Great Carnivora Terrace And Polar Bear House |
| Hob Uid: 1508628 | |
Location :
Greater London Authority
City of Westminster
Non Civil Parish
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| Grid Ref : TQ2811483431 |
| Summary : Site of the Great Carnivora Terrace at London Zoo now partly occupied by the Michael Sobel Pavilions (Monument HOB UID 1170173). The building which included bear enclosures, a polar bear house and a bear pit was constructed in 1843, possibly by the architect Edmund Wallace Elmslie. Later additions included rockwork in the Polar Bear House installed by James Pulham and Son in 1910. It is known that this company had installed rockrock features within some of the animal houses and enclosures at the Zoo during the period 1905 to 1913 but there is confusion over which exhibits they were responsible for. A Zoological Society account book of 1910 documents a payment to James Pulham and Son for rockwork in the Polar Bear Enclosure. James Robert Pulham (1873-1957) and possibly James Pulham III (1845-1920) of James Pulham and Son were responsible for the work. The terrace and associated structures were demolished shortly after the opening in 1913-14 of the Mappin Terraces (Monument HOB UID 619101). This exhibit provided a more naturalistic accomodation for the animals than the earlier enclosures had. |
More information : Site of the Great Carnivora Terrace at London Zoo which was situated on the site now partly occupied by the Michael Sobel Pavilions (Monument HOB UID 1170173). The building which included bear enclosures, a polar bear house and a bear pit was constructed in 1843, possibly by the architect Edmund Wallace Elmslie. The structures were demolished shortly after construction of the Mappin Terraces (Monument HOB UID 619101) in 1913-14 which provided a more naturalistic accomodation for the animals. (1)
It is known that James Pulham and Son, a well-reputed firm of landscape gardeners had worked for the London Zoological Society at London Zoo. There is, however, some confusion over which exhibits they worked on. It is commonly thought they were responsible for the rockwork on the Mappin Terraces (Monument HOB UID 619102) but a Zoological Society account book for building work during the period which covers construction of the Terraces in 1913-14 does not document any payments to James Pulham and Son. However there is an earlier payment of May 1910, for the installation of Pulhamite rockwork in the Polar Bears' Enclosure. The enclosure and rockwork were demolished in 1912-14 following the opening of the Terraces. (2-3)
London Zoo has been included in the national Pulham database (ID number 224) where it states that James Robert Pulham (1873-1957) and possibly James Pulham III (1845-1920) of James Pulham and Son were responsible for the work. The site has subsequently been published in the gazetteer. (4-5) |