United Kingdom Thorney Wildlife Park .Thorney Nr Wisbech , Cambridgeshire (1968- 1978)Approx

Andrew Swales said:
You are quite right - but any institution can only be judged by the standards and expectations of its time, and none of todays zoos (or any other institutions) could be judged by future standards many generations hence. This footage was taken in 1975 and I would guess that there is not much film of small zoos anywhere, taken 45 years ago. Some major well-respected parks today were little better at the time, worse even - and we are all very grateful they they did not go too...

By comparison - Wellingborough Zoo in 1965.
This piece of film shows just how popular zoos were at the time, among visitors who had never heard of the word 'enrichment'. A Polar Bear shows around 18 seconds in. I remember Wellingborough's Polars, housed in a circus training ring security fence (not a full one as it was much smaller diameter), troweled concrete floor, no roof, a tiny pool much smaller than Thorney's and a pile of white bread loaves for food.

As I said, my parents cannot have rated either Thorney or Wellingborough as I can only remember one visit to each, but both were very popular and provided what was expected by the public at the time.
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I wonder how many people got bitten by that zebra:)
 
Andrew Swales said:
The town of Wellingborough does seem to have 're-discovered' its zoo to some degree. Maybe because it was so central in the town, and was so much earlier than most of the other local zoos? This year there have been displays of material and anecdotes at the town museum.
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I looked eagerly at the video for any sign of the young pair of Sumatran Orangutans which they may have had around then. Bristol received a pair at that time which I believe came from here( or perhaps it was another similar small zoo but Wellingborough is in my mind.) Named (or renamed) Henry and Anne, they were the grandparents of Emma and Subis, the current breeding females at Chester. If anyone can provide a photo or other evidence it was indeed Wellingborough where they came from, I would be very interested.
 
Pertinax said:
I looked eagerly at the video for any sign of the young pair of Sumatran Orangutans which they may have had around then. Bristol received a pair at that time which I believe came from here( or perhaps it was another similar small zoo but Wellingborough is in my mind.) Named (or renamed) Henry and Anne, they were the grandparents of Emma and Subis, the current breeding females at Chester. If anyone can provide a photo or other evidence it was indeed Wellingborough where they came from, I would be very interested.
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About what age were Henry and Anne when they arrived at Chester, and when, as that may give a clue on where these Orangs came from? There are no Orang utans in either of the two Thorney guidebooks I have seen. According to press cuttings in the "Evening Telegraph" offices that Clinton Keeling saw when writing "Where the Crane Danced" there "had been a young Orang utan in 1960" and "another Orang (a replacement?) the following year".
 
I am sure that Thorney did not have Orangs - primate wise, I can only remember macaques. Stock was 'circus type' as would be expected from Roberts involvement. Common paddock spp, bears, giraffe, a single young (chained) elephant etc.
I was only a child when we visited Wellingborough. The entrance was down an alley from the main town, which opened up into pretty gardens. I remember polar bears in a round cage with a pile of white bread loaves, and buying a plastic Britains American Bison from the gift 'shop', which was a window next to the pay box. That's all, sorry :( (still have the Bison...) They could well have had apes; as a child I would not have been interested.
 
zooboy said:
About what age were Henry and Anne when they arrived at Chester, and when, as that may give a clue on where these Orangs came from? There are no Orang utans in either of the two Thorney guidebooks I have seen. According to press cuttings in the "Evening Telegraph" offices that Clinton Keeling saw when writing "Where the Crane Danced" there "had been a young Orang utan in 1960" and "another Orang (a replacement?) the following year".
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Slight misunderstanding here, I was referring to Wellingborough not Thorney, as that was where the video is from. The young Orangutan pair went to Bristol (not Chester) as it was their son(Oscar) who later went to Chester. I checked the studbook, they arrived at Bristol on 17.12.64. It lists 'Welinboro' as source for the female but I suspect it should be for both as their arrival date in Bristol was the same. No other details though.
 
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Andrew Swales said:
I am sure that Thorney did not have Orangs - primate wise, I can only remember macaques. Stock was 'circus type' as would be expected from Roberts involvement. Common paddock spp, bears, giraffe, a single young (chained) elephant etc.
I was only a child when we visited Wellingborough. The entrance was down an alley from the main town, which opened up into pretty gardens. I remember polar bears in a round cage with a pile of white bread loaves, and buying a plastic Britains American Bison from the gift 'shop', which was a window next to the pay box. That's all, sorry :( (still have the Bison...) They could well have had apes; as a child I would not have been interested.
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Again, it was the Wellingborough video I was referring to. It does very briefly show a chimp. I used to have a postcard of the Wellingborough Zoo entrance- seemed to be off a town street?
 
Pertinax said:
Again, it was the Wellingborough video I was referring to. It does very briefly show a chimp. I used to have a postcard of the Wellingborough Zoo entrance- seemed to be off a town street?
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Yes - the Wellingborough Zoo entrance is still signed today, I think.
Twycross (Molly B) was actively involved in the 'rescue' and translocation of the Wellingborough animals when it ended, so presumably there must have been apes/Chimps involved.

Part of the Thorney Wildlife Park site can be seen from the Eye/Thorney main road,with the shapes of the old bear cages showing on the wall to the Abbey gardens. The park site is now a private garden and some signs of the enclosures remain.
 
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There were at least 2 chimps that I have found reference to, Charlie who took part in tea party's and Boo-Boo who used to smoke a pipe.
Andrew Swales said:
Twycross (Molly B) was actively involved in the 'rescue' and translocation of the Wellingborough animals when it ended, so presumably there must have been apes/Chimps involved.
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Andrew Swales said:
Thorney village is on the A47 a few miles east of Peterborough and nearer to the city than to Wisbech, so this is one of my 'locals'... The Wildlife Park was set in the grounds of Thorney Abbey, a very pleasant site, and the wall which formed the backs of the old bear and big cat cages can still be seen across the meadows from the main road. Much of the site is visible on 'Google Earth'.

I was taken by my parents on only one occasion that I can remember, so they must have not rated it enough for a second visit. We were regulars at Peakirk, Stagsden, Norfolk, Cromer etc.

Many of the animals at Thorney were sourced from Roberts Brothers Circus which had its winter quarters at Polebrook (halfway between us and Oundle) where the Roberts had a farm, where Elephants and Llamas could be seen grazing in the fields. This was the era of circus families opening wildlife parks...

My memories of Thorney are of a single Giraffe, a single young (chained) Elephant and lots of Bears; Asiatics, Brown and Polar.

It was average for its day, not really bad like Wellingborough or Cromer, probably better than Colchester - and did fairly well.

Years later, I was told by 'Kitty' Roberts that the family pulled the plug because they lived remotely at Polebrook, too far away to be in direct control by being on site all the time, and could not control the pilfering of cash by employees at the Park.

I have guide-books, posters and some merchandise in storage.
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Andrew Swales said:
Thorney village is on the A47 a few miles east of Peterborough and nearer to the city than to Wisbech, so this is one of my 'locals'... The Wildlife Park was set in the grounds of Thorney Abbey, a very pleasant site, and the wall which formed the backs of the old bear and big cat cages can still be seen across the meadows from the main road. Much of the site is visible on 'Google Earth'.

I was taken by my parents on only one occasion that I can remember, so they must have not rated it enough for a second visit. We were regulars at Peakirk, Stagsden, Norfolk, Cromer etc.

Many of the animals at Thorney were sourced from Roberts Brothers Circus which had its winter quarters at Polebrook (halfway between us and Oundle) where the Roberts had a farm, where Elephants and Llamas could be seen grazing in the fields. This was the era of circus families opening wildlife parks...

My memories of Thorney are of a single Giraffe, a single young (chained) Elephant and lots of Bears; Asiatics, Brown and Polar.

It was average for its day, not really bad like Wellingborough or Cromer, probably better than Colchester - and did fairly well.

Years later, I was told by 'Kitty' Roberts that the family pulled the plug because they lived remotely at Polebrook, too far away to be in direct control by being on site all the time, and could not control the pilfering of cash by employees at the Park.

I have guide-books, posters and some merchandise in storage.
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Hhi can you please put the link to the old thorney site on google maps please thanks
 
wibbs said:
Hhi can you please put the link to the old thorney site on google maps please thanks
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Sorry, adding links never seems to work for me.
But - if you Google 'Thorney Cambridgeshire' and go onto 'maps'.
Zoom into the town. The road B1167 'The Causeway' was the main road before the bypass was built.
The wildlife park occupied the area of parkland (grass and trees) triangled between the B1167 and the B1040. Pools, foundations, walls can still be seen - I've just checked. Thorney Abbey lies to one side of the B1040, the wildlife park on the other side. The park entrance was off this road.
Hope this helps.
I think a Google search will take you to a page posted by the current owners of the site.
 
Andrew Swales said:
Sorry, adding links never seems to work for me.
But - if you Google 'Thorney Cambridgeshire' and go onto 'maps'.
Zoom into the town. The road B1167 'The Causeway' was the main road before the bypass was built.
The wildlife park occupied the area of parkland (grass and trees) triangled between the B1167 and the B1040. Pools, foundations, walls can still be seen - I've just checked. Thorney Abbey lies to one side of the B1040, the wildlife park on the other side. The park entrance was off this road.
Hope this helps.
I think a Google search will take you to a page posted by the current owners of the site.
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thank you
 
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