Guide 26 : 95th Season

Belle Vue Illustrated Official Guide. 3rd edition. 3d. Open daily from 10 a.m. (incl Sun) Advt: For Slack and Cox, Hyde Road, Manchester.

Folding Plan (3rd type) 32.2cm x 24cm. Chart in upper r.h.c.

t-P GUIDE/TO THE/BELLE VUE/ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS/MANCHESTER 95th SEASON - 1931, underlined 3 times in pencil.

DIRECTORS: J.HENRY ILES (Chairman and Managing Director)

Aid.THOMAS BICKERSTAFFE, J.P./H.HAWORTH HARDMAN./WILLIAM BUTLER ILES (General Manager)/EDWARD A. DUTHIE, C.A. (Secretary).

Telephone: East 1131 (four lines). /MANCHESTER:/ Printed and Published by Belle Vue (Manchester) Ltd.// Pencil mss notes in upper r.h.c. in George Jennison's hand 'In this season they had to issue another £45,000 capital Pref a 7 before the 10% also £1,000,000 (a million more 1/- shares To day Dec 13th/31 of the 10% Pref Ord are nearly six months in arrear. GJ.

V.t-p: Photograph, The Main Entrance, Cyril Thomas in lower r.h.c. 12.5cm x 8.3cm

(p.3-61, 62-64) This guide has been re-written.

p.3. Belle Vue Gardens ... established ... June 1836 .... To-day an imposing entrance, with palatial offices and up to date Hotel and Dining Rooms .... replaced old inn, Garden area .... 70 acres .... Zoological Section .... 20 up to date hygienic enclosures, 200 cages p.4. Care of Animals .... Keeper have instructions and authority to remove any person .... annoying .... animals .... Photo: Brown Bear, in page centre, Feeding Times of Animals,

Lions, Leopards and Tigers .... 330 p.m.

Pelicans .... 4-0 p.m.

Chimpanzee Family ............ 5-30 p.m.

... late autumn, winter and spring, feeding times approx. half an hour earlier.

p.5: Suggestions as to most suitable foods. No tobacco. Paper & nuts not to be thrown into ponds. Food for the animals ... obtained at Animal Food Shop, adjoining Elephant House. Photograph of Leopard.

Itinerary: Visitors should visit Houses in Alphabetical order ....

Longsight Entrance, reverse ... refer to plan

p.6. Leopard House. 1-7. 1 Pair of Lion Cubs "Bruce" and "Gwen" Bord January 1930. Purchased March 1930.

p.7. 8-11 Aviary. 12 Photograph of Jack Hylton's band serenading the Parrots. (Details incl.Latin Cognoms, & physical description).

p.8. 12a-33

p.9. 33a-35. Rats, Rabbits, Badgers. Below an advertisement, Evening Chronicle.

p.10 36-43 38 Hyacinth Macaw. Purchased March, 1929. Advt. Gray Dunn's biscuits sold in the Gardens - 2d per packet.

p.11 C-Lion House, 44-46. 44 Lion "Toby" Born 1924. purchased July 1926

35 Lioness "Nellie" Born January 1929.

Purchased June 1929. Photo lower r.h.c. Ernest Collier

46 Lion "Wallace" Africa - Born 1927

Purchased 1929.

p.12 47-49 47 Lion "Simba" Born 1920 Purchased 1929

48 Lioness "Stella" Born 1919 Purchased March 1930.

49 Tiger and Tigress. "Rajah" Born 1921 Purchased July 1925

"Renee" Born 1924 Purchased June, 1929

p.13 50-52 Tiger Cubs "Nippy" and "Crumpet" Born in the Garden September 1930

D Reptile House. 50a and 51. 51 Indian Cobras ... This year a clutch of 18 eggs ... laid March 8th ... young cobras ... born May 12th ....

p.14 Photograph of Interior of Reptile House, lower r.h.c. Cyril Thomas.

p.15 52 to 57 57 Reticulated Python ... over 50 yrs old

Photo: Crocodile Pool. Ernest W Collier, lowe "r.h.c.

p. 16 59-60 59 Grotto Cage. 60 - Blank

E Bear Pits 61 "Max and Lucy" purchased March 1929, aged 7 years.

Photo: Polar Bears, lower r.h.c. Harold Shotton.

p. 17 62 & 63 Photo, Group of Brown Bears, Ernest Colloer in lower r.h.c.

F Elephant House, 6 and 65.

p. 18 66-77

p. 19 78-81 Photo: Hippopotamux. Manchester Guardian, lower r.h.c.

p. 20 82-86 82 Hippopotamus. Male. Born 1929 Purchased Feb 1930

83 Vacant

8 Elephant "Judy" Born 1922

85 Elephant "Nellie" Born 1917 Photo: Elephants. Manchester Guardian.

86 Elephant "Lil" Born 1906 "Nellie" and "Lil" used for riding ...

p. 21 87-89 G Monkey Terrace, 88-89.

p. 22 90-95

p. 23 96-97 96 The Large Monkey House. Cyril Thomas, in lower r.h.c.

H Monkey Houses ... one of the largest Monkey Houses in Europe.

p.2 98-100

p. 25 101-107a 1 - Orang-Utan House

p. 26 108-111 108 vacant. Orang-Utan, photo

110 "Tarzan" Twenty-one years old

111 "Freddy" Four years old. Purchased in June, 1928

p. 27 112-116 Wolves & Foxes Dens. Hexagonal enclosure at the back of the Maze. 112-116 (116 vacant)

p. 28 117-118 Hybrids Born in the Gardens. March 1928

Photo: Giant Zebu. Gerald T Iles, in lower r.h.c.

K Giraffe & Camel House - 118

p. 29 119-121 120-122, Photo: Brindle Gun. Cyril Thomas, lower r.h.c.

p. 30 122 cont. Photo: Bactrian Camel. Manchester Guardian 124-125 Malay Tapir Male specimen, largest in country, purchased June 1928.

p. 31 126-128 Photo: Tapir. 128 Young male giraffe ... Born in captivity at Mysore Zoo. Three years old. Purchased May, 1930

p. 32 Giraffe: Photo: Giraffe, Manchester Guardian

p. 34 129-131 129 Paddock for Animals in the Camel House.

Photo: Griffin Vulture Ernest W Collier

p. 35 132-134 Photo: Rock Hopper Penguins. Gerald T. Iles.

p. 36 135-141 L - Rocky Mountain Enclosure

p. 37 141/cont. Paddock Pool.

M - Paddock Range. 142-143. 142 Blank.

p.38 144 American Bull Bison. Photo: Wapiti Deer. Ernest W. Collier.

p.39 145 Chillingham Bull. Photo: Bison. Cyril Thomas.

146-149 Paddock House (Continuation of Paddock Range)

p.40 150-155 150/152 blank. Photo Kangaroo with young in pouch.

p. 41 156-167 157 Red Kangaroo, Female. With young in pouch. Born 1930.

158 Red Kangaroo, Male. Born in the Gardens, 1926

163 Vacant

Photo: Red Deer - Cyril Thomas.

p. 42 168-178 Photo: Llama. Cyril Thomas

p. 43 178/Cont. 179 Photo: Flamingoes. Cyril Thomas.

p. 44 N Ostrich Enclosure. 182 The Ruddy Flamingo.

Photo: Cranes - Cyril Thomas

p. 45 183-184 O Tree-Island Pool. P The Pheasantry

185-186 Advt: Smith's Potato Crisps. 2d a carton.

p. 46 186/Cont. 187-188

p. 47 188/cont. 189-190 189 Sarus Cranes ... Purchased June, 1929.

-Aquarium

191-195 Photo: Pelicans : Cyril Thomas

p.48 195/cont R-Pelicans Enclosure

p. 49 196-197 Photo: Sea Lions. Daily Dispatch. Pelicans fed daily S - Sea Lion Pond

p. 50 198/cont. Sea Lion "Sarah" ... lived in gardens for 18 yrs.

T-Sea Lion House ... large swimming bath 64' x 3'

199-200 Belle Vue Museum ... birds, animals, reptiles etc. almost all of which have lived in Gardens ... fine specimen of Giant King Cobra ... died in Gardens during 1930 I - VI, opp. Photograph

p.51 A portion of the Amusement Park.

p.52 The Amusement Park. 80ft High Bob Coasters ... only one in Europe envy of 'Malcolm Campbell' .... Scenic Railway, River Caves, Flying Seaplanes, Coaster Cars, Giant Caterpillar .....

p.53 Fireworks Spectacle .. open-air panorama - 500,000 sq.ft. of canvas... Hougomont, painted by Bernard A Hastain, late of Convent Garden .... evening spectacle "The Battle of Waterloo" fireworks .... over 200 performers take part in this .... historic battle. Admission charge includes free views of panorama & ... display ... 80th Annual Presentation, first 1852 ...

Dates of Performances: Season's Opening: Each eve in Whit-week.

June: Mon 1st, 22nd, 29th June every Wed & Sat.

July: Mon, Wed & Sats.

August : Daily (except Fri)

Sept: Mon. Wed. & Sat. Special extra Firework days Tues, 1st & 8th Sept.

Oct: Sats. Final display, Sat. Oct 17th

Times of Commencing: 9-15 p.m. from Whitsuntide to end of Aug.

9-0 Sept.

8-30 Oct

Seats reserved in advance on the Grand Stand at 6d, 1s. and 1s6d.

Programmes from attendants.

Fifth of November: Huge Bonfire and Special

Pyrotechnic display. Seats for the Firework

Stand may be reserved in advance ....

p. 54 The Belle Vue Speedway .... finest Dirt Track in the country.

Meetings every Saturday at 7 p.m. during Season and Special Meetings on Bank Holidays ... all-star list of riders .... under Belle Vue

Banner .... Speedway racing will this season be intensified by League Racing ... in the Northern Section and the National League, Daily Mail providing trophy for both. Covered stand accommodation in all enclosures ... Ground will hold 40,000 people. Admission 1s and 2s Stadium also home during winter, home of Manchester Central A.F.C. ... available for Club Sports and Athletic Meetings.

p. 55 The Children's Playground. Boating & c ....2.... lakes. 18 acres.

Centre photo. Members of the "Show Boat" Company ... on Lake at Belle Vue, Manchester Evening News.

A new Sports Ground .... recently laid out on the Paddock close to Longsight entrance .... seating accommodation in Grand Stand for 2,000 people .... For Terms apply Secretary, Belle Vue (Manchester) Ltd.

p. 56 Vertical type-face.

Photo: A Partial view of the .... King's Hall Arena. Frederick Foxall Ltd. The King's Hall and Boxing Arena ... erected 1910, reconstructed 1929 as a permanent Circus ... seating accommodation 7,000 people, 4,500 tip-up seats ... finest in country ... special feature ... Brass Band Contests ... during season ... Championship Boxing Tournaments etc. are also held there.

The Belle Vue Mammoth Circus ... every year during the Christmas season .... information regarding the hire of this hall can be obtained on application to the Secretary, Belle Vue (Manchester) Ltd.

p. 57 Photo: Meeting of the Union of the Catholic Mothers, addressed by His Grace Lord Archbishop of Liverpool and the Lord Bishop of Salford .... Saturday, 25th April, 1931.

p.58 Grand Ballroom ... accommodation, 2,500 dancers ... largest Dance Hall in Manchester .... Directly outside the Ballroom .... open-air platform on which dancing takes place during the summer months. ... application to Secretary ... Famous Bands of England ... 2 photographs.

Skating Rink : no extra charge, adjoins Ballroom ... 200 ft long Exhibition Hall .... 100,000 sq. ft.

p.59 Cloak Rooms and Parcel Office. Telephone and Enquiry Office/ Charabancs Parked Free ... accommodation .... provided for Private Cars. Photograph in page centre, Tramcars: The Manchester Corporation ... 2 separate lines of electric tramways from Market Street and the city centre ... Hyde Road, fare 2d, car service every 4 mins .... Longsight route, fare 2d. 3 min-service ... alighting Kirkmanshulme Lane ¼ ml Longsight entrance Circular routes buses ... 3 (Belle Vue), 33 (Reddish), 19 (Denton & Hyde) and Bus No. 53 (Circular Route) passes the Main Hyde Road entrance and also numerous other buses, both Corporation and private.

p.60 Catering for Parties .... 2 new Restaurants .... improved & hygienic quick service, nearly 2,000 visitors at one sitting .... numerous rooms ... accommodate any number of people up to 2,500 in one hall ... specialty of reserving private parties. In kitchens, bakery and ice cream factory ... everything made fresh daily ... reduced terms of admission to all parties who book ahead, ... also print and forward, free of charge, admission & tea tickets. The Management were pioneers in providing hot water facilities to those who prefer to bring their own provision ... can procure as much hot water as they like .... with use of tables & corckery, for a matter of coppers.

p. 61 Private Rooms ... for Banquets, Wedding receptions, dinners, concerts and dances. Up to Date Kitchens. Terms on application to the General Manager. Photograph: Complimentary Luncheon (Brown and Poison) Grocer's Exhibition, 1930 Hotel Dining Room for 120 people.

Capacities of Restaurants

120 Dining Room 100 Club Room 200 Imperial Tea Room

120 Princess Tea Room 400 First Tea Room 600 Empress Tea Room.

150 Chinese Cafe 400 Oriental Cafe 650 Exhibition Hall Restaurant

300 Gallery Tea Room 500 Japanese Tea Room 3,000 Hot Water Room

300 First Class-Cafe 550 Fish Restaurant

Cheap excursions: Secretaries of Works or other Parties ....

Charabanc Trips: Apply for terms to Belle Vue (Manchester) Ltd.

p.62 Photographs C.W.S. Complimentary Dinner for 1,250 persons Wed. June 25th 1930 in our Large Ballroom

p.63 & p.64 Advts. Folding photos. r.f. cover: A typical crowd at Belle Vue inauguration of the "Daily Herald" Northern Edition ..... Landscape Painting.

Partial View of Belle Vue Speedway: ... stands hold 25,000 people ... general accommodation, 40,000 ... Australia v. England and Test Matches. September 5th .... Track circumference 418 yds, lap record 19 seconds (1931)

Ribbed paper cover, yellow & dark blue design on pale blue background. Large type-face for headings.