Thomas Haining Gillespie
Encyclopedia
Thomas Haining Gillespie, (1876-1967) FRSE, MBOU, FZS, was the founder of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland
and was known as 'Father of Edinburgh Zoo
'. He was also 'the Zoo Man' on the BBC Scottish radio programme, Children's Hour
, giving talks and answering questions on zoological matters.
on 3rd October 1876. His father was Thomas Haining Gillespie and his mother Julia Ann Satchell. He was educated in private schools and at Edinburgh University. He married Mary Elizabeth Gamble in 1920. They had no children and he died on 3rd August 1967. At his own request, his body was bequeathed to medical research. His recreations were listed as 'reading, writing, music and photography'.
new zoo at Hamburg
where tropical animals were happily thriving in a winter climate more severe that any experienced in Scotland. Gillespie was determined to pursue his dream. He started by founding the Zoological Society of Scotland
in 1909. He then searched for a suitable site. In 1912 he found it. The estate of Corstorphine Hill
House, close to the city centre, with a fine house and pleasant gardens, was offered to the Society for the sum of £ 17,000. The money proved difficult to raise, but on 4th February 1913 the Edinburgh City Council purchased the site for the Society, and with a further £8,000 provided by members, Gillespie set about building his zoo. It took only fifteen weeks to prepare and stock the site — initially with borrowed animals, and the new Zoological park opened its gate to visitors on 15th July 1913. Using gifts over many years from the whaling firm, Christian Salvesen, he established a penguin pool which became world famous. It was the first successful breeding and rearing of the King Penguin
in a zoological park. They were brought from South Georgia in 1914 and the first chick was born in the Zoo in 1919. The penguins are still a popular feature at the Zoo, bolstered by the 'Penguin Parade' which takes place everyday. Tom Gillespie was Secretary to the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland
and Director of the Scottish National Zoological Park (i.e. Edinburgh Zoo
) from 1913 to 1950.
radio programme as 'the Zoo Man' who gave talks about the animals in Edinburgh Zoo
and who answered nature questions in a panel programme produced by Kathleen Garsgadden
. His contributions to these Children's Hour
programmes began in 1926 when they were broadcast by the Edinburgh and Glasgow stations of the BBC. By 1930, the programmes were also broadcast by the London station. The programmes lasted till the late 1950s. His radio talks were published in a series of 'Zoo Tales' books which are listed below. He appears in a group photograph with Garsgadden, the 'Bird Man' (James Douglas-Home), and the 'Hut Man' (Gilbert D. Fisher
).
Royal Zoological Society of Scotland
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland is a learned society and registered charity of Scotland. It was founded by an Edinburgh lawyer, Thomas Hailing Gillespie, in 1909. In 1913, a large plot of land was purchased for the Society by the Edinburgh Town Council on Corstorphine Hill, Edinburgh a...
and was known as 'Father of Edinburgh Zoo
Edinburgh Zoo
Edinburgh Zoo, formally the Scottish National Zoological Park, is a non-profit zoological park located in Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland...
'. He was also 'the Zoo Man' on the BBC Scottish radio programme, Children's Hour
Children's Hour
Children's Hour—at first: "The Children's Hour", from a verse by Longfellow—was the name of the BBC's principal recreational service for children during the period when radio dominated broadcasting....
, giving talks and answering questions on zoological matters.
Life
Tom Gillespie was born in DumfriesDumfries
Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South...
on 3rd October 1876. His father was Thomas Haining Gillespie and his mother Julia Ann Satchell. He was educated in private schools and at Edinburgh University. He married Mary Elizabeth Gamble in 1920. They had no children and he died on 3rd August 1967. At his own request, his body was bequeathed to medical research. His recreations were listed as 'reading, writing, music and photography'.
Zoologist
Gillespie qualified as a solicitor in 1899. Despite his profession, he had no great love for the law. Instead he longed to establish a Zoological park in Scotland’s capital city. The advice he received was not encouraging. ‘You’ll never get animals to live in a climate like Edinburgh’s’, he was told: and he might have believed it had he not, in 1908, read of Carl Hagenbeck’sCarl Hagenbeck
Carl Hagenbeck was a merchant of wild animals who supplied many European zoos, as well as P.T. Barnum. He is often considered the father of the modern zoo because he introduced "natural" animal enclosures that included recreations of animals' native habitats without bars...
new zoo at Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
where tropical animals were happily thriving in a winter climate more severe that any experienced in Scotland. Gillespie was determined to pursue his dream. He started by founding the Zoological Society of Scotland
Royal Zoological Society of Scotland
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland is a learned society and registered charity of Scotland. It was founded by an Edinburgh lawyer, Thomas Hailing Gillespie, in 1909. In 1913, a large plot of land was purchased for the Society by the Edinburgh Town Council on Corstorphine Hill, Edinburgh a...
in 1909. He then searched for a suitable site. In 1912 he found it. The estate of Corstorphine Hill
Corstorphine Hill
Corstorphine Hill is one of the hills of Edinburgh, Scotland, named for nearby Corstorphine. There are traditionally said to be seven hills in Edinburgh in reference to the Seven hills of Rome, but this figure is debatable, and as the city has expanded, even more so...
House, close to the city centre, with a fine house and pleasant gardens, was offered to the Society for the sum of £ 17,000. The money proved difficult to raise, but on 4th February 1913 the Edinburgh City Council purchased the site for the Society, and with a further £8,000 provided by members, Gillespie set about building his zoo. It took only fifteen weeks to prepare and stock the site — initially with borrowed animals, and the new Zoological park opened its gate to visitors on 15th July 1913. Using gifts over many years from the whaling firm, Christian Salvesen, he established a penguin pool which became world famous. It was the first successful breeding and rearing of the King Penguin
King Penguin
The King Penguin is the second largest species of penguin at about , second only to the Emperor Penguin. There are two subspecies—A. p. patagonicus and A. p...
in a zoological park. They were brought from South Georgia in 1914 and the first chick was born in the Zoo in 1919. The penguins are still a popular feature at the Zoo, bolstered by the 'Penguin Parade' which takes place everyday. Tom Gillespie was Secretary to the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland
Royal Zoological Society of Scotland
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland is a learned society and registered charity of Scotland. It was founded by an Edinburgh lawyer, Thomas Hailing Gillespie, in 1909. In 1913, a large plot of land was purchased for the Society by the Edinburgh Town Council on Corstorphine Hill, Edinburgh a...
and Director of the Scottish National Zoological Park (i.e. Edinburgh Zoo
Edinburgh Zoo
Edinburgh Zoo, formally the Scottish National Zoological Park, is a non-profit zoological park located in Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland...
) from 1913 to 1950.
Broadcaster
Gillespie was well known on the Scottish Children's HourChildren's Hour
Children's Hour—at first: "The Children's Hour", from a verse by Longfellow—was the name of the BBC's principal recreational service for children during the period when radio dominated broadcasting....
radio programme as 'the Zoo Man' who gave talks about the animals in Edinburgh Zoo
Edinburgh Zoo
Edinburgh Zoo, formally the Scottish National Zoological Park, is a non-profit zoological park located in Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland...
and who answered nature questions in a panel programme produced by Kathleen Garsgadden
Kathleen Garsgadden
Kathleen Mary Evelyn Garsgadden was a Scottish radio broadcaster and presenter who became famous as presenter of the Scottish Children's Hour programme on the BBC Home Service which later became Radio Four. She was known as 'Auntie Kathleen' and her popularity turned her into a celebrity...
. His contributions to these Children's Hour
Children's Hour
Children's Hour—at first: "The Children's Hour", from a verse by Longfellow—was the name of the BBC's principal recreational service for children during the period when radio dominated broadcasting....
programmes began in 1926 when they were broadcast by the Edinburgh and Glasgow stations of the BBC. By 1930, the programmes were also broadcast by the London station. The programmes lasted till the late 1950s. His radio talks were published in a series of 'Zoo Tales' books which are listed below. He appears in a group photograph with Garsgadden, the 'Bird Man' (James Douglas-Home), and the 'Hut Man' (Gilbert D. Fisher
Gilbert Dempster Fisher
Gilbert Dempster Fisher was a Scottish broadcaster, writer and naturalist who achieved prominence on BBC Scottish Radio as a naturalist under the persona of ‘the Hut Man’.- Life :...
).
Professional Appointments
- Fellow of the Royal Society of EdinburghRoyal Society of EdinburghThe Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity, operating on a wholly independent and non-party-political basis and providing public benefit throughout Scotland...
. - Fellow of the Zoological Society of LondonZoological Society of LondonThe Zoological Society of London is a charity devoted to the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats...
. - Member of the British Ornithologists Union.
- Hon. Member of Zoological Society of IrelandZoological Society of IrelandThe Zoological Society of Ireland is the body responsible for running Dublin Zoo, where it is based, and Fota Wildlife Park in County Cork...
. - Corr. Member of the New York Zoological Society.
- Hon. Vice President of Edinburgh Scientific Film SocietyEdinburgh Film GuildThe Edinburgh Film Guild is a film society based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded in 1929, it is notable as the oldest continually running film society in the world. Though pre-dated by the original Film Society, founded five years earlier, it has outlasted it, with the Film Society having ceased...
.
Books
- Zoo Ways and Whys. With a foreword by Professor Sir J. Arthur Thomson. Illustrated with photographs by M.E. Gillespie. London: Herbert JenkinsBarrie & JenkinsBarrie & Jenkins was a small British publishing house that was formed in 1964 from the merger of "Herbert Jenkins" and "Barrie & Rockcliffe". One of their most notable authors was P. G...
, 1930. - More Zoo Ways. With photographs by M.E. Gillespie. London: Herbert JenkinsBarrie & JenkinsBarrie & Jenkins was a small British publishing house that was formed in 1964 from the merger of "Herbert Jenkins" and "Barrie & Rockcliffe". One of their most notable authors was P. G...
, 1931. - A Book of King Penguins. With 60 illustrations from photographs by M. E. Gillespie. London: Herbert JenkinsBarrie & JenkinsBarrie & Jenkins was a small British publishing house that was formed in 1964 from the merger of "Herbert Jenkins" and "Barrie & Rockcliffe". One of their most notable authors was P. G...
, 1932. - Is It Cruel? A Study of the Condition of Captive and Performing Animals. With illustrations. London: Herbert JenkinsBarrie & JenkinsBarrie & Jenkins was a small British publishing house that was formed in 1964 from the merger of "Herbert Jenkins" and "Barrie & Rockcliffe". One of their most notable authors was P. G...
, 1934. - Popular Official Guide to the Scottish Zoological Park. With plan of the Park and illustrations, etc. Edinburgh: Royal Zoological Society of ScotlandRoyal Zoological Society of ScotlandThe Royal Zoological Society of Scotland is a learned society and registered charity of Scotland. It was founded by an Edinburgh lawyer, Thomas Hailing Gillespie, in 1909. In 1913, a large plot of land was purchased for the Society by the Edinburgh Town Council on Corstorphine Hill, Edinburgh a...
, 1934. - Zoo Tales. Illustrated by William Walls. Edinburgh & London: Oliver & Boyd, 1936
- The Way of a Serpent. A popular account of the habits of snakes. With illustrations. London: Herbert JenkinsBarrie & JenkinsBarrie & Jenkins was a small British publishing house that was formed in 1964 from the merger of "Herbert Jenkins" and "Barrie & Rockcliffe". One of their most notable authors was P. G...
, 1937. - Animal Stories. Illustrated by Joan Sharp. Glasgow: Collins, 1938.
- The Scottish National Zoological Park. Cheltenham: J. Burrow & Co. [1938].
- Zoo-Man Tales. Illustrated by Len Fullerton. New York: Taplinger Pub. Co., 1960.
- Zoo-Man Again. Illustrated by Len Fullerton. New York: Taplinger Pub. Co., 1961.
- More Zoo Tales. Illustrated by Ralph Thompson. Edinburgh & London: Oliver & Boyd, 1962
- The Story of the Edinburgh Zoo. The Royal Zoological Society of ScotlandRoyal Zoological Society of ScotlandThe Royal Zoological Society of Scotland is a learned society and registered charity of Scotland. It was founded by an Edinburgh lawyer, Thomas Hailing Gillespie, in 1909. In 1913, a large plot of land was purchased for the Society by the Edinburgh Town Council on Corstorphine Hill, Edinburgh a...
and the Scottish National Zoological Park. An account of their origin and progress. [With plates.] Slains, Aberdeenshire: Michael Slains Publishers, 1964. - Our Friends the Spiders. Illustrated by David Pratt. Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd: Edinburgh, 1965.
Scots Magazine Articles
- "A Wolf Colony in Edinburgh", Vol. XIX, no. 3, June 1933, pp.212-215.
- "Springtime at the Zoo", Vol. XXIII, no. 3, June 1935, pp.176-180.
- "The Zoo in War-Time", Vol. XXXIV, no. 3, Dec. 1940, pp.197-202.
- "Do You Know? A Nature Quiz", Vol. LVII, No. 1, April 1952, p.1, (Answers on p.71).