September 2016 - Historical Animals
Members of the Horndean & District U3A met for their regular monthly meeting on Friday 2nd September at Merchistoun Hall. They were entertained by Susan Howe a local speaker who has been a London Tourist Blue Badge Guide since 1982. She spoke about "Animals in the Lives of their Historical Owners".
Susan recounted some intriguing quirky stories. She told members about an eccentric member of the Rothschild family in the 1890's who was obsessed with the idea of having zebras pull his carriage through Piccadilly to visit Queen Victoria! He imported several different breeds of zebra to be trained but because of their nature he was forced to have a lead pony.
Around the 1660's Charles II lusted after the Duchess of Richmond who lived at Goodwood. She told him she didn't fancy him as she was happily married to her husband. She had a beloved African Grey parrot for 40 years and requested that after her death and following the parrot's death, her coffin was to be opened and he was to be laid in her arms for eternity.
Florence Nightingale rescued an owl from being tortured which she kept as a pet, called it Athena and carried it in her pocket. When she went off to the Crimea she left the owl with her parents who neglected it and consequently it died. They had it stuffed and it was displayed in her bedroom.
David Attenborough's wife was very good with small mammals so London Zoo sent her a gibbon to care for. She became very attached to it and carried it about with her in a sling. This gibbon used to burp very loudly which was rather embarrassing when she was on the phone!
On Winston Churchill's 88th birthday he was given a ginger cat with white front and paws which he was very fond of. There is a caveat on Chartwell that there must always be a ginger cat in residence. Isaac Newton invented the cat flap.
Susan continued to entertain the members with her tales. Telling them about St Jerome who hated people and lived like a hermit. One day a lion strolled into his cave with a thorn in his paw, St Jerome pulled it out and from that time the lion never left his side. The lions in Trafalgar Square to celebrate the battle were designed by Landseer. Unfortunately the designer had never seen a lion so when he heard that one had died, he had it transported to his studio for him to copy. After a short time it was rather smelly in there.
Marie Antoinette tried to escape and had a boat with her possession and her five polydactyl cats (have additional digits). She didn't manage to escape but her cats were taken to the Eastern seaboard of the United States. The sea captains bred these cats and Ernest Hemingway was given one. Today there are around 40 polydactyl cats living in his garden, which is well worth a visit.
In the era of Richard III, Sir Henry Wyatt was put in the cells at the Tower of London to freeze and starve to death. A cat squeezed through the bars and brought him pigeons and rabbits and also slept on him to keep him warm. The jailer was superstitious and called him the 'catering cat'. Sir Henry was released and lived well into his 80's and always kept cats. His coat of arms has a scrawny man with a cat sleeping on top of him.
Wellington rode his remarkable and extraordinary horse Copenhagen throughout the battle of Waterloo. There is a statue of Copenhagen on his coffin in St Paul's Cathedral. Sir Walter Raleigh's horse could identify colours, dice, could count and dance. Whilst on tour in France monks said he was the work of the devil. Sir Walter told them that the horse was a devoted Christian and for them to show him a crucifix whereupon the horse went on his knees!
Finally Susan told us that Oscar Wilde had a pet lobster which he took for walks around Oxford....until he was eaten! Susan recounted many other stories, more than I can recount here and her amusing and intriguing talk was enjoyed by all.
Diane Stoner, Speaker Co-ordinator.