Stephen Polito
Encyclopedia
Stephen Polito (1763/4–1814) was a menagerie
owner of Italian
descent in Georgian
England
.
Polito was born in 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
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 Excahgne 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, tigers, hyenas, zebras, kangaroos, and many other exotic animals, and the elephant Chunee, which was shot to death in 1826.
His collection was acquired by his brother, John, after his death, and then by a former employee, 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.
Menagerie
A menagerie is/was a form of keeping common and exotic animals in captivity that preceded the modern zoological garden. The term was first used in seventeenth century France in reference to the management of household or domestic stock. Later, it came to be used primarily in reference to...
owner of Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
descent in Georgian
Georgian era
The Georgian era is a period of British history which takes its name from, and is normally defined as spanning the reigns of, the first four Hanoverian kings of Great Britain : George I, George II, George III and George IV...
England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Polito was born in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. 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
Nottingham Goose Fair
The Nottingham Goose Fair is an annual fun fair held in Nottingham, England, during the first week of October. It is largely provided by travelling fair people...
in 1807.
Polito acquired the permanent menagerie at Exeter Exchange
Exeter Exchange
The Exeter Exchange was a building on the north side of the Strand in London, with an arcade extending partway across the carriageway...
in the Strand
Strand, London
Strand is a street in the City of Westminster, London, England. The street is just over three-quarters of a mile long. It currently starts at Trafalgar Square and runs east to join Fleet Street at Temple Bar, which marks the boundary of the City of London at this point, though its historical length...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
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 Excahgne was very popular during Polito's short period of ownership. It was visited by William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth was a major English Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature with the 1798 joint publication Lyrical Ballads....
and Lord Byron, and animals in his collection were painted by Edwin Landseer and Jacques-Laurent Agasse
Jacques-Laurent Agasse
Jacques-Laurent Agasse was an animal and landscape painter from Switzerland.Born at Geneva, Agasse studied in the public art school of that city. Before he turned twenty he went to Paris to study in veterinary school to make himself fully acquainted with the anatomy of horses and other animals...
. The menagerie lions, tigers, hyenas, zebras, kangaroos, and many other exotic animals, and the elephant Chunee, which was shot to death in 1826.
His collection was acquired by his brother, John, after his death, and then by a former employee, Edward Cross
Edward Cross (zoo proprietor)
Edward Cross was an English zoo proprietor and dealer in animals.Cross was born in London and baptised at St Andrew's, Holborn, presumably within days of his birth...
(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.
External links
- Decorative pearlware plate (c.1830), inscribed "Politos. Royal. Menagerie", attributed to Staffordshire potter Obadiah Sherratt
- Biography of Stephanus Polito
- Announcement of the arrival of the Royal Menagerie at the Exeter 'Change, from Bishopsgate InstituteBishopsgate InstituteBishopsgate Institute is a cultural institute, located on Bishopsgate, in proximity of Liverpool Street station and Spitalfields market, London, England.Bishopsgate Institute was established in 1895...
- A playbill from the menagerie (early-mid 19th century)
- Interior view of Polito's Royal Menagerie, Exeter Change, Strand, 1812
Further reading
- Stephen Polito, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography