Leeds Zoological and Botanical Gardens
Following the industrialisation of England, the newly-dense cities and towns such as Leeds began to find problems with a lack of green spaces for their expanding populations to recreate in.
[1] The idea to establish a pleasure park was proposed in 1836 by Dr Disney Thorpe, a physician at Leeds General Infirmary, who held the vision of inspiring people to spend their leisure time in the fresh country air.
In a letter to the Leeds Mercury on 24 December 1836, he wrote: No one can have failed to have observed that whilst the wealth, importance and population of this town have gradually increased, the opportunities for public recreation have in ratio diminished ... [Enclosures and the spread of buildings] render it everyday more difficult for the labourer and artisan to breath in pure and uncontaminated atmosphere.
A public meeting to discuss the founding of a Leeds Botanical Gardens was held at the Court House, Park Row, on 22 May 1837, convened by the clerk to the corporation, Edwin Eddison.
The winner was chosen at the end of that year to be William Billinton, a civil engineer and architect from Wakefield, who worked with Edward Davies, a botanist and landscape gardener.
As expenses mounted, in February 1840 the committee considered selling or letting the site as a graveyard, for which there was local need, but decided against this, choosing instead to open to the public as soon as possible and hope to recoup funds through general admission.
[2] The formal opening of the gardens took place on 8 July 1840, and featured a crowded ceremony attended by 2,000 people, with flags, bands, and a live demonstration of birds of prey.
Observance of the Sabbath – a day reserved for church, not leisure – was important to the religious moral reformers behind the project's founding and the decision to close on Sundays had been taken in February 1838 at the society general meeting, passing 369 to 202.
Some vocal opposition to the move was expressed at the meeting, with a Dr Williamson saying "evils to be apprehended far exceeded any amount of good that could arise from keeping the gardens open".
[2] As the matter went on to affect attendance at the gardens – low visitor numbers made the park suffer heavy losses and ensured no dividends were ever paid – a debate grew in the local newspapers, finally leading to a special general meeting of shareholders in August 1841 at the Philosophical Hall, Bond Street, to consider allowing Sunday opening.
[1] A June 1843 diary entry by Reuben Gaunt, a worsted spinner from Pudsey, reads "Went to the Zoological Gardens, Leeds, to a temperance festival, partook a good tea and after hearing the Trial of John Barleycorn, played various rural sports.
"[5] Although the Gardens were landscaped and filled with lawns, parterres and shrubberies, the zoological features never reached the size, range, or exoticism of rival zoos of the period.
It took until 1843, three years after opening and with disappointing visitor numbers, for the Gardens to obtain their first and only large animal exhibit, a brown bear, which resided in a turretted pit in the middle of the park.
[1] It was described as "a very well-bred, decently behaved brown bear"; the eventual collection of animals amounted, in addition to those above, to a raccoon, alligator, guinea pigs, an owl, a peacock, and two parrots.
[9] Additionally, Clapham took measures including reducing admission prices to 2d, allowing people to hire it for private occasions, and moving back Sunday opening to 1 o'clock.
[11] Several notable local architects designed the villas, including Thomas Ambler, Charles Fowler, George Corson, Edward Birchall, and F W Bedford, making it a rather exclusive development with bespoke houses for prosperous clients.
