June 2025 

With the ending of World War II, Maidstone Zoo, although open during most of the conflict, resumed its mission to show off its animals and attract thousands of visitors. Since opening in 1934, some 1.5 million visitors had passed through the gates at Cobtree Manor. 

As Ivan White explained in his second fascinating talk about Maidstone Zoo – Creatures Great & Small, on May 8, 2025, founder Sir Hugh Garrard Tyrwhitt-Drake, 12 times Mayor of Maidstone, continued to add to the attractions, including wolves, a camel and dog racing. He was well connected and welcomed VIPs, including in 1946 the then Princess Elizabeth, who a few years later became Queen. She saw the wolves and visited the newly-formed Carriage Museum opposite the Archbishop’s Palace. Other VIP guests included comedians Fred Emney and Richard Murdoch, broadcaster John Snagge, Maidstone’s own children’s entertainer Richard Hearne (Mr Pastry) and teenage singer Petula Clark. 

Julie Andrews also joined in the fun.  In 1956, Sir Hugh showed how much he was respected in the natural history world by his election as chairman of the Zoological Society. In 1957, there was an outbreak of polio in Maidstone and attendances began to fall. 

Sir Hugh, always a hands-on boss, sought in his advancing years a more quiet and peaceful life. He decided to close the zoo in 1959, arranging for the dispersal of animals around the UK, some to Billy Butlin and John Aspinall. 

Sir Hugh kept his llamas and royal cream ponies until his death in 1964 at the age of 83. He is buried in Maidstone Cemetery. The zoo may have gone but you can still see the elephant house, for many years the home of much-loved tuskers Gert and Daisy. And Sir Hugh’s unique collection of carriages is still attracting admiration  on Saturdays in summer.