United Kingdom Hotham Park Zoo, Bognor Regis
- Thread starter sooty mangabey
- Start date
The go kart track
My brother jogged my memory. A snippet. There was a bridge across the track to allow you to get into the centre of the oval whilst the karts were running. Its from theis bridge as a vantage point, that the pic was taken, Has to be, sure of it, how, would the photographer have got there unless using steps which i see as unlikley. He's on that brdge.
Mums would taek smaller kids to the helter skelter. i think you paid for time in the oval? Not sure thogh. I think you must have done becuse I don't rember palying on the HelterSkelter at all, and i would have done if it was free.
This area became the dodgems in the mid 70s.
Note tehre's several versions of this pic. heavily touched veriosn shown here. More boats and people than oher versions. This pic is MY hotham parka s I rember it. I se a drinking fountain in the house shot. A paradise for a boy.
My brother jogged my memory. A snippet. There was a bridge across the track to allow you to get into the centre of the oval whilst the karts were running. Its from theis bridge as a vantage point, that the pic was taken, Has to be, sure of it, how, would the photographer have got there unless using steps which i see as unlikley. He's on that brdge.
Mums would taek smaller kids to the helter skelter. i think you paid for time in the oval? Not sure thogh. I think you must have done becuse I don't rember palying on the HelterSkelter at all, and i would have done if it was free.
This area became the dodgems in the mid 70s.
Note tehre's several versions of this pic. heavily touched veriosn shown here. More boats and people than oher versions. This pic is MY hotham parka s I rember it. I se a drinking fountain in the house shot. A paradise for a boy.
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More Hotham Park Pix
Some more pix. Some I think I may have uploaded before. Also see my stream on Flickr.
Why do I uplaod thsi stuff??? S'easy question... When I see that windmill, and the green train, with the gokart pic, for that split second, I'm ice-cream-in-hand, eight years old again.
Some more pix. Some I think I may have uploaded before. Also see my stream on Flickr.
Why do I uplaod thsi stuff??? S'easy question... When I see that windmill, and the green train, with the gokart pic, for that split second, I'm ice-cream-in-hand, eight years old again.
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Hotham Park Railway - Train
Hotham Park Railway - Train
I'm told HP had a train from 1969, but in my memroy earleir, anyway, it was green in 1971ish.
This pic I understand is from 1994. A SanteFe type Engine. I think it must be teh same loco you see in other pix, yellow in the 70s, now red.
Hotham Park Railway - Train
I'm told HP had a train from 1969, but in my memroy earleir, anyway, it was green in 1971ish.
This pic I understand is from 1994. A SanteFe type Engine. I think it must be teh same loco you see in other pix, yellow in the 70s, now red.
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alienmartian
New Member
Hi.
I had a dream a few years ago about an idyllic, green, lush, safe place. A paradise. I thought nothing more of it, then it kept coming back to me - certain elements that couldn't just be from my imagination - go-karts, stylish buildings, and a tree-lined path with scattered character dwellings along one side, most of all a little house shaped like a shoe. I knew I'd been there at some point in my childhood.
Then last week I found this in a box of old photos at my mum's house. Hotham Park 1970, with my brother and my cousins. I'm the littlest boy on the left, 4 years old.
Perhaps you were all there? Can we dream this place anew?
Many thanks to you all for your pictures, it means a lot, a few brief hours 40 years ago.
A psychological landscape straight out of a dream. I'm going in.
X
I had a dream a few years ago about an idyllic, green, lush, safe place. A paradise. I thought nothing more of it, then it kept coming back to me - certain elements that couldn't just be from my imagination - go-karts, stylish buildings, and a tree-lined path with scattered character dwellings along one side, most of all a little house shaped like a shoe. I knew I'd been there at some point in my childhood.
Then last week I found this in a box of old photos at my mum's house. Hotham Park 1970, with my brother and my cousins. I'm the littlest boy on the left, 4 years old.
Perhaps you were all there? Can we dream this place anew?
Many thanks to you all for your pictures, it means a lot, a few brief hours 40 years ago.
A psychological landscape straight out of a dream. I'm going in.
X
Attachments
That pic is a real gem
Someone has a way with words... i'm there with you, a snapshot in my head, I'll dream with you and I'd go back there this minute!
And your pic, you've given us all a real gem. real joy, I'd forgotten about the figures. The split second i saw it, "The Baker". It zapped into my head. I favour he was the Muffin man for soem reason... but it is all so hazy, I could well be wrong. I love that sensation of recall to a distant childhood moment. Unfortunately, followed by the frustration of trying to recall the rest! The one on the left, I'm fighting it, but sorry, it still doesn't gel with me.
I was hoping a closer look at the left figure would have something click for me, but your scan is lo-res so I can't zoom in to see more. It's 40 years for me too, so I'm trying to have it jog my memory for more, but sadly the rest is a blank, that's all I've got.
I really apprecaite you taking the effort to put that pic up. In our family album I have a picture of the lily-pond. Seen in one of the multi-veiw postcards, I've already put up. I'll return the favour, and put it up as soon as I can find it.
All the buildings and figures had a nursery-rhyme theme if I have it right. I found a pic of Gander Mill a few dasy ago. Put it up here yesterday. I have a Hotham Park Photo stream on flickr.
With your permission, can I filch your image and put it with the rest for all to see at:
Hotham Park and Zoo - a set on Flickr
Can you describe, however vague, what you have in your memory... I'm hoping it'll spark recall for me or someone out there.
Someone has a way with words... i'm there with you, a snapshot in my head, I'll dream with you and I'd go back there this minute!
And your pic, you've given us all a real gem. real joy, I'd forgotten about the figures. The split second i saw it, "The Baker". It zapped into my head. I favour he was the Muffin man for soem reason... but it is all so hazy, I could well be wrong. I love that sensation of recall to a distant childhood moment. Unfortunately, followed by the frustration of trying to recall the rest! The one on the left, I'm fighting it, but sorry, it still doesn't gel with me.
I was hoping a closer look at the left figure would have something click for me, but your scan is lo-res so I can't zoom in to see more. It's 40 years for me too, so I'm trying to have it jog my memory for more, but sadly the rest is a blank, that's all I've got.
I really apprecaite you taking the effort to put that pic up. In our family album I have a picture of the lily-pond. Seen in one of the multi-veiw postcards, I've already put up. I'll return the favour, and put it up as soon as I can find it.
All the buildings and figures had a nursery-rhyme theme if I have it right. I found a pic of Gander Mill a few dasy ago. Put it up here yesterday. I have a Hotham Park Photo stream on flickr.
With your permission, can I filch your image and put it with the rest for all to see at:
Hotham Park and Zoo - a set on Flickr
Can you describe, however vague, what you have in your memory... I'm hoping it'll spark recall for me or someone out there.
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alienmartian
New Member
Perhaps a butcher and a baker, and, elsewhere, a candlestick maker?
My memory is so fuzzy and probably distorted. I must've been there a couple of times in the late 60s/early 70s, Bognor being a short day trip from my home town of Worthing. I remember a sloping lawn, split by a wall and steps, with a white building at the bottom, and an avenue of trees with a dusty dirt track, which is where the shoe house was, tucked in the bushes, but accessible from both sides (built of fibreglass or resin/plaster with all the rough edges still inside, possibly waterlogged with muddy, leafy rainwater?).
For some reason the place shines like new in my memory. Bright, colourful flowers, perfect lawns, shiny happy people, like a paradise planet from the original Star Trek series.
That's about it.
But I'm strangely drawn to that memory. I am a writer, and I use stuff like this to fuel my work.
Do you know of the film La Jetée?
Please go ahead and use my picture in your Flickr stream.
And dream on
; )
My memory is so fuzzy and probably distorted. I must've been there a couple of times in the late 60s/early 70s, Bognor being a short day trip from my home town of Worthing. I remember a sloping lawn, split by a wall and steps, with a white building at the bottom, and an avenue of trees with a dusty dirt track, which is where the shoe house was, tucked in the bushes, but accessible from both sides (built of fibreglass or resin/plaster with all the rough edges still inside, possibly waterlogged with muddy, leafy rainwater?).
For some reason the place shines like new in my memory. Bright, colourful flowers, perfect lawns, shiny happy people, like a paradise planet from the original Star Trek series.
That's about it.
But I'm strangely drawn to that memory. I am a writer, and I use stuff like this to fuel my work.
Do you know of the film La Jetée?
Please go ahead and use my picture in your Flickr stream.
And dream on
; )
Thanks for letting me have your pic. Butcher, Baker.. and, maybe. Fits. Your recollection doesn't click with me at all. Sorry. You may have it spot on, only it's me, mine's gone.
La Jetée??? I can't even type it! Where's teh damned grave accent on my Mac! La Jetée. I'll look it up.
Some of the following I've already written to my stream. For all. Bognor was a pensioners and pre mass-Spanish air travel, a holiday town back tehn.
Hotham park had a unique sound and smell. A mix of doves cooing, the organist, the crys of the peacocks, the hoot of the train, the organist and the rather ripe smell form the zoo. Lyons Ice Cream, they didn't sell Wall's from the Kiosk. My Gran would have a wafer. I'd have a Fab or a rocket. The dovecote. Late 1960s, early 1970s Hotham Park, like most of Bognor, had what a kid wanted, the seafront, the pier, the arcades, the yacht pond, and Hotham park. Hotham Park was a safe place for a boys to wander, not cooped-up, that's what all kids did back then, go-karts, boats, and a trains, with a zoo. A kids' paradise. And I'm not looking throught rose -tinted. it *was* like that.
I'll run off with your pic. And keep dreamin'
La Jetée??? I can't even type it! Where's teh damned grave accent on my Mac! La Jetée. I'll look it up.
Some of the following I've already written to my stream. For all. Bognor was a pensioners and pre mass-Spanish air travel, a holiday town back tehn.
Hotham park had a unique sound and smell. A mix of doves cooing, the organist, the crys of the peacocks, the hoot of the train, the organist and the rather ripe smell form the zoo. Lyons Ice Cream, they didn't sell Wall's from the Kiosk. My Gran would have a wafer. I'd have a Fab or a rocket. The dovecote. Late 1960s, early 1970s Hotham Park, like most of Bognor, had what a kid wanted, the seafront, the pier, the arcades, the yacht pond, and Hotham park. Hotham Park was a safe place for a boys to wander, not cooped-up, that's what all kids did back then, go-karts, boats, and a trains, with a zoo. A kids' paradise. And I'm not looking throught rose -tinted. it *was* like that.
I'll run off with your pic. And keep dreamin'
alienmartian
New Member
My recollection is probably enhanced somewhat by dreaming about it in later life.
I'll hazard a guess that this is one of the more surreal threads on Zoochat
!
I'll hazard a guess that this is one of the more surreal threads on Zoochat
!
I could never forget it, but I've forgotten to mention it. The golf. There wrere two courses, thus, you had a putting green and crazy golf. The crazy had real appeal to me as a kid, and after teh initial exciemtn of hte go-karts and the train had subdued I'd paly a round of crazy-golf. I'd have been 9-10 years old with a couple of quid in my pocket given to me by my grandparents to roam around and amuse myself with. The organist held no appeal to me back then or now, but it could be heard whilst I palyed.
The gates to the rear of the park (the north?) by this I mean, not the main gate or the Butlins end, had a coach park outside it. Bognor's tourists and daytrippers would be dropped here and pile into the park. en-masse they'd come in, which as a kid I always thought odd. The gravel paths snaked down to pets corner and the house.
With Butlins one side and the coach park the other, people in large numebrs would feed into Hotham Park. You could have a good 150 people just sitting around hte organist on a sunny day. If you look in the kiosk postcard, you'll see the folding chairs to cater for this.
The gates to the rear of the park (the north?) by this I mean, not the main gate or the Butlins end, had a coach park outside it. Bognor's tourists and daytrippers would be dropped here and pile into the park. en-masse they'd come in, which as a kid I always thought odd. The gravel paths snaked down to pets corner and the house.
With Butlins one side and the coach park the other, people in large numebrs would feed into Hotham Park. You could have a good 150 people just sitting around hte organist on a sunny day. If you look in the kiosk postcard, you'll see the folding chairs to cater for this.
Goodness, this thread has stirred some memories for me. My grandparents lived in Bognor, my grandad worked on the pier. I spent many days in the Childrens' Zoo - Pets' Corner I think it was back in the 60's. I remember all those nursery rhyme models and I thought it was pedal trikes outside, that was a rare treat for me. Those monkeys - for years I thought I had killed them. Regularly I shared grapes and egg sandwiches with them and then later a notice appeared saying do not feed the monkeys. My mother explained people might feed them food that was bad for them and that they might even die. Then the cage they were in was moved and as the monkeys were no longer there I assumed the worst - my offerings had killed them. Next summer I saw them in a different place and was told they had moved. The relief!
The picture of the clock tower end of Hotham house definitely shows a sundial. There were public toilets there too. The sundial itself disapeared a few years back but the pedestal remained.
In later years I took my daughter to Rainbows End and was shocked at the state of the animals and the childrens' entertainment, broken strairs up to the slides, filth in the ball pit and was pleased it was closed, this must have been in 1997.
Does anyone remember the dalek rides in the amusement arcade on the Esplanade?
The white doves now have almost completely gone. Last summer I saw more crows than anything else. They were great, the way they would sit on your hands as you fed them.
The picture of the clock tower end of Hotham house definitely shows a sundial. There were public toilets there too. The sundial itself disapeared a few years back but the pedestal remained.
In later years I took my daughter to Rainbows End and was shocked at the state of the animals and the childrens' entertainment, broken strairs up to the slides, filth in the ball pit and was pleased it was closed, this must have been in 1997.
Does anyone remember the dalek rides in the amusement arcade on the Esplanade?
The white doves now have almost completely gone. Last summer I saw more crows than anything else. They were great, the way they would sit on your hands as you fed them.
Trikes? Maybe, but not in my memory. See
[ame="http://www.flickr.com/photos/40770745@N06/7054252723/"]Amusements Hotham Park Early & Late 60s History | Flickr - Photo Sharing![/ame]
Only pix i have seen show>>
Early 60s - pedal cars and into the 70s Go-Karts. Those go-karts were great. I remember them like it was yesterday.
I'm 50. If you don't mind me asking, how old are you JFK, so that we know what period we're talking about here.
[ame="http://www.flickr.com/photos/40770745@N06/7054252723/"]Amusements Hotham Park Early & Late 60s History | Flickr - Photo Sharing![/ame]
Only pix i have seen show>>
Early 60s - pedal cars and into the 70s Go-Karts. Those go-karts were great. I remember them like it was yesterday.
I'm 50. If you don't mind me asking, how old are you JFK, so that we know what period we're talking about here.
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I'm 54, (born in 1957) so round about the same era. Maybe I've remembered it wrong. I had thought there were two arenas with different wheeled things in each... a moment, I'm in Bognor atm and will ask my brother - 4 years younger .... sound of footsteps running down the hall ....he says it was definitely go-karts but he was too small to go on them so they must have been around for a while for you to have got big enough to go on them. Unless our mum worried about him and just said he was too small
I checked about the sundial as well, during the big renovations it was taken away and has never been replaced.