Chester Zoo Happy Birthday Chester Zoo

[bongorob]

I'd forgotten all about today being the 80th anniversary of the opening of Chester Zoo until I saw this.

Chester Zoo founder George Saul Mottershead grew up in Sale (From Messenger Newspapers)

 

[Ned]

The two comments underneath the article are a little bizarre.

 

[karoocheetah]

I'd forgotten all about today being the 80th anniversary of the opening of Chester Zoo until I saw this.

Chester Zoo founder George Saul Mottershead grew up in Sale (From Messenger Newspapers)

There's a wee bit of a disparity over the dates - according to the Zoo's own website it became NEZS in 1934 not 1931

"George's dream was finally realised in 1930, when he brought his family to live in the Oakfield Manor bringing with him animals from a zoo at Shavington, near Crewe. His venture became the North of England Zoological Society in 1934"

History Of The Zoo | Chester Zoo UK

 

[Maguari]

There's a wee bit of a disparity over the dates - according to the Zoo's own website it became NEZS in 1934 not 1931

The zoo itself always counts its anniversaries from the formation of the NEZS in 1934, but the zoo actually opened (under the private ownership of Mottershead) in 1931. They like to keep it confusing!


Happy birthday, ol' buddy.

 

[SMR]

"George's dream was finally realised in 1930, when he brought his family to live in the Oakfield Manor bringing with him animals from a zoo at Shavington, near Crewe."

That isn't correct, none of the collection at Shavington was moved directly to Chester, it was sold as a going concern, complete with the animals. It wasn't until some time later when Shavington was struggling that Mottershead returned to purchase and rescue some of the animals including, famously, Punch the polar bear.

 

[karoocheetah]

That isn't correct, none of the collection at Shavington was moved directly to Chester, it was sold as a going concern, complete with the animals. It wasn't until some time later when Shavington was struggling that Mottershead returned to purchase and rescue some of the animals including, famously, Punch the polar bear.

and that was quoted off the zoo's own website too......shocking