to tour under the name "Polito's Menagerie". It is represented on [[pearlware]] pottery from the 1830s.