The Animal King

Frank Charles Bostock was one of Edward Henry Bostock’s brothers and became known as ‘The Animal King’. He briefly ran his own menagerie (Bostock, Wombwell and Baileys) before selling it on to Edward Henry. He married Susanna Ethel Bailey and they had six children. He died in London in 1912 but by then had succeeded in bringing the Menagerie concept to the USA, exhibiting with great success over many years in Coney Island. On his return to England, he toured ‘Bostock’s Arena and Jungle’ and together with his other interests achieved enough fame that when he died the World’s Fair Newspaper mourned the passing of 'England's Greatest Showman'. His funeral took place at Abney Park Cemetery, Stoke Newington. 

See: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/nfca/projects/frankbostockbio for an extended biography.

One of Frank’s most memorable adventures took place in 1889 and showed that the spirit of George Wombwell was still alive and well. Whilst the menagerie was in Birmingham, much to the horror of all, one of the menagerie lions escaped from a tent and wandered off to pay a visit to Birmingham city centre, eventually disappearing into the city’s sewer system. As panic ensued, and all involved pondered their next move, Frank paraded another lion in public view, and announced the recapture of the escaped animal. 

The next day, he confessed the truth to the astonished police, and sought their assistance in tracking down the missing animal, and retrieving it from under the city.

(see: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-39799098) for the story and image, originally from the Graphic Newspaper).