George mottershead biography
George Mottershead
George Mottershead OBE | |
|---|---|
| Born | George Saul Mottershead ()12 June Sale Moor, Manchester, England |
| Died | 5 May () (aged&#;83) Cheshire, England |
| Occupations |
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| Known&#;for | Chester Zoo |
| Spouse | Elizabeth Atkinson &#; &#; (m.&#;; died&#;)&#; |
| Children | 2 |
George Saul MottersheadOBE (12 June – 5 May ) was the founder of Chester Zoo.
Early life
Mottershead was born in Sale Moor, Manchester. His father Albert Mottershead was a botanist and nurseryman. He had two brothers Stanley Saul and Charles Saul, a sister Norah and a half-brother Albert.
Mottershead was taken to Belle Vue Zoological Gardens in Manchester in as a childhood treat.
George mottershead biography death The Coffee House 'super excited' to open new Ellesmere Port store. Cheshire Constabulary. Read Edit View history. George Mottershead.He disliked seeing the animals confined in cages, and was determined to create a zoo without bars. As a youth, he experimented with aviaries, and tanks and runs for pet lizards and snakes. He left home aged 16 to become a fitness instructor.
First World War
After the outbreak of the First World War, George Mottershead joined the South Lancashire Regiment.
George mottershead biography wikipedia Today, 80 years since the first goats arrived, Chester Zoo is flourishing. Image source, Getty Images. But the plans for the zoo were met with some opposition, with the locals "horrified" about the prospect of animals escaping and rampaging through the neighbourhood. None more so than Christy, a lion cub June hand reared until her father exchanged her for a polar bear, leaving June heartbroken.At least two of his brothers joined the Manchester Regiment, and they all served on the Western Front in France. While on leave, Mottershead married Elizabeth Atkinson at St Mary Magdalen Church, Ashton-on-Mersey, in They had two daughters, Muriel (born ) and June (born ).
In October , at the Battle of the Somme, Mottershead suffered a bullet wound to his neck, injuring his spine.
He was initially paralysed, and recuperated at Highfield Military Hospital in Knotty Ash. Contrary to the expected medical prognosis he eventually recovered the ability to walk (with a limp) after three years in a wheelchair.
His brothers, Albert and Stanley Mottershead, were killed in the war. Lance Corporal Albert Mottershead was killed in October and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial; Private Stanley Mottershead died in December and is buried at Douchy-lès-Ayette war cemetery.
George mottershead biography youtube The family also acquired an elephant called Molly, whose travelling circus had been stranded in England when war was declared. Toby Carvery gets green light for Chester restaurant development. Today, 80 years since the first goats arrived, Chester Zoo is flourishing. In other projects.Both are also commemorated on the war memorial at St Anne's Church, Sale Moor and the Sale war memorial.[1]
His brother Charles served with the Royal Flying Corps's School of Technical Training.
Chester Zoo
With his parents and young family, Mottershead moved to Shavington in the s, and operated a successful market garden and florist, later selling pet birds.
He started to show his stock of birds and his private collection of animals to the paying public.
The Mottershead family moved to the Oakfield Estate in Upton-by-Chester in December , paying £3, for a 9 acres (&#;ha) site including Oakfield Manor, built around for Benjamin Chafers Roberts and now a Grade II listed building.
George mottershead biography Through all the trials and setbacks, Mottershead's creativity and determination kept the zoo going. Story Saved. June thinks it's a fitting legacy for her father. Leighton Hospital's major rebuild plans are 'not slowing down', boss says.They acquired two Himalayan black bears from a wildlife park in Matlock, and added monkeys, chimpanzees, birds, and reptiles. The local residents were concerned about the potential dangers of escaped animals, but, after a public inquiry, the Ministry of Health granted permission to open the zoo in April , and Chester Zoo opened to the public on 10 June Mottershead founded the "North of England Zoological Society" in The zoo continued through the Second World War, accepting its first pair of elephants from a circus in
Recognition
Mottershead was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the New Year Honours.[2] He was also awarded an honorary degree of Master of Science, and served as president of the International Union of Directors of Zoological Gardens (now the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums).
After his death, his ashes were scattered on the zoo memorial garden dedicated to his wife Elizabeth who died in The garden is now the Chinese garden at the zoo.
The story of George Mottershead's founding of Chester Zoo is the subject of a BBC television drama serial, Our Zoo. Mottershead is portrayed by Lee Ingleby.
Notes
References
- Obituary, The Times, 9 May , page 21
- George Mottershead, Chester Zoo
- The History of Chester Zoo, Chester Zoo
- Pioneer George barred the bars from Chester Zoo, Manchester Evening News, 15 June
- Revealed - the Sale roots of the founder of Chester Zoo, York Press, 10 June
- Chester Zoo founder George Saul Mottershead grew up in Sale, Messenger Newspapers10 June