I didn't even need to go to Regents Park. When I was about 5 or 6 we
used to live in an upstairs flat in an ordinary suburban road in West
London. Edwardian semis and terraces. This was similar to 4 or 5 parallel side roads leading to bigger roads at either end. One day I just happened
to be looking out the window when I saw an elephant being led down the
road. I can't remember anyone rushing out of their houses to look at
him, or her, or anything.
ISTR being told later that he'd been on his way to a local pub
which was situated on a major road and had a very large beer garden and
put on events. Measuring on Google Maps the nearest Western Region
Station is less than a mile away in one direction and the pub less
than a mile away in the other. Unfortunately I've never been able to
find any confirmation, for any of this most unlikely event, but I
can still picture it to this day.
On 19/12/2023 21:27, billy bookcase wrote:
....
I didn't even need to go to Regents Park. When I was about 5 or 6 we
used to live in an upstairs flat in an ordinary suburban road in West
London. Edwardian semis and terraces. This was similar to 4 or 5 parallel
side roads leading to bigger roads at either end. One day I just happened
to be looking out the window when I saw an elephant being led down the
road. I can't remember anyone rushing out of their houses to look at
him, or her, or anything.
ISTR being told later that he'd been on his way to a local pub
which was situated on a major road and had a very large beer garden and
put on events. Measuring on Google Maps the nearest Western Region
Station is less than a mile away in one direction and the pub less
than a mile away in the other. Unfortunately I've never been able to
find any confirmation, for any of this most unlikely event, but I
can still picture it to this day.
It is certainly something that would stick in the memory. Were I trying to research it,
I would look at the British Newspaper Archives:
https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/
You know where it happened, the name of the pub and roughly when.
A search on the pub name and elephant in the local newspaper(s)
around that time might throw up something.
It is the sort of thing that a local rag might cover and the site
allows you to do a lot of searching for free. I think they even
allow limited downloads without taking out
a subscription.
He possibly belonged to Billy Smart who originally had local
connections ( A family removal firm is still in business )
and by the 50's ran one of the largest circuses in
Europe with a menagerie based in Berkshire which by 1960
included 15 elephants; which he rented out in the winter
off-season. Unlike Bertram Mills, whose descendants continued
to run shows over the Christmas season at Olympia every year.
(So who's the circus expert all of a sudden, then)
http://www.circopedia.org/Billy_Smart
http://www.circopedia.org/Bertram_Mills
"Colin Bignell" <cpb@bignellREMOVETHIS.me.uk> wrote in message news:tTCdnVxLb6y5vB_4nZ2dnZeNn_Rg4p2d@giganews.com...
On 19/12/2023 21:27, billy bookcase wrote:
....
I didn't even need to go to Regents Park. When I was about 5 or 6 we
used to live in an upstairs flat in an ordinary suburban road in West
London. Edwardian semis and terraces. This was similar to 4 or 5 parallel >>> side roads leading to bigger roads at either end. One day I just happened >>> to be looking out the window when I saw an elephant being led down the
road. I can't remember anyone rushing out of their houses to look at
him, or her, or anything.
ISTR being told later that he'd been on his way to a local pub
which was situated on a major road and had a very large beer garden and
put on events. Measuring on Google Maps the nearest Western Region
Station is less than a mile away in one direction and the pub less
than a mile away in the other. Unfortunately I've never been able to
find any confirmation, for any of this most unlikely event, but I
can still picture it to this day.
It is certainly something that would stick in the memory. Were I trying to research it,
I would look at the British Newspaper Archives:
https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/
You know where it happened, the name of the pub and roughly when.
A search on the pub name and elephant in the local newspaper(s)
around that time might throw up something.
It is the sort of thing that a local rag might cover and the site
allows you to do a lot of searching for free. I think they even
allow limited downloads without taking out
a subscription.
Thank you very much for that tip.
Just the name of the Pub, verified from a 1960's Kemps Directory
(its now the Harvester Royal) the name of the road, and "elephant"
did the trick.
quote:
The new lodger a circus elephant looked In the customers when he
arrived on Sunday at the Royal Hotel Boston-road Hanwell where he
will stay for three weeks
Published: Saturday 06 December 1952
Newspaper: Middlesex County Times
County: London, England
unquote
I even got the age right
He possibly belonged to Billy Smart who originally had local
connections ( A family removal firm is still in business )
and by the 50's ran one of the largest circuses in
Europe with a menagerie based in Berkshire which by 1960
included 15 elephants; which he rented out in the winter
off-season. Unlike Bertram Mills, whose descendants continued
to run shows over the Christmas season at Olympia every year.
(So who's the circus expert all of a sudden, then)
http://www.circopedia.org/Billy_Smart
http://www.circopedia.org/Bertram_Mills
Now all I need to do, is to find out the name of the elephant.
bb
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