Bostock, E. H. (Edward Henry), 1858 - 1940
Dates
- Existence: 1858 - 1940
Biography
Edward Henry Bostock was born in 1858 in Buckinghamshire, England to the famed Bostock and Wombwell menagerie dynasty James Bostock (1814-1878) and Emma Wombwell (b1834). Edward will become one of the most prominent members of the Bostock family in the 20th century incorporating zoos, variety and music hall, circus, motion pictures and a range of other entertainments to his business portfolio. Edward established his own travelling outfit by the time he was 25 years old, which he travelled under the name E. H. Bostock’s Grand Star Menagerie. In 1879 he inaugurated the famous Scottish Zoo and Variety Circus in Glasgow and by 1889 he had incorporated the family’s menagerie in the business after his younger brother Frank Bostock took his business to America. Edward toured the breath of the UK with his shows, until he had to settle in 1896 on health grounds.
During his career, as well as his menagerie and zoo Edward Bostock purchase the Royal Italian Circus, several Hippodromes in Glasgow, Paisley and Hamilton and various picture palaces. Edward retired in 1932, aged 74 years old, his menagerie was acquired by the London Zoo.
Found in 3 Collections and/or Records:
Business Records, 1889 - 2003
Business records containing minutes of meetings, financial records, documents related to legislation and urban planning, Showmen's Guild diaries, year books, records on the campaigns run by the Showmen on the defence of Mitcham, Norwich, Manchester, Nottingham and Cambridge fairs.
Records Related to Nottingham Goose Fair, 1928
Contains documents related to the management and defence of Nottingham Goose Fair, including correspondence from William Savage, Pat Collins, E.H. Bostock, John Collins, Mellor Brothers, John Proctor a paper entitled The Defence of Fairs, a case for the opinion of counsel, an floor plan of the fair and newspaper cuttings. Typescript and manuscript.
The Showmen's Guild of Great Britain Collection
The main extent of the collection contains yearbooks, meetings and minutes, correspondence and a record of day to day activities within The Showmen's Guild of Great Britain.