Our Zoo

- Season 1

(2014)

In 1930 George Mottershead, still tormented by memories of the Great War, where his brother died, is collecting supplies from Liverpool docks for his father Albert's shop when he sees an abandoned monkey and parrot, which he brings home. He plans to sell Mortimer, the monkey, to a circus but instead ends up rescuing an elderly camel. Younger daughter June is thrilled by the menagerie in the backyard, other family members less so. Then George accidentally comes across the dilapidated Oakfield Manor in the village of Upton, which is up for auction. Encouraged by ...

George receives more animals for his zoo as well as rescuing a fox from a hunt led by vicar Aaron Webb. Muriel is befriended by Lady Katherine whilst Lucy is still negative about the move. Lizzie goes to the council to get a business licence and is overwhelmed by the paper-work involved but finally triumphs to George's delight. George himself rescues two bears from a cave in Matlock and, helped by brother-in-law Billy, brings them to the zoo. One of the bears is sick but the village doctor sees her and appears to be an ally . Webb on the other hand, whilst charming ...

Whilst the family nurses Eve the bear back to full health, Webb and shopkeeper Camilla Radler hold a community meeting with the intention of getting the zoo closed. George sees this as an opportunity to win over the opposition by pitching his vision of the zoo to them, but he is shouted down. He is, however, cheered when a journalist named Gascoigne from the "Chester Herald" comes to write an article on the zoo; but this too fails, as the visit is less than successful and the finished piece portrays George as inept and unrealistic. On the positive side Muriel, ...

Adam, the male bear, escapes and although George and Billy manage to retrieve him before he reaches the village, George is injured in June's sight and confined to bed. He knows he must finish the bears' enclosure but the bank will not supply any more funds. Fortunately he meets Lady Katherine's friend Lady Goodwin, an eccentric aristocrat who supports him and who stages a glamorous benefit evening at Selbourne Hall, hosted by Lady Katherine and to which Camilla Radler's postman son Archie escorts Muriel. The evening goes well until one of the guests accuses Katherine ...

Frankie, a council secretary dating Billy, shows George that Camilla Radler lied in order to get her petition signed to stop the zoo and he confronts her but, even with the money from the fund raising event, finances are at an all-time low and George has to sell Adam to Belle Vue zoo on the promise of retrieving him in better days. Following her disgrace Katherine is hiding away but on discovering that her nephew Aldous works for Sir Arthur Addison, the deputy minister of health, who approves planning permission appeals, George persuades her to go to London with him ...

The hearing to determine whether the zoo may operate results in some surprises, but does not settle the matter. The next day, the judge and public tour the zoo. Eventually, the verdict arrives in the post.