In researching the history of the once ‘ruins’ at Pearson Park Folly Flaneuse found out thinks about Hull’s Zoological Gardens including the map shown above. Incidentally, Hull History Centre staff Verity and Claire have researched and written-up an article about the Zoological Gardens which can be accessed on the Centre’s website. Verity kindly emailed me a clear copy of the above map but my printer wasn’t up to a good copy. I have deliberately not read their article as I didn’t just want to copy their material.

On the map above a straight bit of Spring Bank is in the bottom left-hand corner off which were the main gate and ‘Lodge’; here, presumably, was the gate at which visitors paid an entrance fee. On entrance two of the four pathways led to the ‘Refreshment Room’ surrounded by trees and shrubs. To the left of the entrance was a ‘Wolf Den’ and a nearby fountain (perhaps the one that was re-erected in Pearson Park s.p.b.s); to the right of the entrance was ‘Fireworks Lake’, the reason for the name being a mystery to me. North of the ‘Lake’ was the ‘Music Hall’ and ‘Stage’, while in the centre of the Gardens were two ‘Pheasantries’ and ‘Pelican Pond’. In the north-east and north-west quarters of the site was considerable woodland, in the north-west quarter a large ‘Goose Lake’ in the shape of an egg-timer with a footbridge over the narrow section and to its north a ‘Statue’, ‘Eagle House’ and ‘Bird House’. In the centre at the north end was a ‘Menagerie’, the ‘Keeper’s Cottage’ standing behind. In the north-east quarter was a small pond and south of it a ‘Bear Pit’, ‘Wolf’s Den’ (very small) and ‘Greenland Dog Den'(?). Nearer to the ‘Music Hall’ were two further enclosures illegible on my copy.

Somewhat alarmingly, between the ‘Bird House and the ‘Menagerie’ was the ‘Shooting Gallery’!

To be continued.