
I taught school not far from there and would pass his cage everyday on my way to work. Sam was a famous resident of the Maineville/Loveland area. Sign up to the MEN email newsletters to get the latest on sport, news, what's on and more by following this link. He lived at the 'Whistle Stop Inn' under the bridge at Fosters, where it crosses the Little Miami River. Join our Greater Manchester history, memories and people Facebook group here. Which photo of Chester Zoo is your favourite? You can now comment below each individual photo, or let us know in the comments section below.įor beautiful, historic images from the past have a look at .uk/ and see what you can discover He carried on smoking till he died aged 52. We certainly wouldn't see most of the below when wandering around the attraction these days. Charlie the chimp started smoking when some visitors to Mangaung zoo, in Bloemfontein, threw him lit cigarettes. We've delved through the archives and found some fascinating photos that show what life was like at Chester Zoo between the 1930s and 1980s. Many animals, members of staff and visitors have passed through the zoo's gates over the last nine decades.
#Smoking chimpanzee series
Manchester's lost railway stations and what they becameĬhannel 4 has had great success with its documentary series The Secret Life of the Zoo which first aired in 2014 and follows the dedicated keepers and loveable animals at Chester Zoo. Manchester's abandoned and 'historic' hippodrome 'crying out to be restored'

The zoo has been the topic of a few television shows over the years, including the Granada documentary series Zoo Days in 2007 and the BBC drama Our Zoo in 2014 which told the Mottershead family's story. A Russian chimpanzee named Zhora was treated for alcohol and nicotine addiction in 2010, after visitors to his zoo refused to stop tossing cigarettes and booze into his enclosure. Mottershead went on to collect animals for several years, and as seen in the photos below, his family and animals helped him to make his dream a reality.Ĭhester Zoo has since gone on to become one of the North West's most popular attractions. George Mottershead opened Chester Zoo in 1931 after apparently being inspired following a trip to Belle Vue Zoo in Manchester when he was a boy. From Joe the smoking chimpanzee to an elephant snatching a woman's handbag, these fascinating photos capture life in Chester Zoo over the years.
