Chessington Zoo - The Disappearing Zoo

This logo was a familiar sight for years, on anything and everything to do with Chessington Zoo, including the entrance gates

The Zoo entrance in 1960s, including the large turnstile which made sure you couldn't get back in once you left

A familiar sight during my childhood was a horse-drawn vintage bus which parked outside Chessington South Station waiting for visitors to the zoo to come off the trains. It would then take them in style the short journey to the zoo

Many people have happy memories of a ride on the "Bumps-A-Daisy" a large lumbering vehicle with uneven axles that used to be driven round the zoo with about twenty visitors aboard enjoying the ride

And the Stephenson's Rocket was always a popular miniature train ride with the track snaking round the highest parts of the zoo, giving views out over Epsom and to London. In later years the carriages were adapted with closed-in sides, presumably for safety, but up until at least the 1960s it had wrought iron seats similar to park benches - it was even possible to dangle a foot out of the seat and drag it along the ground during the journey

A colleague once used the excuse for being late for work that an escaped hyaena had run across the Leatherhead Road in front of her and caused her to crash her car. I doubt there was any truth in the story but it always amused me that Chessington was one of the few places where an excuse like that would be considered plausible

I also wondered if the staff at the Unemployment Office believed people who said their occupation had been "giraffe keeper" or "bear keeper" but again these were legitimate Chessington professions

"Old friends - sat on their park bench like bookends"

Most Chessington people have been asked "do you live in the monkey cage" when they give their address - after spending many years saying that there is a lot more to Chessington than a zoo, this web-site is a reminder that it has actually had a big influence on the area. Many local people had grown to love many of the animals and now miss those that are no longer here. Do you remember Billy the Lion, Rang & Renee the Kangaroos, Bella the Elephant, Lomie the Lowland Gorilla, Happy the Giraffe or Happy the Pelican, Porgy & Bess the polar bears, Ankole the male Bison, Smog the zebra, Boris the great dane, Sarah the tiger cub, or Candy the baby elephant?

Hopefully these photos will bring back memories for someone

The gorilla had been encouraged over the years to mis-behave by throwing things at people who laughed at him - he was actually a gentle creature who would love to trace patterns made on the glass, matching visitors' finger movements with his own, if they took the time to stay with him. More often, he would run up to the glass and bang his elbows against it, in response to anyone laughing at him - the reinforcements around the glass showing his strength. This may have been Lomie who was at the zoo during the 1970s.

During the war a bomb fell on the gate-house, causing no casualties except for scorching of the polar bear's fur. Sadly other bombs did result in human casualties.

Although most of the animals were evacuated, the Zoo still attracted visitors for the little train and the bumpy slides. These had a box on top, presumably to keep anyone from falling out as they were so high, situated on the hill they could be seen from the Leatherhead Road. A bump in the slide halfway down added an extra dimension to the ride and although a simple adaptation of a normal slide they were very popular, and most adults remember the fun they had on them when they were young.

Apart from the danger to the animals during the war, it doesn't bear thinking about what may have happened had they not been evacuated, if their cages had been bomb-damaged. Can you imagine Billy the Lion or some of the Tigers running around Chessington?

Billy the Lion - the left hand photo is from 1938

One of Chessington's Tigers

Do you remember Sweetie the Indian leopard?

Many visitors remember the "Guiness Clock" a large clock featuring mechanical birds such as pelicans and toucans, which started up when the clock chimed. There was a similar one in Battersea Pleasure Gardens. For more information about Guiness clocks and to view a short film of the Chessington clock, click here

One of the Zebra in 1961

Rang and Renee the Australian Brown Kangaroos and Rajah the Performing Pony

Chessington's Brown Bears, early 1980s

Visitors to the Zoo could have their photo taken, which was also popular as it was difficult for the average person to get hold of photographic film during the War

Pets Corner was always a popular draw for children - shown here in 1952

One star of Pets Corner in the 1980s was Cocky the Cockatiel - who devised a very neat trick to make sure he always had visitors crowding round and giving him attention. He would speak - but only as visitors walked away. They could spend ages in front of his cage saying "Pretty Polly" but he would remain silent. Then, just as they gave up and walked away, he would shout "Hello Cocky!" They would rush back saying Hello Cocky endlessly to persuade him to repeat it, but they would be met with smug silence, Then they'd give up and walk away, to be given a farewell shout of "Hello Cocky!". He always made sure the visitors kept him entertained.

The mice lived in little model village type houses in a glass stand in the centre of Pets Corner and enjoyed burrowing through the large loaves of bread they were given

The tortoises had a large outdoor enclosure but when it got cold they crowded indoors under heat lamps, piling on top of each other. I think there were about 50 of them, it was common for people who had pet tortoises they could no longer look after to ask the zoo if they could care for them

The boating lake and the lakes with water birds such as penguins, pelicans and flamingoes were less popluar areas than the crowd-pulling lion and tiger enclosures but still ensured an interesting walk around the zoo

This was Happy the Pelican

 

Feeding time for the sealions always attracted a crowd, and the roars of anticipation (from the seals and sealions, not the crowd!) could be heard all over Chessington

Feeding the sealions in 1959 - can you spot yourself in the crowd?

One seal craved human company and would sit at the keepers feet while they threw fish to the other seals and sealions, being more interested in a cuddle than a herring

The model village was also popular with children - although not so popular with the staff who had to stay indoors renovating and painting it during the winter months!

A trip to the zoo always seem to last longer if you had spent a shilling (5p) on a programme to look back on during the train trip home. Advertisers in the programmes from the 70s included

Lyons Maid (ice cream) ~Pepsi ~ Guinness ~ Ilford (films) ~ Smith's Crisps ~

Clayton Gina (sparkling orange) ~ British Railways ~ Friary Meux (beer)

Please use your "Back" button to leave the cage (sorry, I couldn't resist it)