The Passing of George Wombwell

http://www.wardsbookofdays.com/16november.htm

By 1850 however, and regardless of the disasters that had occurred the previous year, the Wombwell operation was so successful that the menagerie had been divided into three parts, and had become a phenomenon of its time. 

For George Wombwell though, the end was to come on 16th November, at Northallerton in Yorkshire, after a bout of bronchitis. A report of his death in the Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser, 30 November stated that:

It was an often expressed wish of the deceased that as he had lived so long with his collection, he should be permitted to die with it, and with this view he had caused to be fitted up some short time since a new travelling bed carriage, in which he expired on the evening of the day mentioned, in his 73rd year. His menagerie was being exhibited at the time in the market-place, at Northallerton, and an announcement of his death was made by his own request to the spectators; after which, the band played the "Dead March" in Saul, the animals were fed, and the exhibition closed for the evening.

The year ended for the menagerie down in Norwich, the Norfolk News reporting that: 

On Wednesday night, about a quarter before twelve, (being the last night in the year 1850,) the band connected with Mr. Wombwell's menagerie, now exhibiting on the Castle meadow, assembled in the market-place for the purpose of playing the old year out and the new year in. when the band commenced playing there were comparatively few persons near, but ere the first tune was finished, several hundred persons had assembled. The band after playing several beautiful pieces, concluded with "God save the Queen." St. Peter's bells also greeted the new year by a merry peal. The band afterwards played in Exchange Street, opposite the Artist's Room, where a giant, dwarf, &c., are now being exhibited; and, although it was nearly one o'clock, the doors having been opened, a great many persons paid their money to see the exhibition.

(Reports copied from: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cmtilbury/ttm/ttm_tree_uk_wombwell.htmlhttp://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cmtilbury/ttm/ttm_tree_uk_wombwell.html)