Southam Zoo
- Thread starter jacks zoo
- Start date
thanks jz
I'd forgotten I ever went to this place. If you google it there's some information, I'm not sure when it closed. I remember seeing a baby leopard aged about two weeks being nursed by a cat in a rabbit hutch. The rabbit hutch wasn't even locked and there was no-one around so for a moment I wondered what it would be like to have a pet leopard. The place seemed to have loads of big cats but was a bit of a dump. I really don't remember much else about it, I'm not surprised it folded.
jacks zoo
Well-Known Member
Do you mean on the former zoo site??
Is there any evidence that the zoo used to be there?
Also do you know if the clewes family that ran the zoo still live there?
sounds like a Javan Leopard. I don't know this zoo, but the Javan Leopard in Berlin's Zoo looks like a Leopard-Jaguar-Mixture. He has a big round head like a Jaguar and not a slim one like a leopard. It's interesting to see the differences between him and the Javan Leopard at Berlin's Tierpark. There the Javan Leopard looks like a leopard.
Firstly,thank you all for your interest. Secondly, I am very disappointed with some of the reviews/comments below. After reading many such as "Circus Folk" / "Animals kept in Hutches / Small Enclosures" As a member of the Clews family, I would like to shed some light on the history of the Zoo.
The Zoo was formed by my grandparents, originally my Grandparents had a small private collection, this was common in the 60's/70s where tropical/exotic pets were commonly kept and our Zoo was founded. Some of the animals started as young orphaned animals in need of a helping hand in life, being hand reared by my grandparents, we had a baby bear, a monkey etc. They were all so tame, they lived within the house!
As the collection grew, our family wanted to share what we had beyond close friends and family, which is then when the collection became a public zoo.
The animals were loved dearly. All animals were tame; So much so my Gran used to walk in to enclosures with any of the animals, play/hand feed lions, chimps etc. To name a few, we had lion's, chimpanzees, Jaguars, Panthers, Crocodiles, "Pets corner", Reptiles, Water fowl a variety of Monkeys, Birds of Prey and exotic birds...the list goes on.
Sadly my Grandfather passed away at quite a young age, the zoo was carried on for a few years after by my Gran, we had a lot of support from friends and family to keep things just so. However a decision had to be made (one that was not taken lightly) which was to sell the zoo, this included, most of the Grounds and all animals. It was at this point where Southam Zoo belonged to the Jones family. The Jones family did rename the "Zoo" to "Southam Exotic Cats"
-I am sure you have a nearby pub/shop which has been renamed, yet is called by its first name. It was the same with Southam Zoo (nobody ever really called it by its new name) Nor was the sale of the Zoo greatly advertised. I would also like to add that as the previous owners, we noticed a considerable difference to the animals, and their environment. But as no longer being the owners had no control over the forthcoming years.
Those who do remember the original Southam Zoo, would remember what was a magical place to mention a few;
-A penguin who was best friends with a leopard
-Fun chimps tea parties
-A bull dog called Suzy who mothered many orphaned animals
-Chimps bathing my sister and I
-Lions who lived in the house
-Having cuddles with Lion/Tiger cubs
The days of the real Southam Zoo are long gone.
-But the memories to those who knew the real Southam Zoo are not and are regularly shared still within our friends and family.
The Zoo was formed by my grandparents, originally my Grandparents had a small private collection, this was common in the 60's/70s where tropical/exotic pets were commonly kept and our Zoo was founded. Some of the animals started as young orphaned animals in need of a helping hand in life, being hand reared by my grandparents, we had a baby bear, a monkey etc. They were all so tame, they lived within the house!
As the collection grew, our family wanted to share what we had beyond close friends and family, which is then when the collection became a public zoo.
The animals were loved dearly. All animals were tame; So much so my Gran used to walk in to enclosures with any of the animals, play/hand feed lions, chimps etc. To name a few, we had lion's, chimpanzees, Jaguars, Panthers, Crocodiles, "Pets corner", Reptiles, Water fowl a variety of Monkeys, Birds of Prey and exotic birds...the list goes on.
Sadly my Grandfather passed away at quite a young age, the zoo was carried on for a few years after by my Gran, we had a lot of support from friends and family to keep things just so. However a decision had to be made (one that was not taken lightly) which was to sell the zoo, this included, most of the Grounds and all animals. It was at this point where Southam Zoo belonged to the Jones family. The Jones family did rename the "Zoo" to "Southam Exotic Cats"
-I am sure you have a nearby pub/shop which has been renamed, yet is called by its first name. It was the same with Southam Zoo (nobody ever really called it by its new name) Nor was the sale of the Zoo greatly advertised. I would also like to add that as the previous owners, we noticed a considerable difference to the animals, and their environment. But as no longer being the owners had no control over the forthcoming years.
Those who do remember the original Southam Zoo, would remember what was a magical place to mention a few;
-A penguin who was best friends with a leopard
-Fun chimps tea parties
-A bull dog called Suzy who mothered many orphaned animals
-Chimps bathing my sister and I
-Lions who lived in the house
-Having cuddles with Lion/Tiger cubs
The days of the real Southam Zoo are long gone.
-But the memories to those who knew the real Southam Zoo are not and are regularly shared still within our friends and family.
sounds an interesting place perhaps you should write a book about it
Tarsus Restaurant was being built on part of the zoo site in 1981/82 so it was closed then. Graham Clews, one of the sons still lives at the farm next to the Tarsus.
I loved the zoo as a child & have never forgotten the experience of cuddling a baby lion or tiger & playing with the chimps, watching the chimps tea party etc. A dog that used to nurse the baby animals & being able to feed wild animals with the Clews family - I feel very privileged to have enjoyed such experiences.
The zoo was never the same once the eccentric Mr Graham Jones took over & he did not have the same respect & love for the animals as the Clews family did!
I loved the zoo as a child & have never forgotten the experience of cuddling a baby lion or tiger & playing with the chimps, watching the chimps tea party etc. A dog that used to nurse the baby animals & being able to feed wild animals with the Clews family - I feel very privileged to have enjoyed such experiences.
The zoo was never the same once the eccentric Mr Graham Jones took over & he did not have the same respect & love for the animals as the Clews family did!
They would be good to see - I don`t think there are many photos or postcards around of Southam Zoo ? I have only one which features a tiger cub on a chain on a platform with Graham Jones I believe?
I have many photos of Southam Zoo as I am Raymond Graham-Jones' Great-Grand-Daughter. I will did out the albums and post some on here. My grandfather loved his big cats. He respected them and they respected him. I've never met any one who loved animals as much as he did. That love for animals has been passed down through generations of our family. My mother spent most of her teens at the zoo. So has lots of photos.
Hi Lucy lou ,i have just been researching southam zoo and graham ,i worked for him and his wife rita for several years ,i would love to get in touch with you or youre parents ,i am presuming he has passed away now but i would love to know where him and rita ended up retiring to etc when he left the zoo
Thank you for sharing some of your memories. From what you say the zoo did not close when your family sold it. Was that in 1985? And do you know when the zoo closed under the new ownership? In the late 1960s/early 1970s there were often photos in the national press of Southam's animals, particularly of chimpanzees and lions, in the house. often with family or other species. Do you have any further information about the dark-coloured leopard, (which, I consider, was highly unlikely to be Javan)?
Colin Bevan
New Member
I worked at Southam Zoo during 1978/79 and recall Tiggy, Rupert, Clara and Joe, amongst other animals. Whilst there, I travelled by train to John Aspinalls Port Lympne in Folkstone and collected 5 Timber Wolf pups that would, apparently, have otherwise been euthanased...
