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Chester Zoo June Williams (née Mottershead): 1926-2015

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by TeaLovingDave, 1 May 2015.

  1. Panthera1981

    Panthera1981 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Intriguing. Can anyone elaborate upon this?
     
  2. SMR

    SMR Well-Known Member

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    This is an oversimplification. Certain key members of staff at the zoo have been and remain great friends of the Mottershead family (many senior people owe them their jobs) whereas the typically commercial "here-today gone-tomorrow" staff have never really had any respect for the zoo's history or the people who founded it.
     
  3. OurZooFan

    OurZooFan Member

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    RIP June

    I recently found a drinks coaster with Chester Zoo 1934 -1984 on it, the implication being that was when the zoo began. Chester Zoo celebrated 50 years as the North of England Zoological Society in 1984. I felt at that time, the incredible struggle to open the zoo and keep it open by June's family in the early 30s, had been ignored. I'm sure that must have saddened June. Also worryingly, around the same time, I can remember zoo land which her late father had purchased as a buffer for the zoo was being sold. The zoo's moto had been 'Always building' and the zoo had always been able to grow. I'm sure this would have also been a concern for her. This was when Fred retired and they moved to Anglesey.

    December 1930 was when, June's family, the Mottershead family,had moved into the Oakfield with plans to open a 'zoo without bars.' Unfortunately due to opposition, they had to fight a costly battle in court to enable the zoo to open and wait until June 1931. The family had very little money coming in during those first few years. Even when the zoo opened, life was not made easy, with many people still opposed to the zoo. They were not even allowed to advertise the zoo by putting a sign on the road at the entrance.

    June said her father, mother, grandparents and older sister, Muriel (Mew), all had to work incredibly hard and it had been a real struggle for them to get the zoo established.

    Chester Zoo in later years began to show more interest in its early history and opened June's Pavilion to thank June for the role she played. When a display went up by the aquarium, (which June and her husband Fred had built), several years ago, about the zoo's early history, a TV producer saw it and the BBC drama series 'Our Zoo' was made.

    Hopefully, June will RIP knowing now that millions have been made aware of her family's early struggle to open Chester Zoo.


    I'm also pleased Chester Zoo continues to be innovative and is focusing on the conservation of endangered species with developments such as Islands. Indonesia, it mentions in June's book is somewhere, her and her husband would visit and 'backpack' around in their 80s as their daughter was teaching out there. I'm sad they will not get to see it open.