Zoo History
Dudley Zoo & Castle was conceived in 1935 by William Humble Eric Ward, the Third Earl of Dudley. The zoological gardens opened to the public on 6th May 1937 and two weeks later the front page of the Dudley Herald reported, “Bewildering Bank Holiday Traffic Scenes on Castle Hill. Estimated 150,000 visitors – 50,000 admitted”. By the end of that first summer the zoo had welcomed approximately 700,000 visitors.
In 1978, the Dudley and West Midlands Zoological Society became a registered charity (No. 507221), aiming to inspire and excite people in the natural world, in the history and geology of the site on Castle Hill and to encourage and promote support and a better understanding of wildlife and nature conservation. Entering its ninth decade, the site now cares for approximately 150 species and welcomes over 300,000 visitors per year.
Conception
Dudley Zoo & Castle was conceived in 1935 by William Humble Eric Ward, the Third Earl of Dudley. The site, comprising of the Dudley Castle ruins and approximately 40 acres of land, belonged to the Earl of Dudley and he, together with Ernest Marsh (director of Marsh and Baxter, a meat producer) and Captain Frank Cooper (owner of the Oxford Zoo) combined to form the initial board of directors of The Dudley Zoological Society.
1935-1937
Berthold Lubetkin, and the Tecton Group, was appointed to design and construct facilities for the new zoological gardens, including a restaurant, two cafés and various animal enclosures. Lubetkin described his role in the creation of the enclosure as ‘designing architectural settings for the animals in such a way as to present them dramatically to the public, in an atmosphere comparable to that of a circus’.
6th May 1937
The zoological gardens opened to the public on 6th May 1937 and two weeks later the front page of the Dudley Herald reported, “Bewildering Bank Holiday Traffic Scenes on Castle Hill. Estimated 150,000 visitors – 50,000 admitted”. By the end of that first summer the zoo had welcomed approximately 700,000 visitors. The main interest was to see the animals but for many it was likely to have been their first experience of modern architecture.
Early Years
Journalists visiting the zoo in its early years were impressed. A reporter for the Express and Star wrote: “This will in one respect be the most remarkable zoo in Europe.”
Dudley Zoo was largely unaffected by the outbreak of WWII, however a number of male keepers were called to service. The first female zoo keeper at Dudley Zoo was 17-year-old Jessie Cartwright, who joined our team in 1939. Today, 80% of our workforce are women.
1938
In 1938 a miniature railway was unveiled to zoo visitors. The track was just shy of one mile long and took visitors through the wooded area at the rear of the 40-acre site. The miniature railway operated in a variety of formats up until 1992 when it was finally decommissioned.
Today, a land train operates on a daily basis – ferrying zoo visitors from the zoo entrance to gateway of the 11th century castle ruins. This is included in the standard entry price.
September 1949
Dudley Castle was designated as a Scheduled Monument on 8 February 1915 and on 14 September 1949 the upstanding remains were placed on the statutory list as Grade I. The castle courtyard was used for a variety of purposes in the zoo’s early years. This included fairs, concerts and elephant rides, which began shortly after the zoo’s opening in 1937. The castle is still enjoyed today by the 300,000 visitors who explore our grounds each and every year.
May 1958
The chairlift was officially opened by comedian Richard Hearne on May 11, 1958.
It was the first chairlift to be installed in England, connecting the zoo’s entrance to the castle.
1962
In 1962 Dudley Zoo welcomed two young gorillas, Bukhama and Ruki. Ruki passed away in 1973 but Bukhama – often referred to as Bonzo – passed away in 1994. A bust of him was made following his death which can be found in our education building, the Discovery Centre.
1970
Considered some of the UK’s most important Modern Movement structures, the Tectons at Dudley Zoo represent the world’s largest collection of Tecton-designed buildings, a pioneering group of Modernist architects. In 1970 they were given Grade II listed status.
1971-1974
In May of 1971, Cuddles was moved from Flamingo Park to the Dudley Zoo. His pool was constructed on the foundation of the Tecton sealion pools. In 1973 Dudley Zoo was instructed to return the pool to its original depth, and efforts to re-home cuddles begun. Unfortunately, Cuddles passed away in 1974 before he could be moved to another zoo.
July 1977
In the Summer of 1977 Dudley Zoo became the first zoo in Europe to successfully breed the Nile crocodile in captivity. A nest for eight eggs was constructed out of straw, elephant dung and leaves. Keepers placed a heat lamp over it to maintain a 90 degree Fahrenheit temperature, and regularly sprayed the eggs with water to keep the atmosphere humid.
New Beginnings
In 1978, the Dudley and West Midlands Zoological Society became a registered charity (No. 507221), aiming to inspire and excite people in the natural world, in the history and geology of the site on Castle Hill and to encourage and promote support and a better understanding of wildlife and nature conservation.
1979
The original Tecton ‘Penguin Pool’ was one of the most dramatic structures built within the Zoo. Unfortunately, in 1979, the penguin pool and enclosure were demolished. The salt water in the pool had reacted with the steel reinforcement in the building’s concrete, causing extensive corrosion.
June 1994
Queen Elizabeth II visits Dudley Zoo & Castle as part of a royal tour, officially opening the newly restored Dudley Castle Interpretation Centre, highlighting the site’s historic significance.
Since then, the exhibit has been rebranded as Castle Creatures.
April 2003
Dudley Zoo & Castle parted with their two female African elephants in 2003 so that they could benefit from more spacious surroundings. On April 9 2003, Flossie and Flora, then aged 35 and 15 respectively, were re-homed at a 10-acre reserve within Planete Sauvage, South France.
August 2012
In 2002 the iconic Dudley Zoo & Castle chairlift was closed due to disrepair. 10 years later, in August 2012, the chairlift was reopened after a 12-week Heritage Lottery Fund restoration project costing £117,000. The project included returning it to its original light cream colour. The chairlift is now the oldest functioning chairlift in the UK.
2013-2015
In 2013 a Heritage Lottery funded project was secured to restore four of the Grade II listed Tecton structures; the Station Cafe, Entrance, Bear Ravine and adjacent Kiosk. The project team sought to repair the dilapidated structures and restore their original design intent. The restoration work was completed in 2015.
Moving Forward
Dudley Zoo & Castle continues to progress under the guidance of a five-year development plan and an associated Conservation Strategy. Recent animal habitat developments include the extension of the orangutan facilities and the construction of a new painted dog habitat. Both are closely linked to associated conservation projects
