You are now standing in front of the London Zoo. The idea for the London zoo originated with the formation of the Zoological Society in 1828 which sought to promote the scientific research of new species collected from the British empire. The London Zoo established in Reagent Park was originally meant to be an exclusive club only open to members of the zoological society. Nonetheless, the public began to complain about their exclusion, and they were granted freedom to roam the zoo by 1835. Notably, the appearance of a hippopotamus at the London Zoo in 1852 was one of the first animals to attract mass public attention. In order to acquire new studies and displays, the zoological society depended highly on civil servants from the Foreign and Colonial offices to supply new species, which reinforces the link between the zoo and empire.[1] One of the principle purposes for the London zoo was to transform it into an imperial zoo; nonetheless, attempts to acclimatize many tropical species to a London climate proved difficult. Historian Takashi Ito claims that the failure of Victorian scientists to acclimatized colonial and wild species made many re-evaluate notions of British scientific supremacy in an imperial context.[2] Therefore, not all aspects of British colonial holdings and prestige could be represented within the metropolis. During World War II the London Zoo was greatly affected by the blitz and many of its animals were either killed or removed. In 1955, a ten-year reconstruction project was initiated, and by 1967 the zoo was once again fully operational. Expansion and pavilion construction projects were done in the 1970s, and since then the zoo has remained fairly consistent to its scope and size. Today, the zoo still continues to be active in its commitment to animal health, conservation and zoological research.[3]

[1] Roger Rideout, "London Zoo: Handsome Gifts to a Young Society," History Today 62, no. 1 (2012): 38-43.

[2] Takashi Ito, London Zoo and the Victorians 1828-1859 (Woodbridge: the Boydell Press, 2014),38.

[3] The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, "London Zoo," Encyclopaedia Britannica, March 22 2012, accessed March 29, 2019.

Although the Victorians had failed to transform the London Zoo into a site of public imperial significance, individuals during the interwar period attempted to revive the idea of the London zoo as a site of imperial interest. Notably, the London Underground created colourful posters labelled "visit the empire" in 1933 which had the London zoo as a stop. The campaign targeted both national and foreign tourists who wanted to explore Britain's empire in one day.[1] Historians David gilbert and Felix Driver argue that a new topologic map of the London Underground introduced in 1932 made the utilization of the tube more accessible. The easy utilization of the tube by topologic advancements contributed directly to the success of the "visit the empire" campaign.[2] Therefore, new ways of utilizing transportation and print culture contributed to the reinvigorated interest in empire during the interwar period.

The London Zoo was also the site of colonial tensions between Britain and Burma during the interwar period. Notably, popular travel books had generated sensationalized depictions of Burmese worship surrounding the exotic white-elephant. This gave an opportunity for those in the metropole to exercise notions of imaginative imperial authority. Notably, some British individuals began to associate the Burmese worship of the white elephant as proof of white superiority.[3] Therefore, for many British citizens the white elephant was praised and began to symbolically represent British power in Burma. Furthermore, depictions of Burmese men riding elephants began to acquire orientalist features which depicted Burmese men as "naturally" and "primitively" adept to form bounds with elephants.[4] Notably, San Dwe who was a caretaker and trainer of a white elephant at the London Zoo was suspected of murdering his roommate Said Ali in 1928.[5] After the courts found San Dwe guilty for the murder of his roommate, the white elephant at the London Zoo died. The press quickly associated the death of white elephant with the conviction of San Dwe and called it a "curse."[6] Therefore, the case of San Dwe illustrates how prevalent perceptions of orientalism was in British society in the interwar period. Furthermore, the case of San Dwe began to incite tensions between Burmese nationalists and the British government. Notably, a nationalist lobby group named "Loyal Karen People of Burma in England" began to argue that San Dwe could not be guilty of murder since the Karen People were culturally loyal to the British people.[7] The "Loyal Karen People" demonstrate that in some instances, notions of inferiority and servitude were actually proposed and reinforced by the colonial people themselves. In conclusion, the London zoo during the interwar period demonstrated an era of imperial tourism and colonial tensions regarding beliefs of superiority.

[1] Ernest M. Dinkel, "Visit the Empire, 1933," London Transport Museum, accessed March 29, 2019.

[2] David gilbert and Felix Driver, "Capital and Empire: Geographies of Imperial London," GeoJournal 51, no. 1 (2000): 27.

[3] Sarah Amato, "The White Elephant in London: An episode of Trickery, Racism and Advertising," Journal of Social History 47, no. 1 (2009): 32.

[4] Jonathan Saha, "Among Beasts of Burma: Animals and the Politics of Colonial sensibilities, c. 1840-1940," Journal of Social History 48, no. 4 (2015): 917.

[5] Jonathan Saha, "Murder at London Zoo: Late Colonial Sympathy in Interwar Britain," American Historical Review 121, no. 5 (2016): 1468.

[6] Saha, 1469.

[7] Saha, 1481.

Primary Source:

Dinkel, Ernest M. "Visit the Empire, 1933." London Transport Museum. Accessed March 29,2019. https://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/collections/collections-online/posters/item/198343555?&apiurl=aHR0cHM6Ly9hcGkubHRtdXNldW0uY28udWsvcG9zdGVycz9zaG9yD0xJnNraXA9MCZsaW1pdD00OCZxPWVtcGlyZQ==&searchpage=Y29sbGVjdGlvbMvY29sbGVjdGlvbnMtb25saW5lL3Bvc3RlcnMvcGFnZS8xPyZxPWVtcGlyZQ==

Secondary Sources:

Amato, Sarah. "The White Elephant in London: An episode of Trickery, Racism and Advertising." Journal of Social History 47, no. 1 (2009): 31-66.

Ito, Takashi. London Zoo and the Victorians 1828-1859. Woodbridge: the Boydell Press, 2014.

Rideout, Roger. "London Zoo: Handsome Gifts to a Young Society." History Today 62, no. 1 (2012): 38-43.

Saha, Jonathan. "Among Beasts of Burma: Animals and the Politics of Colonial sensibilities, c. 1840-1940." Journal of Social History 48, no. 4 (2015): 910-932.

Saha, Jonathan. "Murder at London Zoo: Late Colonial Sympathy in Interwar Britain." American Historical Review 121, no. 5 (2016): 1468-1491.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "London Zoo." Encyclopaedia Britannica. March 22 2012, accessed March 29, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/place/London-Zoo.