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 89 Collections and/or Records:
Belle Vue Circus Programme, 1937 - 1938
Manchester. Photocopy of original programme in black and white, containing programme, photographs of performers with text and commercial advertising, 5p.p.
Belle Vue Circus Programme, 1938 - 1939
Manchester. Photocopy of original programme in black and white, containing programme, photographs of performers with text and commercial advertising, 5p.p.
Belle Vue Circus Programme, 1940 - 1941
Manchester. Colour illustration of laughing clown's face within a circle with yellow neck ruff on a blue background on front page, inside programme, black and white photographs of performers and commercial advertising, 4p.p.
Belle Vue Circus Programme, 1942 - 1943
Manchester. Colour and black and white photocopies of original programme, showing a clown on the front and an elephant on reverse and programme inside, 2p.p.
Belle Vue Circus Programme, 1943 - 1944
Manchester. Colour illustration of laughing clown in a blue circle in the centre and white horses below on a yellow background with red, blue and white stars on the front cover, inside programme and black and white photographs and Coco the clown on back cover, 2p.p.
Belle Vue Circus Programme, 1944 - 1945
Manchester. Black and white photograph of lion's head in a circle in the centre and illustration of white horses below on a red background with yellow, blue and white stars on the front cover, inside programme and black and white photographs and black illustrations of circus acts on red background on back cover, 2p.p.
Belle Vue Circus Programme, 1957 - 1958
Manchester. Colour illustration of elephant in stripey trousers seating on a circus platform 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 Circus Programme, 1958 - 1959
Manchester. Colour illustration of bear in a skirt, hat and scarf riding a motorbike and clown in a police man's uniform directing the traffic 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, 18p.p.
Belle Vue Circus Programme, 23 December 1960 - 4 February 1961
Manchester. Colour illustration of clown on a high wire over a cage full of lions 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 Circus Programme, 26 December 1980 - 31 January 1981
Manchester. Colour cartoon illustration of clown holding balloons, lion and horse 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 Spectacular Programme, 21 December 1979 - 2 February 1980
Manchester. Black and white photograph of leaping tiger on a yellow background with green and black type on front cover, inside black and white photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising. Printed by Alf Smith and Co, Bradford, 12p.p.
Belle Vue Colossal Coronation Circus Programme, 1936 - 1937
Manchester. Photocopy of original programme in black and white, containing programme, photographs of performers with text, articles and commercial advertising, 5p.p.
Belle Vue Gigantic International Circus Programme, 1946 - 1947
Manchester. Brown, grey and yellow illustration of equestrian act on white background with grey border on front cover, inside introduction, monochrome illustrations and black and white photographs with text on performers and acts, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 10p.p.
Belle Vue Golden Jubilee Circus Programme, 22 December 1978 - 3 February 1979
Manchester. Pink illustration of elephant walking upright with a circus flag on a blue background with white outline of circus acts on front cover, inside black and white photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising. Printed by Hutton Hartley and Co, Ltd, Manchester, 12p.p.
Belle Vue Grand International Circus Revue Programme, 1947 - 1948
Manchester. Black, white and red illustration of band girl on a bowing horse on a red background on the front cover, inside introduction, black and white illustrations and photographs of acts and performers with text including Billy Merchant, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 10p.p.
Belle Vue Grand Victory Circus Programme, 1945 - 1946
Manchester. Three fold programme with colour illustration of two laughing clowns on top section, red and black in the centre and other circus acts on bottom section including animal trainer and equestrian act on a yellow background on the front cover, inside programme, black and white photographs of performers inclusing Hal Denver with text and red and black illustrations of circus acts on a yellow background on the right and bottom sections.
Belle Vue Handbill, c1848
Zoological gardens and museum of curiosities at Belle Vue, Hyde Road, Manchester. Folio from book advertising the zoo, Pleasure Boats, Elizabethan Maze and dancing Platform. On revere, advertising for Cole’s patent trusses and medicated Bands, 2pp.
Belle Vue Handbill, c1848
The Gardens and Pleasure Grounds at Belle Vue, Hyde Road, Manchester. Folio from book advertising the zoo. Other adverts on reverse, 2pp.
Belle Vue International Circus Programme, 22 December - 3 February c1950s
Manchester. Colour illustrations of smilling clown's face and circus animals around the edges on a blue background and black, red, green and blue type 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 International Circus Programme, 23 December 1976 - 5 February 1977
Manchester. Colour illustration of leaping tiger and woman in pink outfit on a blue and circus ring background on front cover, inside black and white photographs of acts and performers with text, programme in the centre and commercial advertising, 12p.p.