All this talk recently of collections in days gone by has made me think about this 'zoo'. Has anyone got any recollection of it and the animals they used to hold? My grandmother seems to remember a GIANT PANDA (!?!?!?) being on display here in the menagerie at some point when she was a child? Does anyone have any pictures so we might get some insight as to what the place was really like? Or can anyone verify that a panda was actually kept there? Views and comments greatly appreciated!
Blackpool Zoo Blackpool Tower Menagerie
- Thread starter Hyak2
- Start date
I've got two contemporary books that discuss it, "The World of Zoos" (1968) and Geoffrey Schomberg's "The Penguin Guide to British Zoos" (1970). By the time of Anthony Smith's "Animals on View" (1977) the collection remained only as an Aquarium (due to the opening of Blackpool Zoo in 1973).
Anyway, the Aquarium had existed since 1875 (the construction of the Tower itself though was only in 1891, and it opened to the public in 1894). The zoo part started when a collection of animals was introduced for the opening of the Tower. By the date of publication of the books mentioned above, the animals were mainly monkeys, small cats and various other small mammals and tropical birds, although there were also (in 1970) lion, tiger, brown bear, Asiatic black bear, dingo and spotted hyaena. The 1968 book says the total collection of zoo and aquarium at that time was 360 species and 3170 specimens (mainly fish I suspect). In contrast to the 1970 book the 1968 one says that there had been no large mammals (bears, tigers etc) there since 1955, so it is possible that in the intervening years more large mammals were acquired.
I would say that it would be impossible for there to have been a giant panda at the Tower zoo. Perhaps it was just one of the bears, or perhaps there was confusion with London Zoo?
Anyway, the Aquarium had existed since 1875 (the construction of the Tower itself though was only in 1891, and it opened to the public in 1894). The zoo part started when a collection of animals was introduced for the opening of the Tower. By the date of publication of the books mentioned above, the animals were mainly monkeys, small cats and various other small mammals and tropical birds, although there were also (in 1970) lion, tiger, brown bear, Asiatic black bear, dingo and spotted hyaena. The 1968 book says the total collection of zoo and aquarium at that time was 360 species and 3170 specimens (mainly fish I suspect). In contrast to the 1970 book the 1968 one says that there had been no large mammals (bears, tigers etc) there since 1955, so it is possible that in the intervening years more large mammals were acquired.
I would say that it would be impossible for there to have been a giant panda at the Tower zoo. Perhaps it was just one of the bears, or perhaps there was confusion with London Zoo?
As a young boy in the early seventies I remember asking my mum (who worked at the tower) if i could be a zoo keeper there.
My lasting memories are of the Mandrill and porcupines.
The cages were tiny ,and (I think), stacked two high.
I would love to hear from anyone who has other memories.
What happened to it ?
I worked at Blackpool Tower in the early eighties, and it had become a bird garden.
Many mornings some of the exotic birds had escaped to other parts of the building.
Does anyone remember the conger eels in the aquarium ?
My lasting memories are of the Mandrill and porcupines.
The cages were tiny ,and (I think), stacked two high.
I would love to hear from anyone who has other memories.
What happened to it ?
I worked at Blackpool Tower in the early eighties, and it had become a bird garden.
Many mornings some of the exotic birds had escaped to other parts of the building.
Does anyone remember the conger eels in the aquarium ?
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I was brought up in Blackpool in the 1960s and remember visiting the tower often. There were in fact 3 animal attractions there. There was the aquarium, the zoo and the circus. The circus had lions and elephants. If you went on the beach in the early morning, you could often see the elephants out for a walk with their trainers.
The zoo was a very sad place. It consisted of 2 rows of concrete prisons, each one about 10 foot long and even less wide. The animals all paced up and down all day. Most animals were housed singly. I remember lions, tigers, and other big cats. There were certanly bears. There were also hyenas and various primates.
The zoo was a very sad place. It consisted of 2 rows of concrete prisons, each one about 10 foot long and even less wide. The animals all paced up and down all day. Most animals were housed singly. I remember lions, tigers, and other big cats. There were certanly bears. There were also hyenas and various primates.
jb.lancashire
Active Member
I remember this as well I only went there once and was horrified to see the poor turtles in what was in effect a large glass cube with people looking at them from every angle and no rocks or plants for them to hide in, I also noticed that one of the turtles was on the bottom of the tank (dead I assume ) I certainly hope the tank has been brought up to modern standards if it is still there, but as I decide there I would never pay to go in to a place that kept animals in such poor conditions I don't know if it is still the same.
Douanita
Well-Known Member
Perhaps I found something interresting for you:
"Lulu is a Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) who was has been in captivity for over 60 years and came to the SeaLife Centre from the notorious Blackpool Tower Zoo."
SeaLife Centre – Brighton Animal Action
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Blackpool Zoo
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Picture Peep behind the scenes
Same pic at this auction: HH-A1624 Blackpool. Tower Menagerie and Monkey Houses on eBay (end time 07-Mar-10 19:14:25 GMT)
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http://cgi.benl.ebay.be/Blackpool-T...ItemQQptZArt_Photo_Images?hash=item53de2ff74f
Same pic at: http://past-to-present.com/photos.cfm?reference=S13588
"Lulu is a Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) who was has been in captivity for over 60 years and came to the SeaLife Centre from the notorious Blackpool Tower Zoo."
SeaLife Centre – Brighton Animal Action
AND
Blackpool Zoo
AND
Picture Peep behind the scenes
Same pic at this auction: HH-A1624 Blackpool. Tower Menagerie and Monkey Houses on eBay (end time 07-Mar-10 19:14:25 GMT)
AND
http://cgi.benl.ebay.be/Blackpool-T...ItemQQptZArt_Photo_Images?hash=item53de2ff74f
Same pic at: http://past-to-present.com/photos.cfm?reference=S13588
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jb.lancashire
Active Member
Perhaps I found something interresting for you:
"Lulu is a Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) who was has been in captivity for over 60 years and came to the SeaLife Centre from the notorious Blackpool Tower Zoo."
SeaLife Centre – Brighton Animal Action
AND
Blackpool Zoo
AND
Picture Peep behind the scenes
Same pic at this auction: HH-A1624 Blackpool. Tower Menagerie and Monkey Houses on eBay (end time 07-Mar-10 19:14:25 GMT)
AND
http://cgi.benl.ebay.be/Blackpool-T...ItemQQptZArt_Photo_Images?hash=item53de2ff74f
Same pic at: Past to Present : Blackpool Tower Menagerie Leopard & Girl old photo 1933
Thanks for the info. from it I have managed to find an article on the turtles and their standard of life seems to have greatly improved, which is nice to know. Here is a link to the article I found if anyone is interested
Teaching an old turtle new tricks
Oh God, I hoped I'd imagined that or got confused with a drawing from "Albert and the lion" but I'm sure I saw some poor lion in one of those hellish cages as a small kid.
I was in the tower at half term a couple of weeks ago. The turtles were rehomed in February as they had outgrown their tank
BBC NEWS | UK | England | Turtles move south to bigger home
BBC NEWS | UK | England | Turtles move south to bigger home
I'm sure they were rehomed many years. I visited in 2005 and there were no turtles then.
Although those postcards probably date back to a much earlier time, the zoo was exactly as shown in the 1960s. I remember my grandmother sitting on those chairs whilst my brothers and myself wandered around looking atg the poor anaimals. They would almost all be doing the standard pacing up and down
Phew! There is so much nonsense here that i cant even begin to comment..yes it wasnt acceptable by todays standards,but as my first experience of wild animals i wouldnt perhaps even be here now were it not for Blackpool Tower Menagerie.Suffice it to say that it wasnt quite the hell hole that the folks who didnt go or cant quite remember accurately, imagine.There is a least one highly QUALIFIED zoo manager [actually at a safari park] who has told me much about what i saw as a child - i think i will trust to his opinion thanks.The circus animals..now they DID have it tough underground i will admit.That was in an entirely different location within the same building.By the way tigers bred well in the menagerie and the lady in the photo is Gracie Fields, shes the one on the right in case some dont know their animals that well!