Part Six: Online Enquiries

So, like I said before, Find my past had been exhausted. After the Kingsthorpe Cemetery had been so helpful, I emailed the Zoological Society of London.

In the articles I had found, Mr Chapman had been made a fellow of the society, and I wanted to see if there was more there.
A photograph, perhaps.

Unfortunately not, the Society only confirmed that Mr Chapman had been made a fellow and in 1923.

No matter, onto the next.

Northamptonshire Archives, which I found via the Northampton Central Library site. They were unable to help further.

At this time, I was still trying various google searches of George Chapman and Chapman circus. During one of these searches I found a site that mentioned him, this site was focused on elephants that were traded back and forth during the period.

And Chapman's name appeared.

"Her claim that Rajah was at London Zoo is another point of contention. Rajah was never at London Zoo. He was the property of London based animal dealer George Bruce Chapman who owned Chapman's London Zoo Circus."

What was also mentioned later on, was the Belfast Zoo, which Mr Chapman was apparently a co founder of.
I then checked the Belfast Zoo site and on their history page, this venture was confirmed. I emailed Belfast Library.

"Building Belfast Zoo

In 1933, the corporation decided to install a zoological collection on the site.

Then, in 1934, 12 acres on either side of the grand floral staircase (a series of steps designed to reach the top of the hillside) were laid out as the zoo site. 

It took 150 men to build the site and the steps can still be seen from Antrim Road today. 

The zoo was opened on 28 March 1934 by Sir Crawford McCullough, Lord Mayor of Belfast.

The venture was supported by Councillor RJR Harcourt from Belfast Corporation and was partnered by George Chapman, an animal dealer and circus entrepreneur. 

It cost £10,000 to build and a total of 284,713 people visited the zoo in its first year."

The library sent through a few articles that name checked Chapman and his involvement (and investment) and a catalogue record of the zoo. They also recommended that since Mr Chapman was based in London that I look for information at the National Archives and the British Library. They also recommended the London Zoological Society. (Which I had already emailed.)

I emailed both organisations. British Library recommended the National Archives. National Archives recommended the University of Sheffield, which has the National Fairground and Circus Archive (yes, such a thing exists) including the Malcolm Airey Collection.

I have since sent an email to the people who work there and hope to hear from them soon.

In this flurry of emailing and googling, I also found a book, "The social history of the circus" published a few years ago. I emailed the author, and received a very encouraging and kind email in return. He told me what he knew, which by now has tallied with I have found out thus far.