Stuffed Whale.

[colin bowen]

Does anyone remember Jonah the whale on the back of a large articulated lorry in the mid 1950's
my Dad took me to see him and i stood in its mouth smelt of formaldahyde and was very scary it was between Birchfield Harriers and a an old school but then a woodyard My Dad went to school there.

 

[Ivor]

I know that there have been threads covering stories about a stuffed whale on show in Birmingham but they seem to be old threads.
Speaking to a friend of mine he said he had seen a stuffed whale on a trailer being towed along the Coventry Rd Small Heath/ Hay Mills in the late 50s early 60s.
He thought it was put on show on open ground ( Possibly what is The Oakland Recreation Ground )
Does anyone have Photos/Memories of this ?

 

[chrislyddiatt]

I know that there have been threads covering stories about a stuffed whale on show in Birmingham but they seem to be old threads.
Speaking to a friend of mine he said he had seen a stuffed whale on a trailer being towed along the Coventry Rd Small Heath/ Hay Mills in the late 50s early 60s.
He thought it was put on show on open ground ( Possibly what is The Oakland Recreation Ground )
Does anyone have Photos/Memories of this ?

Yes I remember seeing this parked between bedders and the pub just the others side of river and I think you had to pay it was like a travelling show it was in the sixtys I am sure I was driving m/bike or car 1965/66/67/68

 

[Reddi]

I to remember seeing a whale on the back of a low loader being paraded around Birmingham. I think it was sometime during the 50s but could have been early 60s.

 

[Ivor]

Thanks to the people who commented.

 

[sospiri]

Ivor,

I've failed to find any press write-up for your particular whale, but apparently one was brought to Gloucester some years prior to 1948. And according to the musical Hello Dolly, a stuffed whale was one of the sights of New York at one time!

Maurice

 

[Lady Penelope]

I can't help thinking that it must have taken an awful lot of stuffing!

 

[dav19390]

If I remember correctly, the whale was preserved with chemicals and a chilling system. There was a very noisy generator parked alongside it that provided the power for the refrigeration unit. I think by the time it reached Birmingham it was past its sell-by date as it was distinctly smelly!

 

[enzothebaker]

I remember seeing ‘Jonah’ the giant whale on open display on a trailer at Perry Barr. It would have been about 1952/3 I think, and memory has it placed on open ground just about where the current shopping centre is – though it could have been at the dog/speedway track. After a bit of research I learned that originally there were three 70-ton finback whales caught in Norway. They were called ‘Jonah’, ‘Goliath’ and ‘Hercules’ and after being soused in gallons and gallons of Formaldehyde, were placed aboard especially made 76ft refrigerated lorries and exhibited (for cash!!) around Europe for the next 20 years! In April 1952 ‘Jonah’ arrived at Dagenham which was the only port with cranes able to handle the huge loaded trucks. After 20 years or so, ‘Goliath’ had disappeared somewhere in Italy; ‘Hercules’ finally decomposed in Spain and, wait for it because you couldn’t make it up, ‘Jonah’ still exists after being preserved in Belgium for the last 20 years and the last heard was being ‘restored’ – though for heaven knows what. Luckily, though I recall the event I cannot recall the smell!
(Acknowledgement to Guardian & BBC for info & pics)

 

[willey]

enzothebaker, I too remember the whale in Perry Barr. I think you are right with it being 1952/3. I went to see it and it was parked up on the cinder forecourt of the old greyhound track - the site now of the "One Stop" development. The smell of the Formaldehyde was very strong indeed. Thanks for the memory. Regards. willey

 

[Bob Davis]

I'll be naughty and go slightly off topic, but you might like to see how we treat whales in Devon. Everybody brought their own chips.

Bob