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United Kingdom Hotham Park Zoo, Bognor Regis

Discussion in 'Zoo History' started by sooty mangabey, 15 Feb 2009.

  1. TNT

    TNT Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Last edited: 11 Mar 2019
  2. Pacu

    Pacu Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Very nice.
     
  3. Bognormagic

    Bognormagic New Member

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    Hi Everyone,
    I am new to this forum but I have some interesting information regarding Hotham Park.
    Whilst visiting the park 2 years ago with my son, I was walking past the clock tower and the house and could hear raised voices coming from the side of the house which was being converted into flats I believe. I peered through the bamboo screening and saw a man appear from the basement area with a very large cat which was wearing a harness with rope attached. The man drove a stake at the end of the rope into the ground allowing the cat to roam in a circle. The cat looked to be a wildcat (it was too big to be domestic and the markings were different). Above the basement stairs was an overhang and on top of this was some very large scats again too big for domestic animals. The man was shouting at fellow workman to clean up the mess, at this point another man appeared next to me and asked very abruptly what I was doing and that I should not be here. At this point I removed myself from the area and left the park.
    [​IMG]
    The above image is the area I am talking about with the stairs to the left in the picture. I know this sounds strange but it was true, I have only just discovered this forum and thread so am sharing this with everyone.
     
    Last edited: 17 Mar 2019
  4. Pacu

    Pacu Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    The House has been converted into flats since the 1970s and has been occupied by a variety of flat owners since. The work being done a couple of years ago was just maintenance. The garden you have photographed is a private shared garden and the residents get fed up with people peering in, which is probably why you were not welcomed.. One or other of the flats comes up for sale every now and then and plenty of people visit etc. so enticing though it is, it is pretty unlikely that anyone living there has a wildcat. Best guess would be a workman with a bengal or bengal cross. There are a number of breeders who advertise in this area.



     
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  5. hothamfan

    hothamfan Well-Known Member

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    This film is magnificent, I understand there is more...

    Detail 4002 – Screen Archive South East


    Not yet made available....

    1)
    Title ID 6402
    Collection ID 855
    Title: [Hotham Park Country Fair]

    2)
    Title ID 3143
    Collection ID29
    TitleHoliday at Bognor Regis

    3) Title ID 4001
    Collection ID116
    TitleThe Tramp: Lonely Race Towards and Early Grave
    Date1974
     
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  6. sooty mangabey

    sooty mangabey Well-Known Member

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    Magnificent indeed! Many thanks for posting. Only the most tenuous of zoo connections, sadly, but a great film - this is my childhood here! I can’t believe how crowded the beach was....
     
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  7. Pacu

    Pacu Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    This one may be of more interest; some much loved favourites here and, the only image I have of a Bognor zebra. Detail 5336 – Screen Archive South East
     
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