Drake, Sir Garrard Tyrwhitt

Sir (Hugh) Garrard Tyrwhitt-Drake was a businessman, zoo owner and author. Between 1915 and 1950, he was twelve times the Mayor of Maidstone, Kent and was High Sheriff of Kent in 1956-1957. He lived at Cobtree Manor, Sandling, where he used part of his estate to house his private zoo - the largest in Great Britain - in which he kept lions, tigers, bears and elephants. He wrote two books: Beasts and Circuses; My Life with Animals (1939) and The English Circus and Fairground (1946)