Nature stories

If you know anything more about the dead whale on a lorry, especially if you went to see it, we'd love to hear from you.

Jean Woolgar
Have just found the website about Jonah the Whale. I went to see it when I was a little girl. It was on show in Perry Barr Birmingham. I remember walking up wooden steps and there was a platform all round the whale which you walked around. Is mouth was open just like the picture shown and I remember how huge I thought it was. Lots of people waited ages to see it, though I have mentioned it to people recently, who thought I had made it up. Thank goodness the pictures are here and other people saw it too.

Cookie
Sue Burford did indeed see the whale in Birmingham. I went with my father (on a tram) to see it, I believe at Hay Mills.I can date the time to within three years, owing to the time we lived in Birmingham.The whale went on show in this area between 1950 and 1953. This is at variance with the dates given in the text......perhaps there was more than one whale!!!The photographs shown on this webpage would support my dates. The publics clothing is more early fifties than sixties.I am no expert on motor vehicles, but the tractor unit looks very similar to a german unit made in 1948.Perhaps someone an throw light on this.I cannot recall going inside the whale.I would think this was unlikely....who can tell.Thanks for bringing this subject to light. I though I had dreamt the whole thing.

David
I came across a letter in the Times published 6th September 1971 from a lecturer at Newcastle University: Jonah the Giant Whale. Sir, An exhibtion billed as "Jonah the Giant Whale" is at present touring the North of England". Organised by a Swiss firm, it is sponsored by the WWF. Orginally Jonah was captured by the University of Oslo and used for experiments on the nervous and respiratory systems.......The dead giant is a pathetic spectacle....no ultimate benefit to the species..... motives of conservationists under suspicion"

j b
i saw the whale in selby north yorkshire early 1960's

Darren Tait
I too remember it on Walpole Park Gosport, My wife thought I was mad and made it up!

Robert Griffin
I remember going to see the whale, I was probably 7 or 8, so that would have made it late sixties. We lived in Ross, and I've always thought it was there we saw it, but I suppose it could have been Hereford, I don't remember travelling far though, that would have seemed like the other end of country at that age! I would be interested to know if anyone else remembers whether it came to Ross.

Mathew Mason
What an amazing story!!I am a showman in south west leicestershire, and this is a prime examaple of how the great british fairground had unique show's that travelled in uk back in old days.For example when I was young, back in the 1980's there was still show's travelling like the "snake woman, the strange girls show by keith carroll" "the queen of the nile show by my dad Micheal Mason" My parents evan had a mouse circus, which comprised of 100 mice performing on a minature fairground. One year, a huge shark tank, with some big, live sharks swimming around.Along with scuba diver's what would feed them every so often. Would visit Newcastle town moor hopping fair. The biggest travelling fair in europe.It's so sad that all the good shows have gone.And only remnants of the past still to this day keep the vibe alive. Such as the "wall of death" and the "rotor" Nice to see the photo's in this article!!1!Remember Support your local travelling fair!!!Mathew MasonIt's

Sue Burford
When I was about 10 I went to see the whale- I thought it was Birmingham but may be wrong. I have told people since and they didn't believe me! Then a few years ago Terry Wogan mentioned the item on BBC2, it bought all the memories back. Then looking through old photos - I came across a postcard showing the whale! Glad I wasn't dreaming this all. Would love to know what happened to it.

JOHN B
Jonah the whale was at the boat show in earls court last week

Chloe Moffat
I think that this is very cruel and it should not be excited to see it because it was once a living animal and everyone should respect that!!!

David
The WWF sent a whale on a tour of the country in 1970 as part of the European Conservation year.

Jan Jarvis
The giant whale on a lorry came to Hull, East Yorkshire. My Mum took me to see it and I remember it being very cold in the lorry.

Kim Smith
I can remember visiting this whale in Lincoln also walking inside.

john dunn
i remember a whale on the back of a lorry in manchester,i was about five,and can only remember looking up at it,with its mouth held open

Anne Rawlings
I saw Jonah with my family on Conduit Street, Leicester, poss 70's ??

Jeff Pankhurst
I remember being taken to see this whale at Walpole Park, Gosport, Hants. in the late 70's.

Barrie Stevens
Saw it on the way to Ilfracombe in the late 1950s to early 1960s. Saw it twice in laybys. Mum said it wasn't real. It was big, blue and on a lorry!

De Werd
I think to remember that there was a truck with a whale in it, at bergen op zoom mid sixty's. It was a solo event for 1 or two day's. But the trailer as shown in the picture looks rather large for what I think it was.

Gary Johnson
I have vague memories of going to see the whale in Lincoln and only last week was talking to a dutchman who also said he saw it in or near amsterdam. does anyone know when it came to lincoln?

David
I have vague memories of seeing the whale in Prestwich, Manchester in the early 1970s, it was parked near the current railway station

ben
This whale is for sale at Hoddesdons Showmans Park

Dawn Taylor
I saw the whale in Hereford, probably in 1968 or 1969. The lorry was parked, in the car park next to the ABC cinema opposite Commecial pub. I remember being amazed at the size and just standing there, looking in awe. It really left a lasting impression on me.

Colin Thorpe
I also saw this whale in the 60's at Havant Hampshire. It was I beleive based for awhile in Park road south.

debbie hobson
yes i remember the whale comng into bradford,my dad sham took me to see the whale. i having been trying to trace this information for a while now. I too remember it being parked up on hall ings at the end of petergate, i remember it being quite smelly and very shiney in appearence.

Rick Parkin
The whale came to Bradford and was parked up on Hall Ings at the end of Petergate. I also remember it's odd shiny black appearance, which I assume was some form of bitumen treatment to preserve the beast. From my memory I'd say it was the one in the photograph, as I particularly remember the little signs indicating the various parts of the whale’s anatomy. I can't understand the confusion about it's disappearance - surely it would have started to decompose, although how the remains were disposed of I cannot imagine.

Debbie Hill
I remember being taken to see the whale on the back of the truck it was in high town, Hereford. I remember thinking that it didn't look real it was shiny and looked liked it was covered in a black varnish. I t must have been in the 60's or early 70's.

Julia Finch Worcester
I remember going to see the whale on a lorry in the carpark by Worcester Police Station in the 50's

Alison
I saw a whale on a lorry in the seventies at Priory Road car park in Malvern. It was huge, I am not sure if it is the same one. I think it was like a cross section but it is so long ago now I cant remember for certain!

Malcolm Jeffrey
Hi, all. Just listening to your show this morning and caught your article about the whale on the truck. I saw it in Greenfield Gardens in Stourbridge, as well, and I would have been 8 or 9 - so 1968ish is spot on. The lorry was parked in the central circle of the park, where there was once a fountain, and it spanned the central area so I would have put the length far longer than 50 feet, maybe twice that. My mum told me it was a fin back whale, I seem to remember, and the lorry was painted as if it were a circus trailer, with a wooden backdrop that could be raised behind the whale. Thank Heavens other people remember it ! It means I didn't dream it...Malcolm

Chris Buckle
i saw the whale at the back of malvern winter gardens on the back of a lorry parked on the car park i thought it was in the early 70`s but it may have been late 60`s just like someone else said it smelt quite bad but still a sight to see

Sue
Just thought I'd throw in that the whale also came to Kidderminster and parked by the old gas works at the back of what is now the post office. Guess that's the same one that went to Wollaston Stourbridge. I went to see it after school so I guess it was in the 60's. It was on a huge trailer and I remember it smelt very strange - and I'm sure we queued up to walk inside it. Very bizarre!

Anon texter to Howard Bentham
The whale belonged to a travelling showman. It had a couple of owners through the 70s, maybe earlier.

Rozz in Ross (text to Howard Bentham)
We took our two small sons Ian & Stephen to see the whale in Hereford in the late 60's. It was there for about a week.

Carole from Worcs (text to Howard Bentham)
It sparked off a distant memory - I left the UK in the early 50's and I remember going to see one in Worcester. Does anyone else remember?

Dave Whale in Kidderminster (text to Howard)
Yes It is my real name! I also remember the Whale being on show in Greenfield Gardens Stourbridge and also think it would be in 1968 This fact was bought up previously on H & W Katie Johnson was the presenter on that occasion.It was mentioned that there were more than one Whale doing the rounds!