Rich Boy's Toys--Paignton Zoo

Mr. Herbert Witley who owns one of the finest private menageries in Europe at Frimley, Paignton Devon in 1927.

Herbert Whitley was born in 1886 and brought up in Liverpool. His father, Edward Whitley was a solicitor, an ardent churchman, mayor and brewery baron. It was the latter that laid the foundation of the family fortune and the basis for the story of Paignton Zoo and the WWCT.

Edward Whitley died in 1892 at the age of 67 and was commemorated by the City of Liverpool by a statue now standing in St. George's Hall in silent company of William Ewart Gladstone, his great friend and rival. The bereaved Mrs Eleanor Whitley proved to be a courageous lady who saw the need to move to new pastures with her five children. In 1904 they arrived at the Primley Estate in Paignton, when Herbert Whitley was only 18.

Herbert Whitley was a shy, self-taught scientist and eccentric. As he developed his animal collections he became known as a mysterious millionaire who was said to live a monastic life in a white mansion on Primley Hill in Paignton. Stories were told of guarded reserves where weird and exotic creatures lived. He opened his animal collections up to the public for the first time in 1923 but closed them again twice due to disputes with the taxman over ‘entertainment’ tax. Herbert Whitley was adamant that his zoo was a place of education so should not pay entertainment tax on the admission charge.

Herbert Whitley died in 1955 and in his will, founding trustee Philip Michelmore was instructed to set up a Trust to manage and control Paignton Zoological and Botanical Gardens, Slapton Ley Estate and all other lands and buildings defined in the will.