Charles Jamrach facts for kids
Charles Jamrach was a famous animal dealer in the 1800s. He was born in Germany in 1815. Charles owned a huge shop in London that sold exotic animals, birds, and even shells. At one point, his shop was the biggest of its kind in the world!
His father, Johann Gottlieb Jamrach, was a river police chief in Hamburg, Germany. He started the family business by trading birds and wild animals with sailors. He even had branches in other cities like Antwerp and London.
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Starting the Animal Business
Charles Jamrach moved to London and took over the family business around 1840 after his father passed away. He became very good at bringing animals into the country, raising them, and sending them to other places.
He sold animals to many different customers, including:
- Rich people
- Zoos
- Traveling animal shows (menageries)
- Circus owners
Charles bought animals from ships that arrived in London and other big ports like Liverpool and Southampton. He also had people working for him in Europe to find more animals. His business included his famous shop, Jamrach's Animal Emporium, and a special place for animals called a menagerie.
The Escaped Tiger
In 1857, something very exciting and a bit scary happened at his shop! A large Bengal tiger managed to escape from its box. A young boy, about eight or nine years old, was walking by and had never seen such a big cat before. He got too close and tried to pet the tiger.
The tiger grabbed the boy. But Charles Jamrach quickly ran over. He bravely put his bare hands into the tiger's throat, forcing the powerful animal to let the boy go. The boy was okay, but his family sued Jamrach. They were given £300, which was a lot of money back then, for what happened. The tiger was later sold to a famous circus owner named George Wombwell and became a popular attraction.
Today, there's a bronze statue near Tobacco Dock in London. It remembers this amazing story of the tiger's escape and the boy's rescue.
Helping P. T. Barnum
Charles Jamrach was also important for helping the famous American showman, P. T. Barnum. After a big fire destroyed many of Barnum's circus animals in 1864, Jamrach was largely responsible for finding and sending new animals to restock the circus.
A Sea Snail Named After Him
A type of sea snail was even named after Charles Jamrach! It's called Amoria jamrachii. A scientist named John Edward Gray, who worked at the British Museum, named the snail after Jamrach. This happened because Jamrach had given him the shell of this unique snail.
Jamrach's Family and Legacy
Charles Jamrach was married three times. Two of his sons, William and Albert, also became animal dealers, following in their father's footsteps. Charles Jamrach passed away in 1891. His business continued for some time, but it faced challenges during the First World War. After his son Albert died in 1917, the famous animal business closed down in 1919.
