I am unsure of dates that I have seen for the dates quoted as to how long this establishment was in existence ... The "popular" choice is 1846 to 1929 ... However I can find no written evidence of the Zoo actually existing until 1876 ... The first listed mention I find is that there was a 100 foot Pheasantry , Polar Bear , Lions ,Tigers, Jaguars , Leopards , Wolves , Bears , Foxes , Jackals , Emus , Seals , Zebras, Ocelots and a Tropical Aviary ... The proprietors of the Zoo were Henry Gough and a Mr T W Thompson ...By 1877 a Monkey House and Artic Foxes had been added ... In 1887 a Jubilee Arch was built to commemorate Queen Victoria's Jubilee and this formed the opening of the Pleasure Gardens ... By 1914 there are reports that the Animal Collection was now known as "Eastham Jungle" contains wild animals of all kinds ... the Ferry Service that took people across the Mersey to Eastham stopped in 1929 and visitors to the area declined .... So the 1929 date of closure could well be correct ... by 1934 the Jubilee Arch was demolished Henry Gough had taken over the Pleasure Gardens in 1868 and no mention of the Zoo was made at this time ,,, Sir William Massey Stanley had the "Stanley Arms" built in 1843 (now Eastham Ferry Hotel since 1850 and still is) ... Sir William was declared bankrupt in 1849 and lost his Pleasure Gardens but no Zoo was mentioned within the Pleasure Gardens sale ... The area is now known as Eastham Woodland and Country Park and the Bear Pit is still there .. 1st and 2nd images Adverts for Eastham Zoologial Gardens , 3rd Image Eastham Ferry Hotel and Jubilee Arch , 4th image Eastham Gardens , 5th Image Eastham Ferry Hotel and 6th image Eastham Ferry
