Name Herbert Whitley Role Breeder | Died September 15, 1955 | |
Simon Tonge - Remembering Herbert Whitley [Wild Planet Trust]
Herbert Whitley (1886 - 15 September 1955) was a millionaire and animal breeder who established Paignton Zoo zoological garden on his estate at Primley, Paignton, in Devon in the 1920s.
Contents
Paignton Zoo was founded initially as his private collection. Whitley was an early conservationist and a contemporary of people such as Sir Peter Scott and Jean Delacour, the famous French ornithologist. Paignton Zoo first opened to the public in 1923. It was one of the earliest combined zoological and botanical gardens in Britain and the first that was opened with education as its mission.
When Herbert Whitley died in 1955, the Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust (WWCT) was set up to continue his work. Since 2003, WWCT has owned and operated Newquay Zoo and Living Coasts. His estates also included the site of several local nature reserves in Devon, including Slapton Ley, now also run by the WWCT.
Timeline
A brief history and photograph of Herbert Whitley can be found on the Paignton Zoo website. A fuller life story was published by Jack Baker in the book Chimps, Champs and Elephants (currently out of print).
1923 - Primley Zoological Gardens (later Paignton Zoo) opened to the public.
1955 - Herbert Whitley died.
2003 - August 14 - Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust purchased Newquay Zoo to operate as part of the charitable trust with Paignton Zoo and Living Coasts.