UK Dolphinaria Web Site

[John Dineley]

This is basically a stand alone posting regrading the web site I started to published some six months or so. It continues to grow and develop with the introduction of Lightbox onto the site so that photos and scans of guide books and press cutting should be easier to view. I am particular interested in any information or photographs that could be use on the site regarding UK dolphinaria:

UK Dolphinaria

 

[Meaghan Edwards]

Very interesting site! Thanks for sharing.

 

[sealion]

This is basically a stand alone posting regrading the web site I started to published some six months or so. It continues to grow and develop with the introduction of Lightbox onto the site so that photos and scans of guide books and press cutting should be easier to view. I am particular interested in any information or photographs that could be use on the site regarding UK dolphinaria:

UK Dolphinaria

Hello, guess who! It's me again...
I've found some pictures of the coventry dolphins-thought i'd share seeing as i've used your site to help me sort mine out (i'm currently moving it to a different free website provider so it's kind of in a mess at the moment, but that's beside the point...)

[ame="http://www.flickr.com/photos/coventrytelegraph/3416997841/"]zoodolphinnero.jpg on Flickr - Photo Sharing![/ame]

I don't know what the copyright situation is, they appear to belong to the local newspaper. Nice shots though. Have you been able to find any more of your old photos and things?

Edit: for anyone who's interested in seeing either of my websites, which is a bit more word-y with regards to dolphinarium information see:
The History of British Dolphinaria - Home or The History of Defunct Marine Mammal Parks - Home the first one is still incomplete as i'm still in the process of transferring info etc. (Bear in midn that anything on John's website will likely be more accurate than what's on mine! I never got the chance to visit any of the British Dolphinaria.. )

 

[John Dineley]

Hello, guess who! It's me again...
I've found some pictures of the coventry dolphins-thought i'd share seeing as i've used your site to help me sort mine out (i'm currently moving it to a different free website provider so it's kind of in a mess at the moment, but that's beside the point...)

Well done sealion.

The photos are of trainer Francis Rendall and the trainer holding the hoop is Jon Kershaw - now a director of Marineland in France.

Have put a link on my site to the slide show and news article.

Coventry Zoo

Like you I tend to keep adding stuff as I find it.

 

[BadWolf09]

Thank you! Wonderful site

 

[sealion]

Well done sealion.

The photos are of trainer Francis Rendall and the trainer holding the hoop is Jon Kershaw - now a director of Marineland in France.

Have put a link on my site to the slide show and news article.

Coventry Zoo

Like you I tend to keep adding stuff as I find it.

Thanks, yeah it's surprising what stuff you can find with some sneaky googling!
I found some info on the Seaburn place (well only a little, like it's situation etc, (it's on the 2nd site)), but no sign of any photos! From what i've found I gather that it wasn't there for long. More and more dolphinariums seem to appear out of nowhere!

Also, regarding The London Dolphinarium, did they had a stripper-type show? or are people getting confused with royalty follies?- because some sources say that the London Dolphinarium tank is still under a theatre's stage when this is infact the Royalty Follies one so I wasn't sure whether people were getting confused between the two.

 

[John Dineley]

I found some info on the Seaburn place (well only a little, like it's situation etc, (it's on the 2nd site)), but no sign of any photos! From what i've found I gather that it wasn't there for long. More and more dolphinariums seem to appear out of nowhere

I visited Seaburn aka Ocean World in 1973 when Francis Rendell was manager there. I think it only operated for another season after that. Press cutting of the time which relates to a wild porpoise rescue.

It was a partnership between the fun fair operator Collins and John Nolan and his wife who supplied the animals. The Nolan’s were involved with dolphins over a number of years owning a converted swimming pool in South Emsall (Animal Training School) which was a holding area for dolphins and at least one season running the Flamingoland pool with their own animals after the departure of Don Robinson. Up until 1993, when the last dolphins arrived at Flamingoland, there were seasons of different people (or no people and no shows) operating the dolphin pool after Scotia Investments sold the park. Need to check the dates on that.

Also, regarding The London Dolphinarium, did they had a stripper-type show? or are people getting confused with royalty follies?- because some sources say that the London Dolphinarium tank is still under a theatre's stage when this is in fact the Royalty Follies one so I wasn't sure whether people were getting confused between the two.

No the London Dolphinarium did not do strip-shows with the dolphins. This is confusion with the Royalty Folies show which ran for three months at The Royalty Theatre (now the Peacock Theatre) in Holborn. There is also no truth that a dolphin died at the theatre. Both dolphin left in good health and went to the Far East.

 

[sealion]

I visited Seaburn aka Ocean World in 1973 when Francis Rendell was manager there. I think it only operated for another season after that. Press cutting of the time which relates to a wild porpoise rescue.

Oh wow yeah, and you're even mentioned in it!

It was a partnership between the fun fair operator Collins and John Nolan and his wife who supplied the animals. The Nolan’s were involved with dolphins over a number of years owning a converted swimming pool in South Emsall (Animal Training School) which was a holding area for dolphins and at least one season running the Flamingoland pool with their own animals after the departure of Don Robinson. Up until 1993, when the last dolphins arrived at Flamingoland, there were seasons of different people (or no people and no shows) operating the dolphin pool after Scotia Investments sold the park. Need to check the dates on that.

Oh ok. It didn't sound very permanent, like Battersea and Rhyl, being at a funfair.

No the London Dolphinarium did not do strip-shows with the dolphins. This is confusion with the Royalty Folies show which ran for three months at The Royalty Theatre (now the Peacock Theatre) in Holborn. There is also no truth that a dolphin died at the theatre. Both dolphin left in good health and went to the Far East.

Ah right. The comments did look suspiciously similar! Yeah, I read somewhere that there is no evidence fo the "ghost". Would be great if we could find a photo of the tank under the stage! Doubt anyone would take a photo of it/see it though! (As with the one at Rhyl under the snooker club/bar.)

 

[Bubbles]

Hi everyone!
I like your website John, I found it when researching for my own upcoming website on Flamingo Park Zoo....from visiting the Zoo frequently as a child in the 60's to working there as a Dolphin, Seal and Sealion trainer back in the 70's with the Nolans. I have to smile, because I found a cutting from a local newspaper in which our school careers officer was interviewed and he said, "At one time it used to be hairdressing with girls, but now they seem to want to work with animals. We did fulfil one girl's ambition to be a dolphin trainer!" That girl was ME!"

We may be able to help each other with stuff. I've got a whole lot about FPZ and life at Ocean World, (incl photos and stuff I'm going to scan) and will be putting it all on a website. I've also got my diaries from that time which will help me with dates. I do miss working with the Dolphins, etc, in as much that, back then, dolphinariums were considered the 'norm'. However, I gradually found it upsetting as the conditions a lot of the animals were kept in, were very poor and some were kept in even worse conditions after my bosses left and they took some of the animals with them. You'll be able to see from my photos when I get the website together.
Debbie

 

[John Dineley]

Hi everyone!
I like your website John, I found it when researching for my own upcoming website on Flamingo Park Zoo....

Hello. I look forward to seeing the web site. Mine is a work in progress as I keep adding to it. I have just written a forward on the opening page.

 

[Bubbles]

I've got the website up. It's in the form of a Blog, as that way I can add stuff when I find it. I've just got to add some content! lol I'll post the link when it looks half decent! lol