Chester Zoo is at Upton just outside Chester, in Cheshire .It was opened in 1931 by George Mottershead in what was a village outside Chester but is now part of that old Roman city.
George had a passion for animals from his childhood and despite being injured in World War 1 he was determined to start his own zoo. Initially the villagers of Upton were opposed to the venture until they saw some of the animals. George wanted to build a zoo that was different from others at the time. He didn't want cages for the animals; he wanted moats and ditches to separate the animals from the public and wanted large open areas for them to feel freer than animals were in other zoos.
In 1986, in line with British laws some animals had to be enclosed by fences.
The zoo has undergone major improvements and is now a centre of excellence in animal conservation.
I went there today with my family as a birthday treat for my husband and grandson. This just goes to show that there is something at Chester Zoo for all ages.
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Comments
Frank, why change the habits of a lifetime ? :)
I have never thrown coins into water, because, as you know, I like to hang on to the pennies.
That is very interesting and thank you for the comment. I am glad it went to charities,
I also do not subscribe to superstition. Money was very hard come by during my childhood and we wouldn't have thrown it into a well ! It was for food, heat and social housing rent.
Nice images as usual.
As for coin tossing, I recently read the last time parts of Niagara Falls were blocked and drained for construction quite a large sum of money was recovered and given to charities. The plan is to again do work there, and I expect the same. Even in fountains in shopping centers there can be seen change. And it is probably based in superstition, which I do not ascribe to.
There was a drama serial recently on BBC about the Mottersheads and the building of the Zoo at Chester. IT was fascinating.
I don't know if the money is collected. I assume it is and I do so hope it is given to charity thereby giving it a useful purpose. There is always money in ponds at Attractions and I do think it is a harking back to old Celtic British beliefs. There was no notice by the ponds to say that the money is given to charity. People in Britain throw coins in the ponds for some reason.
Veronica, The animals look healthy, the sky looks very blue (not at all like the way winter skies have been of late), and the surroundings look appropriate, clean, and supportive to wildlife. It's a beautiful idea, and it's wonderful that, years after George Mottershead took a giant step for wildlife-kind, people still appreciate the concept.
Is the money never collected from the wells? I know of similar sites in North America where there's regular clearing of the coins by the owner-operators.
That's a lovely idea.
Yes ty. It is a lovely zoo and the animals do look well cared for there.
I've seen these wells in many places. The story I know is that you throw a coin with the wish to come back :)
Nice zoo, btw.
Yes I firmly believe that this is from where it originates, even thousands of years later . I know where it is from.
My point is ...Why ? As so called sophisticated and level headed as we are ... and it is a time of terrible financial strain in the UK, people still chuck coins into water. Our family was very poor in my childhood, and I know we wouldn't have done. And still don't.
In the section "Just Why?" you ask the origin of throwing coins into the well. The custom of throwing valuable objects into lakes or bogs seemed to have originated in the Bronze Age,so there are many valuable objects that are found in lacustrine and palustrine deposits. The custom is found in legend. Think of Bedevere's throwing Excalibur back into the lake after Arthur died. The Lady of the Lake who took it back is the Great Goddess.This is a far cry from our wishing well, but the wishing well is a descendant of a more ancient practice.