Aviaries in Rowntree Park
In 1929 aviaries were constructed at Richardson Street entrance of the park. There were a range of animals including pheasants, parrots, macaws, tropical birds, finches. However, a park that floods and live animals in cages didn’t prove a good mix. In the floods of the 1930s the flood water came 18 inches from the top of aviaries and the birds were trapped. Many died.
Small finches and rabbits were replaced after the flood of 1947. In the 1950s silver pheasants were bought and a golden pheasant and Muscovy ducks. However, the aviaries were later removed.
Animals in Rowntree Park
There were rabbits & guinea pigs kept in the park around th 1960s:
“The park-keeper would let me & my brother in to pet them early mornings when our dad took us there” (Sally Briggs).
There were also less formal ‘animals’ such as the tadpoles and sticklebacks which children used to catch in the lake and put in jam jars.
I remember going with my jam jar and net to catch sticklebacks tadpoles so exciting when your little