Whipsnade Zoo

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  • Sir Peter Chalmers Mitchell (ZSL Secretary 1903-1935) was inspired by a visit to the Bronx Zoological Park to create a park in Britain as a conservation centre. Hall Farm, a derelict farm on the Dunstable Downs, 30 miles (48 km) to the north of London was purchased by the Zoological Society of London in 1926 for £13,480 12s 10d, The site was fenced, roads built and trees planted. The first animals arrived at the park in 1928, including two Lady Amherst's pheasants, a golden pheasant and five red junglefowl. Others soon followed, including muntjac, llama, wombats and skunks. Whipsnade Park Zoo opened on Sunday 23 May 1931. It was the first open zoo in Europe to be easily accessible to the visiting public. The collection of animals was boosted in 1932 by the purchase of a collection from a defunct travelling menagerie and some of the larger animals walked to the zoo from Dunstable station. During the Second World War, the zoo acted as a refuge for animals evacuated from London Zoo. During 1940, 41 bombs fell on the park with little damage to the zoo structure. Some of the ponds in the park are the remains of bomb craters from this period.

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      Whipsnade Zoo

      Whipsnade Zoo

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      Whipsnade Zoo

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        Whipsnade Zoo

          280 Archival description results for Whipsnade Zoo

          279 results directly related Exclude narrower terms
          Humphrey Talbot Avenue
          WHI/3/14 · File · 1946-1968
          Part of ZSL Whipsnade Zoo

          Papers regarding Humphrey Talbot Avenue, named after Humphrey John Talbot, Trustee of Ashridge Estate, who helped secure the land for Whipsnade Zoo
          High Commissioner of South Africa
          SUP/6/1/1/50 · File · 1949
          Part of Superintendents

          Correspondence between the High Commissioner of South Africa and George Soper Cansdale regarding a request for specimens of the big horned Afrikander humped cattle to establish a herd at Whipsnade
          George Ewer & Co. Ltd
          SUP/5/1/2/107 · File · 1946
          Part of Superintendents

          Correspondence between George Ewer & Co. Ltd and Geoffrey Marr Vevers regarding a coach to transport staff from the Zoological Society of London to Whipsnade Zoo
          Further War Emergency Measures
          WAR/1/19 · Item · 29 May 1940
          Part of Second world war

          Further war emergency measures for London Zoo due to diminished attendance, closure of the Gardens, and evacuation of clerical staff to Whipsnade