The "Nimble Chops" at Vauxhall

I thought this handbill deserves a note all to itself!

The text reads:-
A WONDERFUL PHENOMENON OF NATURE
to be Seen Alive at Vauxhall, between the Hours of Four and Nine O'clock each Evening
a MOST VORACIOUS ANIMAL CALLED
THE
NIMBLE CHOPS
This Animal is from the remotest parts of Barbary, in the Human Shape, and very Muscular, stands near Six Feet high, walks very erect, although corpulent, very quick in his Actions and the only one ever seen in this Country.
CAUTION
EVERY PERSON who passes this way must be very peaceable, so as not to give the least Alarm, as, a short time back (from the Report of a Gun), this Animal broke loose from his Den, and evaded his Keepers, rushed out with such Velocity as to level to the Ground all that Plantation, called the SMALL-WOOD, and afterwards made for the other called the HAY-WOOD: however, fortunately it happened, this Animal returned again to his Den, without doing any more injury; therefore, should this Animal break loose again, he will tear up all that old Plantation at Vauxhall, unless they confine him to One Room by himself, or have him in strong Chains, and muzzled.
THE FOOD of this Animal is lately changed, to that of ROTTEN MUTTON, which he thinks makes the BEST SOUP, therefore the Dealers in this Article will have a Wonderful Demand, for he is very Voracious.

The back sheet shows that it was sent to [Richard] Beaumont at Ashted, perhaps in 1826, though the postmark is not clear.

Some questions I have about this:
1. Was this sent, to Richard, simply for its own sake, as something informative, or even as something amusing - perhaps by one of his sons?
2. Or was it perhaps used merely as a wrapper, to enclose something else?
3. Why was it kept? No doubt the person who kept it was George, who is known to have had a quirky sense of humour. There were a few things that George kept of his father's.
4. It seems to have been posted at Birmingham. So does it refer to Vauxhall there, or to Vauxhall in London? I am inclined to think, Birmingham.
5. Has anyone any information that would be relevant - eg any other similar handbills? Would this have been a travelling show?
6. What, at that time, did people really think about this treatment of the poor gorilla, orang-utang, or whatever it was?

(Beaumont Archives, Box 1/122)
February 2019