United Kingdom Hotham Park Zoo, Bognor Regis
- Thread starter sooty mangabey
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Panthera Puss
Well-Known Member
There's a photo on the Francis Frith old photography site I stumbled on a while back, is this the same place?
Photo of Bognor Regis, the Zoological Gardens c1955 - Francis Frith
Photo of Bognor Regis, the Zoological Gardens c1955 - Francis Frith
Wow! jaycat. I'm so gald you did this. Its brighend my day. I love the badges. ii wnt one!. many of those postcards - I've jsust never seen. I thought I'd done well to put up lots of stuff, but you beat me hands done. Thank you thank you.
OK, you've thrwon down the guantlet, off for a week on hols, when I ge back I'll do the rest of mine. Of for Hols to Butlins with my four year old, and htey have 3 x sites, Minehead, Skegness or Bognor. Guess which one then? Do I liek butlins, not really, but with all the money in the world htere is still no better palce to take yor child. Sod, disney! My boyhood freind is a multi-millionaire adn where do his kids want to go? you guesssed!.They're not impressed by an 8 foot mouse. I suppose I want to give my boys today's equivelant of 60s & 70s Bognor, which was all about unsophoisticatd fun for kids. I can't match htat, but today the equivealnt is Butlins. With a notaligic 2 hours at soem pointt in Hotham park for Dad. Can't wait.
OK, you've thrwon down the guantlet, off for a week on hols, when I ge back I'll do the rest of mine. Of for Hols to Butlins with my four year old, and htey have 3 x sites, Minehead, Skegness or Bognor. Guess which one then? Do I liek butlins, not really, but with all the money in the world htere is still no better palce to take yor child. Sod, disney! My boyhood freind is a multi-millionaire adn where do his kids want to go? you guesssed!.They're not impressed by an 8 foot mouse. I suppose I want to give my boys today's equivelant of 60s & 70s Bognor, which was all about unsophoisticatd fun for kids. I can't match htat, but today the equivealnt is Butlins. With a notaligic 2 hours at soem pointt in Hotham park for Dad. Can't wait.
You're most welcome everyone, glad I could share my memories with you all, and you understand my reminising.
I've only just realised after looking through the booklet this morning, I was struggling to remember any other animals apart from the smaller ones and monkeys etc. Now I realize that there were no larger animals there when I was a child! The last time I went must have been around the late 60's, as my Dad died in 1970. I must now look into when it changed and had larger animals.
The booklet gives me the memories of all the nursery rhyme charaters, I must have had my photo taken with them all, unfortunately my mum didn't think they were important when she was having a clear out!!
I too remember the bandstand and the cafe/ice cream seller. I also thought the train ran through rainbows end, but my memory must have been playing tricks on me there! If you could remind me where it ran through I'd be grateful.
I think I must had been too young for my Dad to allow me near the bikes and cars though, as I see the pictures of them, but don't remember going on either at all. I can see them in my minds eye, but the experience of playing on them is not there. The boats however, I do remember going on with him.
So a few years ago I decided to search for those photos as postcards. I have been fairly sucessful, using ebay and many postcard fairs. I'm lucky if I find 1 at a fair these days that I don't have, but I still go and trawl through the lot!
The badges were from ebay along with the booklet, which is in an excellent, almost mint condition.
O well, enjoy your holiday Hothamfan, I look forward to seeing your collection when you return. Again I'm glad you all enjoyed the cards, I'm off to another fair this week, so fingers crossed I MAY find another gem!! If so, I'll post later with it.
Thanks for all your memories, btw did you all see the youtube clip? Short in a 10 minute clip, but at least a glimpse of our past! (Bognor 1964)
Chat later, J.
I've only just realised after looking through the booklet this morning, I was struggling to remember any other animals apart from the smaller ones and monkeys etc. Now I realize that there were no larger animals there when I was a child! The last time I went must have been around the late 60's, as my Dad died in 1970. I must now look into when it changed and had larger animals.
The booklet gives me the memories of all the nursery rhyme charaters, I must have had my photo taken with them all, unfortunately my mum didn't think they were important when she was having a clear out!!
I too remember the bandstand and the cafe/ice cream seller. I also thought the train ran through rainbows end, but my memory must have been playing tricks on me there! If you could remind me where it ran through I'd be grateful.
I think I must had been too young for my Dad to allow me near the bikes and cars though, as I see the pictures of them, but don't remember going on either at all. I can see them in my minds eye, but the experience of playing on them is not there. The boats however, I do remember going on with him.
So a few years ago I decided to search for those photos as postcards. I have been fairly sucessful, using ebay and many postcard fairs. I'm lucky if I find 1 at a fair these days that I don't have, but I still go and trawl through the lot!
The badges were from ebay along with the booklet, which is in an excellent, almost mint condition.
O well, enjoy your holiday Hothamfan, I look forward to seeing your collection when you return. Again I'm glad you all enjoyed the cards, I'm off to another fair this week, so fingers crossed I MAY find another gem!! If so, I'll post later with it.
Thanks for all your memories, btw did you all see the youtube clip? Short in a 10 minute clip, but at least a glimpse of our past! (Bognor 1964)
Chat later, J.
The Frith collection photograph is of Hotham Park House, not part of the zoo but close to it, it is the house around which the grounds containing the zoo were laid out as part of a family residence before it bacame a public park with pets corner which later became the zoo. The later decorative fountain was located there, so although what we can see in the photo looks more like a sundial, it is quite likely that it is a drinking fountain and that the modern fountain replaced that one.
Jaycat. I have a scan of the pond to put up. One of mickey too. And teh 1950s guide. My memoris of the layout. circa 1969-72. I would almost always enter from the coach park and thus would go through the gates and thus immediatly cross the raliway line into the aprk-proper. Mid-park 'ish, you would pass the pond on you right before seeing the station. The station was in front of hte go-kart track area, so the zoo ticket kiosk would be to your right, besides which (here I get hazy, there was another entrance to the park) I am certain that as you walked past the pond on your right with the coach park behind you, hte station was what you'd see next. go karts (later mini dodgems as well or instead of ) to the left of kiosk. Train (then, anyway) never went in the zoo. Adjacent. This I stake my life on! I can hear the sound of hte train hooter/horn (not a whistle) now. My memory of hte zoo is very hazy. Sorry, a Zoo at that age did not have the draw of go-karts, boats, and trains to a 8-10 year old boy. i rember the smell! I rember humpy dumpty and Mickey and hte windmill, goats adn I think llamas (i think, gets hazy here) The zoo was not really a chewssington or a whipsnade, or a regetns aprk and as a kid I'd seen those. I rember the novelty enclosures. Teh hospital postcard joggdm y memory.. By the house, Deck chirs arond the organist, near teh ice-cream kiosk and my grnadfatehrs flower shows held by hte local Bognor Regis Horticultural society in a marquee on hte spot between the main gates (near puttng greeen) and hte bandstand. I never used the entrance from the Butlins side as a kid. there was 2 x golf greens, a putting and crazy golf. As a kid crazy golf was the pull. Fond memories, playing in the park, whilst grandad would clean-up with his Jescot Lingold, jescot Julie, Jescot India dahlias. He'd been a commerical grower. And not forgetting Jescot long'un 'show' runner beans (not for eating!). Still commercilly available. The boats were a bit lame. And my 1-2 pounds grandad woudl give me wold not last long on the expensive short-ride boats. I rember hte old tyres ahnging from the edge of hte lake.
Another memory. The White Doves. You can see them on the roof of the ice cream kiosk in one of he psotcards I posted. ( i mean the psotcerd with the child in what looks like red shorts) The things were everywhere, I'm almost positive there was a dovecote to the left of that kiosk, just out of shot, in that same postcard
At the kiosk, Lyons Maid 'Fab' was it for me, or a 'Rocket'. I was privileged to live that life, and in an age when kids could roam with 'pound note in pocket' grandparents, with tiem to indulge me, in a holiday town, I was spolit rotten! Idyllic. My summer hols in Shripney, spending days at the yacht pond, the seafront and hotham park. I was SO lucky.
I love your badges. I'd never seen these before. Likely late 70s or 80s I think??
Saw teh Youtube clip. Stunning. Shows MY PERSONAL yacht pond. Glad someone did, but with no video then, why was the film ever shot. Mega-expensive
Another memory. The White Doves. You can see them on the roof of the ice cream kiosk in one of he psotcards I posted. ( i mean the psotcerd with the child in what looks like red shorts) The things were everywhere, I'm almost positive there was a dovecote to the left of that kiosk, just out of shot, in that same postcard
At the kiosk, Lyons Maid 'Fab' was it for me, or a 'Rocket'. I was privileged to live that life, and in an age when kids could roam with 'pound note in pocket' grandparents, with tiem to indulge me, in a holiday town, I was spolit rotten! Idyllic. My summer hols in Shripney, spending days at the yacht pond, the seafront and hotham park. I was SO lucky.
I love your badges. I'd never seen these before. Likely late 70s or 80s I think??
Saw teh Youtube clip. Stunning. Shows MY PERSONAL yacht pond. Glad someone did, but with no video then, why was the film ever shot. Mega-expensive
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Hi, I have never seen any postcards of the go carts, so they are new to me, thanks for posting. The youtube video was great wasn't it, such memories!!
Thanks for your information of the layout of the park, I remember coming in from a different way, and we always went to the ice cream kiosk first, and then on to the pets corner. I never saw the zoo. I didn't go back after the death of my Dad.
I found another 2 cards at the fair that I went to at the weekend and also another 1 from a postcard auction site. 2 are multi view cards, the other one is a duplicate of one I already have, but instead of being sepia coloured, it's black and white. The other card I saw was of the minature railway in Bognor, it didn't look to me as if it was in Hotham Park, but I'm not 100%, and there was no information on the card. It was quite expensive - £12- I didn't get it as I wasn't sure where abouts it was, and if I'd seen it at all.
The badges are all from ebay, also the guide.
Are there any books written about the park/zoo/pets corner do you know? I'd like to read them.
When the other card arrives, which may be a while as it's from the Netherlands, I'll post so you can see my new additions.
Thanks again for taking the time to post your collection for us to see.
Jackie
Thanks for your information of the layout of the park, I remember coming in from a different way, and we always went to the ice cream kiosk first, and then on to the pets corner. I never saw the zoo. I didn't go back after the death of my Dad.
I found another 2 cards at the fair that I went to at the weekend and also another 1 from a postcard auction site. 2 are multi view cards, the other one is a duplicate of one I already have, but instead of being sepia coloured, it's black and white. The other card I saw was of the minature railway in Bognor, it didn't look to me as if it was in Hotham Park, but I'm not 100%, and there was no information on the card. It was quite expensive - £12- I didn't get it as I wasn't sure where abouts it was, and if I'd seen it at all.
The badges are all from ebay, also the guide.
Are there any books written about the park/zoo/pets corner do you know? I'd like to read them.
When the other card arrives, which may be a while as it's from the Netherlands, I'll post so you can see my new additions.
Thanks again for taking the time to post your collection for us to see.
Jackie
Hotham Park New Piccy
Glad you liek the Gokart Pix.
Just seen this up for grabs on Ebay. Postcard used postally 1962. Hotham Park.
jaycat I take it you've seen my flickr pages,
Flickr: omaxorg's Photostream
Under omaxorg, and thus know my interest in teh yaht pond by the Pavillion, as well as all things Hotham, so most crtainly let me have hte link. Not sure of the rules of Zoochat. On here so often, best i read them, this thread has become about Hotham park as much as the Zoo, I imagine webmaster at Zoochat doens't mind, 'cos it would have been knocked long since.
But the Yacht pond link would definitly be off-topic so if you can send a personal message I'd be very grateful. Or got to my business site omaxdotorg (you'll work it out) and use the contact form.
You asked about Books on Hotham park - non-existent really. A few paragraphs here and tere. Local hsitory books don't realy offer much either.
Minuature railway postcard? if it ws a minuaure railway picture it was Hotham park. OK, let me expalin minuature railway, 'model rilwasy' are jsut htat, models, a 'minuature ralway' is somehting you ride on or in, in the 20 years I spent in and around Bognor, to my knowledge th only minuatur ride-on rialway in Bognor was in HP. i'm a bit of an 'nerd/anorak' on these things, so know only one other MR, and it ws on the sea-front in the 50s, so maybe you saw a postcard of htat.
Anywasy here's latest Eb aypic aniotehr .
Panthera Puss, yes the FF piccy is Hotham park house clocktower.
Gokart shot and a map I found on Arun council's site
Glad you liek the Gokart Pix.
Just seen this up for grabs on Ebay. Postcard used postally 1962. Hotham Park.
jaycat I take it you've seen my flickr pages,
Flickr: omaxorg's Photostream
Under omaxorg, and thus know my interest in teh yaht pond by the Pavillion, as well as all things Hotham, so most crtainly let me have hte link. Not sure of the rules of Zoochat. On here so often, best i read them, this thread has become about Hotham park as much as the Zoo, I imagine webmaster at Zoochat doens't mind, 'cos it would have been knocked long since.
But the Yacht pond link would definitly be off-topic so if you can send a personal message I'd be very grateful. Or got to my business site omaxdotorg (you'll work it out) and use the contact form.
You asked about Books on Hotham park - non-existent really. A few paragraphs here and tere. Local hsitory books don't realy offer much either.
Minuature railway postcard? if it ws a minuaure railway picture it was Hotham park. OK, let me expalin minuature railway, 'model rilwasy' are jsut htat, models, a 'minuature ralway' is somehting you ride on or in, in the 20 years I spent in and around Bognor, to my knowledge th only minuatur ride-on rialway in Bognor was in HP. i'm a bit of an 'nerd/anorak' on these things, so know only one other MR, and it ws on the sea-front in the 50s, so maybe you saw a postcard of htat.
Anywasy here's latest Eb aypic aniotehr .
Panthera Puss, yes the FF piccy is Hotham park house clocktower.
Gokart shot and a map I found on Arun council's site
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Hi, I have sent you a pm with thee link to both the site, and directly to the card. Hope you like it
Shame about the books, maybe we should start one up with the others here!! Have checked out your pics, there are quite a few that I don't have, especially the go cart ones!!
I'm sure the railway wasn't in HP there was no sign of the park in the background, strange, I'll try to see if I can find anything else about it online.
I notice on the local history site of Bognor a lady gives talks about HP, wonder just how much she knows about. Might be very interesting to have a chat with her.
Do you remember the zoo at all, or does anyone else? I never saw that part of HP at all. Photos etc?
Anyway hope the link's worth it!!
Jackie
Shame about the books, maybe we should start one up with the others here!! Have checked out your pics, there are quite a few that I don't have, especially the go cart ones!!
I'm sure the railway wasn't in HP there was no sign of the park in the background, strange, I'll try to see if I can find anything else about it online.
I notice on the local history site of Bognor a lady gives talks about HP, wonder just how much she knows about. Might be very interesting to have a chat with her.
Do you remember the zoo at all, or does anyone else? I never saw that part of HP at all. Photos etc?
Anyway hope the link's worth it!!
Jackie
Sylvia endecote is the aldy. Wroe a book. Sent her GBP15 for it and sopme yacht pond scans a few months abck. Not seen it yet, will ring her soon. Knowledgable lady witha n interset in Postcards so a kindred spirit for you perhaps. Like the link. Hadn't seen this. My memory of hte zoo is so vague, its worthless, and likely not acurate, almost all I know I've written here. I can rember running round it in under 5 mins as kid. did this two or three times, likely spent 10-15 mins in all, on my way, like most boys, to faster things, trains & gokarts and iceceam.- I was entertained by the odd mix of fairy-land building from diferet nursery-rymes, but can't be specific, I rember teh windmil becaue I've since seen it in a pstcard, but had forgotten it. I rember the pet hospital, agin for the same reason, I need pictures to jog my fading memory, and a previous post mentions having many but never posted them. See (evie)
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60s early 70s Hotham park in my memory had a very definite 'sound and smell'. You knew you wre in HP with your eyres clsoed! I'll expalin. summer days had the hub-bub of he zoo, mostly an unrelenting scream of the peacock(s), pucntuated by the train hooter/horn (not a whislte) as you watched the grey squirrels scamper about. Now, nearer the kiosk, the doves would 'coo', often drowned out by the organist on the patch of grass in or arond the bandstand. The smell eminating from the zoo, as I said in previous posts would permiate around the station, oh yes - take me there blindfold and no oterh palce had that particualt mix of sounds and smells. It could only be one palce... Hotham park.
Wallabies in Hotham Park c1955
My abiding memory of Hotham Park is of the wallabies, the first animals I remember, who happily bounced up to greet me whenever my late Mother took me to Hotham Park. I also remember sitting, as a three-year-old in the Micky Mouse and Humpty Dumpty chairs, circa 1954-55.
I do not recollect the boating pond, but was interested to see the wooden two-seater motor boats in the pictures posted by hothamfan. They were exactly the same pattern as those on the Littlehampton pleasure pond, which were two-stroke petrol engined.
My Father was stationed at the Fleet Air Arm base at Ford, which became a notorious prison, and we lived at Littlehampton.
I have not visited Bognor since 1960 at the latest.
My abiding memory of Hotham Park is of the wallabies, the first animals I remember, who happily bounced up to greet me whenever my late Mother took me to Hotham Park. I also remember sitting, as a three-year-old in the Micky Mouse and Humpty Dumpty chairs, circa 1954-55.
I do not recollect the boating pond, but was interested to see the wooden two-seater motor boats in the pictures posted by hothamfan. They were exactly the same pattern as those on the Littlehampton pleasure pond, which were two-stroke petrol engined.
My Father was stationed at the Fleet Air Arm base at Ford, which became a notorious prison, and we lived at Littlehampton.
I have not visited Bognor since 1960 at the latest.
Hotham Park 1976 Home movie
Here's some pix but go to Youtube to see it best. Those dodems must have arrived about 75-76 'cos in my toiem 2-3 years earlier it ws pedal power go karts a per the pso card already posted. And the train ws 'green' in my time. See the postcrd for this
Hotham Park 1976 Home movie
Here's some pix but go to Youtube to see it best. Those dodems must have arrived about 75-76 'cos in my toiem 2-3 years earlier it ws pedal power go karts a per the pso card already posted. And the train ws 'green' in my time. See the postcrd for this
Hotham Park 1976 Home movie
