Belle Vue (1836 - 1982)
Biography
Belle Vue was the first privately founded zoo in England, established by John Jennison in 1836.
John, an entrepreneur and professional gardener, started selling fruit and vegetables from his home grounds in Adswood, Stockport in the mid-1820s with his wife. By 1829 they had built an aviary business, opened to the public for an admission charge and had turned their home into a public house. During the next decade the business continued expanding and in 1836, they took over Belle Vue, a public house seating on over 35 acres of land. The Jennison's original idea was to turn the gardens into a botanical attraction with some animal displays, but pushed by public demand, they decided to expand the zoological side of the business.
At its opening, as well as the aviary, Belle Vue contained an Italian Garden, lakes, mazes and hothouses. The site was an instant success and as attendance increased so did the attractions. In 1843 ponds were enlarged to create a boating lake with an island holding a natural history museum in the centre. In 1847 a racecourse was added and from 1852 firework displays became a regular feature. As the popularity of the site increased, so did the demand for innovation and an amusement park was built in the 1870s containing all the popular fairground rides of the time. Music and dancing were also popular attractions from the beginning, which could be enjoyed in various ballrooms and the Kings Hall exhibition space built in 1910, became the largest outside London.
The site was thriving up to the beginning of the First World War, when the complex was requisition by the government to build a munitions factory and for use by the Manchester Regiment. In spite of this, Belle Vue managed to survive the war and continued expanding during the post-war years, incorporating an annual Christmas circus show, which lasted for nearly sixty years from 1922. The circus was provided by the Blackpool Tower Company, which supplied acts and equipment, including the Tower’s resident ringmaster George Lockhart and became a roaring success.
Additionally, in 1928 Belle Vue built the largest purpose-built speedway stadium in the country and became a renowned boxing and wrestling venue.
During the Second World War, parts of the complex were requisitioned for military use including the King’s Hall, the restaurants, the offices and some of the grounds. Part of the gardens were also requisitioned by the Manchester Corporation to grow food. However, the rest of the complex was allowed to remain open to the public, which enabled Belle Vue to avoid financial disaster.
During the post-war years Belle Vue recovered and became one of the most famous attractions in the North West until the late 1960s when it started to decline. Huge financial losses first prompted the closure of the zoo in 1980. Between 1978 and 1982 several attempts to revitalise the rest of the complex were made, but eventually the land was sold and the site cleared by 1987.
At its peak, Belle Vue held the third largest zoo collection in the UK and attracted more than two million visitors a year. After its sale, the land was redeveloped for residential and business use with only the greyhound racing stadium, snooker hall and cinema remaining from the original site.
Found in 85 Collections and/or Records:
Arrangement of No.4 Ghost Train Track Blueprint, 2 February 1932
Blueprint showing the arrangement of the ghost train track for Belle Vue by Messrs Orton, Sons & Spooner Ltd. scale 3/8". Drawing X481.
Belle Vue 20th International Circus Programme, 1948 - 1949
Manchester. Black type on red, yellow and blue illustrations of circus acts on the background, inside introduction, black and white photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre, other short articles and commercial advertisement, 18p.p.
Belle Vue 21st International Circus Programme, 1949 - 1950
Manchester. Colour illustration of elephant seating down and squirting water out of its trunk and two clowns on bottom section on front cover, inside introduction, black and white illustrations and photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre, other short articles and commercial advertising, 18p.p.
Belle Vue 22nd International Circus Programme, 1950 - 1951
Manchester. Red, black and white illustration of man playing the sousaphone on a yellow background on front cover, inside introduction, black and white illustrations and photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre, other short articles and commercial advertising, 18p.p.
Belle Vue 23rd International Circus Programme, 1951 - 1952
Manchester. Colour illustrations of circus performers and animals around the globe on a red and yellow background on front cover, inside introduction, black and white illustrations and photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre, other short articles and commercial advertising, 18p.p.
Belle Vue 24th International Circus Programme, 1952 - 1953
Manchester. Colour illustration of circus performers and animals in a circus ring with illustration of George Lockhart on the right on yellow background on front cover, inside introduction, black and white illustrations and photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre, other short articles and commercial advertising, 18p.p.
Belle Vue 26th International Circus Programme, 1954 - 1955
Manchester. Colour illustrations of circus acts including clowns, wild west, bear, elephant and tiger on a blue background with yellow, black and white type on a red background on the top section on front cover, inside introduction, black and white illustrations and photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 18p.p.
Belle Vue 27th International Circus Programme, 1955 - 1956
Manchester. Colour illustration of George Lockhart, a tiger, a horse and a clown on a red background on front cover, inside introduction, black and white illustrations and autographed photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 18p.p.
Belle Vue 31st International Circus Programme, 24 December 1959 - 6 February 1960
Manchester. Colour illustration of chimpanzee playing a drum on a white and yellow background on front cover, inside introduction, black and white illustrations and photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 18p.p.
Belle Vue 35th International Circus Programme, 20 December 1963 - 1 February 1964
Manchester. Colour illustration of lions and acrobats on front cover, inside introduction, black and white illustrations and photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 18p.p.
Belle Vue 36th International Circus Programme, 23 December 1964 - 6 February 1965
Manchester. Colour illustration of clowns on the forefront with circus animals behind them including elephants, horses, dogs and lion on front cover, inside introduction, black and white illustrations and photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 20p.p.
Belle Vue 37th International Circus Programme, 23 December 1965 - 5 February 1966
Manchester. Colour illustration of clown, chimpanzee, Native American and circus animals on a yellow background on front cover, inside introduction, black and white illustrations and photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 18p.p.
Belle Vue 38th International Circus Programme, 22 December 1966 - 4 February 1967
Manchester. Colour illustration of clown and girl on a yellow background on front cover, inside introduction, black and white illustrations and photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 18p.p.
Belle Vue 39th International Circus Programme, 21 December 1967 - 3 February 1968
Manchester. Colour illustration of circus acts in an orange circus ring including leopard, panther, seals, clown and acrobats on front cover, inside introduction, black and white illustrations and photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 18p.p.
Belle Vue 40th International Circus Programme, 20 December 1968 - 8 February 1969
Manchester. Colour illustration of galloping white horses with feather head dress on a blue background on front cover, inside introduction, black and white illustrations and photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 16p.p.
Belle Vue 41st International Circus Programme, 19 December 1969 - 7 February 1970
Manchester. Colour illustration of leaping tigers and man on a blue and black background on front cover, inside introduction, black and white illustrations and photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 18p.p.
Belle Vue 42nd International Circus Programme, 23 December 1970 - 6 February 1971
Manchester. Colour illustration of female wire walker in a pink tutu kneeling down on the wire and a clown below watching her on a blue background on front cover, inside introduction, black and white illustrations and photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 16p.p.
Belle Vue 53rd International Circus Programme, 26 December 1981 - 30 January 1982
Manchester. Colour cartoon illustration of clowns climbing up an elephant with a tin of paint and a brush next to stack up letters reading circus and ringmaster on the background on front cover, inside black and white photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising. Printed by Peter Scott (Printers) Ltd, Burnley, Lancs, 12p.p.
Belle Vue Circus Bulletins, 1936 - 1956
Various bulletings produced by Belle Vue, black and white photographs of performers and acts with news and reports about Belle Vue and comic strips including Belle Vue Bulletin, Belle Vue Circus Fun and International Circus News.