Showing 36 results

Archival description
ZSL Museum
MUS · Fonds · 1833-1852

It was proposed in the setting up of ZSL that there would be a museum for zoological specimens, and items began being collected c.1827 including a collection of Sumatran specimens donated by Lady Sophia Raffles, widow of ZSL founder Sir Stamford Raffles. The museum was housed firstly within our office building at 33 Bruton Street in central London, and charged entry for people to visit. Many specimens were donated by fellows, John Gould donated his collection of Himalayan birds in 1831 to the museum, for example. The museum proved very popular, and grew at such a rate that it was one of the reasons for moving office to Leicester square. It was decided that the Society either needed to purchase a dedicated building for it - or to disperse the collection. ZSL Council chose the latter, and by 1855 the collection had been dispersed to various other collections including the British Museum (Natural History) and Norwich Museum.

Zoological Society of London
Library
LIB · Fonds · 1844-1924

Files relating to the library and its collections at ZSL

Zoological Society of London
Superintendents
SUP · Fonds · 1855-1951

The Superintendent reported directly to the Secretary of ZSL, and was in immediate control of the Menagerie at London Zoo through the Assistant Superintendent, was the superior officer of the Curators and Prosectorial staff, and in direct control of the works, stores, gatekeepers and gardening department. The post of Superintendent was abolished in 1953.

Zoological Society of London
Second world war
WAR · Fonds · 1938-1960

Records relating to ZSL during World War Two.

Zoological Society of London
Curators and Keepers
CUR · Fonds · 1856-1962

Papers relating to curators and keepers from ZSL's history.

Zoological Society of London
Animal acquisitions
AQA · Fonds · 1936-1968

Extant files describing animal acquisitions that took place between 1936 and 1968

Zoological Society of London
ZSL Film and Television
FIL · Fonds · 1936-1971

Files concerning ZSL and film and television. Includes letters from Huxley about a proposed cinema; correspondence about programmes such as "Zoo Time" with Desmond Morris; letters between Zuckerman and Bernstein and Forman of Granada TV

Zoological Society of London
ZSL Secretaries
SEC · Fonds · 1826-1975

Letters and papers relating to the position of Secretary at ZSL. In the past this position was responsible for the overall running of the Zoo(s), but in later years it has become an honorary position. The letters in particular show a breadth of correspondence between the society and people and organisations around the world.

Zoological Society of London
ZSL Whipsnade Zoo
WHI · Fonds · 1927-1981

ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, formerly known as Whipsnade Wild Animal Park, is a zoo and safari park located at Whipsnade, near Dunstable in Bedfordshire, England. It is one of two zoos (the other being ZSL London Zoo in Regent's Park, London) that are owned by the Zoological Society of London. A disastrous fire in Whipsnade's Administration block in 1962 destroyed most of the archives held at Whipsnade (except for the Whipsnade Daily Occurrences). The files listed here were the ones kept in the Offices at Regent's Park, and were therefore not lost in the fire.

Zoological Society of London