...I'll be using this to ask other members for help occasionally, (rather than starting a new one for questions each time) and I'm currently writing a brief account at how many Elephants 1) were at FPZ, 2) their names, 3) whether African or Asian and 4) when there were there. I've looked up various threads, but admit to getting confused. Is there anyone kind enough to fill in the gaps? Many thanks! Sheba (early 60's) Jangolie Suzie Twiggy 1969 ? Many thanks!
There's also a website called "Elephant database" (type elephant database into google to find, first link) which seems very extensive (includes details of animals kept by Wombwells!) though I'm not knowledgable enough to comment on its accuracy.
Its under 'Malton Flamingo Land'. Susie and Jangolie were the two long-term Asian residents. Susie arrived in 1947 and died in 1992, Jangolie arrived in 1971 but went to Chester not long after Susie's death, in 1994. The database suggests Dudley's Flossie, an African elephant, was present at Flamingoland from 1967 to 1972 (before going to Dudley). It also says Flossie has died since being transferred to Planet Sauvage in France. It mentions a fourth elephant, and Asian cow called Franka, who arrived in 1970 and left for Kiev zoo in 1972. If the database is correct, it would suggest that Flamingoland made several attempts to find a compatible companion for Susie, until Jangolie arrived in 1971. I imagine Flossie went to Dudley as the two zoos were linked at the time by the Scotia Holdings. The database doesn't mention Twiggy, who was reportedly at Flamingoland for a year in 1968 before going to Cricket St. Thomas, the first elephant held there. Twiggy lives in Beograd Zoo in Serbia today.
Cheers for that, I was looking under 'Flamingo Park' so no wonder I didn't see anything. lol Thank you so much for taking the time to tell me about the Elephants.. much appreciated! btw.. I have an old Newspaper cutting on my website, showing an elephant called Fred helping them move some girders for the building of Ocean Word in 1966. You can see the cutting here
Just wanted to add that the database is probably correct . Also other than the the elephants mentioned in the database Flamingoland had kept loads of elephants over the years , in the 60s they were a dealer place too so many elephants were kept there , plus previous owners i think the don robinson group use to own and run other collections so many elephants would be moved between the collections . Trying to find all the elephants that have been at Flamingoland over the years is probably a hard task . .
What about the first animal to arrive at the zoo? See: Flamingo Park Zoo History - Flamingo Park Zoo & Flamingo Land The first animal to arrive at the Zoo was a baby elephant. It came in a van, which had banners covering it's sides, announcing a Zoo was coming to Yorkshire. Francis Hick named her Dumbo. and Dumbo, an 18 month old baby Elelephant from Burma, was allowed to roam the lawn in front of the Hall to greet the visitors. and Flamingo Park Zoo & Flamingo Land And what about an elephant called Fred? See Flamingo Park Zoo & Flamingo Land By the way, I'm a bit confused! Did Susie arrive in 1947? Wasn't the park founded in 1961?
Yes, as stated on my website, Dumbo was the first animal to arrive at the Zoo and was the same Dumbo that appeared at the opening of the Zoo in 1961. Fred was probably the Freddie mentioned in the list Rob gave me. Not sure about Susie arriving in 1947 as the Zoo wasn't founded back then.... !
Susie arrived from Dudley on 21st October 1971 not long before Flossie moved in the opposite direction on 18th January 1972. Regarding the first animal to arrive at Flamingo Park, the late Clinton keeling who was engaged by Pentland Hick to establish the place told me this was not an Elephant at all. He said he obtained the first animals and he had a photograph of them being unloaded. There was definitely an overweight Rhesus Monkey among them. His book "The Ashover Zoological Garden: The True Story" describes his time at what was to become Flamingo Park and mentions the other species he had obtained in the early days.
So Jangoli that I'm so familiar with at Chester is one and the same as the elephant I saw as a wide-eyed kid at Flamingo Park in the 70's?? wow That's superb. Small world
Andrew - Do you have the book "The Ashover Zoological Garden: The True Story" ? and if you do, is it possible you can scan the part that's about FPZ for me?
Bubbles, Yes I do have the book, and I have the Flamingo Park bit photocopied in my Flamingo Park/Land history file. I'm afraid as with my photographs I'm going to have to learn how to scan things first!
Flamingo Park Zoo elephants 1969-70 I am not too accurate about the year, I think I was 13, so 1970, or perhaps a little earlier. I had a weekend job at the elephant house, FPZ. It would be forbidden now of course as too dangerous, but in those days I got to muck-out, feed, scrub, handle and occasionally ride the elephants. I think I was paid (sometimes) five shillings (25 pence) for my labours across Saturday and Sunday. The elephants at that time were: Asian male "Hannibal", or "Hannibull" as it was written on the information sign for the public; Asian female "Irma", and young African "Tembo" -- I forget the sex of the African. There is no doubt about the accuracy of this information--I was there, and I can still smell the smell! Hannibal was a bad-tempered beast, with his left tusk about a foot or 18 inches long, and the other snapped off high up in the socket. Irma was more reliable, and of course the African was young and quite small, so therefore manageable. African elephants had the reputation at the time of being untameable, and I don't know if that is still regarded as being the case.
That's very interesting. Of course Hannibal had been at St. Asaph, one of the APP collections (originally Llannerch Deer Park). I'm going to Flamingo Land tomorrow for the 50th anniversary of the opening day and I'll be remembering the good old days.
