Animal and Zoo Magazine 1936-41. Part 1: Everything about animals

The cover of the first issue, Jane 1936

This is the first of a series of articles on a monthly magazine published from 1936 until 1941 under three evolving titles. It was a joint venture between Odhams Press, the publishers, and the Zoological Society of London, under the subtitle, ‘Official Organ of the Zoological Society of London’.

The magazine presents a fascinating insight into the popular and scientific zoological world of the 1930s because it spans the whole world of animals: in zoos, farms, the wild, museums, labs, art, literature, race course, stable, veterinary surgery and as pets. The first issue, under the title Zoo was June 1936. From March 1938 it was Zoo and Animal Magazine and from May 1938, Animal and Zoo Magazine. The final issue was in June 1941, publication having become impossible because of the wartime paper shortage. After the war, publication was not restarted and the Zoo launched a different style of magazine under a new title.

Animal and Zoo Magazine (I will use that longest-lasting title) was the brainchild of Julian Huxley who had been elected Secretary in 1935. It was part of his ill-fated attempt to modernise the Society, broaden its relevance and appeal across the whole spectrum of those interested or those that should be interested in animals, from the academic biologist to the child in the classroom or at home. It was very likely opposed by the old guard of Council members, the menagerists and cranky academics, who eventually saw him off. The coverage of the magazine, of which he was advisory editor, was a reflection of Huxley’s determination to cover the whole of animal life with articles drawn from a range of top scientists and professional writers.

The editor was Hugh Pilcher. I have been able to find very little about him but I suspect he was born in Eltham, Kent, in 1904 and died in 1965. In 1932 he was writing articles for the weekly general magazine, The Passing Show, another Odhams title. After the war, he can be found as a journalist variously working on such daily newspapers as the Daily Herald (owned by Odhams), Daily Mail and the Daily Express (he was lobby correspondent of the last named in 1957). He was also political correspondent of Forward, a Labour Party-supporting magazine.

There are some what by modern standards anthropomorphic horrors; fictional short stories or serials of brave wolves and the like appear in most issues alongside really useful and informative factual articles and snippets.

Picking an issue up for the first time I could not help being struck by the amount of information it contained. There was a lot to read and very few modern magazines can claim to need more than ten minutes to absorb the entire content.

The magazine was well illustrated with photographs (often in the wild and often demonstrating what could be achieved with the cameras of the day), diagrams and maps.

Below are the contents of the first issue:

Before going on in future articles to consider the contributors and some of the subject matter, I should point out that Julian Huxley wrote a three-page introduction to the first issue. After describing the relations between the human species and other animals, he wrote:

In this article I shall try to set down the main aims of the magazine. The title itself tells a story. We call it Zoo because it is the organ of the Zoological Society of London. 

The Zoological Society, with its 8,000 fellows, is the most influential body in the country concerned with animals in general. It does not exist merely to exhibit captive animals in its gardens. It also exists to promote the scientific study of zoology and to stimulate a general interest in animals. It is restricted to the field of animal life, but within this field it has a threefold aim—science, education, and entertainment. 

It need not wait for people to come to the Zoo. By means such as a magazine it can take the Zoo to the people. It can do more than this; it can interest them in animals which can never be exhibited in captivity, and in aspects of animal life which cannot be properly brought out in Zoological Gardens, however well organized. 

That is why the Zoological Society is sponsoring this new venture—because it feels that in doing so it is more adequately fulfilling its aims and objectives…