Letter from G S Mottershead requesting a licence for extended lands to an area not exceeding 70 acres. Licence certificate officially signed by Board of Trade and an unsigned copy.

Agreement between George S Mottershead and Chester Zoological Society dated 15th April 1932

This is the handbook for the Chester Zoological Society displaying the trustees, honorary secretary and honourable curator George S Mottershead. It's cost is sixpence. It displays the objectives and rules of the society. It displays the admission price to the Chester Zoological Gardens, Adults cost one shilling, children cost sixpence. It displays car routes to get to Chester Zoo as well as bus timetables. There is a description of what is in the gardens. There is a guide to the exhibits including feeding times. There is an article on parrot management and notes on budgerigars. There are black and white photos throughout the booklet with views of Oakfield, the stables, the library inside Oakfield, the dining room inside Oakfield used as a cafe, Flamingo, Civet, 'Mary' the chimpanzee, Tapir, Pelican, Griffon Vulture, Stork, Cassowary and Goats

Company registration document (Companies Act 1929) dated 19th June 1934 for North of England Zoological Society Ltd detailing the seven 'Directors or managers' of the society. The declaration is signed by George saul Mottershead, secretary.
The directors were
George Saul Mottershead, Geraldine Mary Russell Allen, Gerald Turner Isles, Richard Arthur Blair Young, Evelyn MAry Mercer Young, Isobel Johnson, Albert Ramsbottom.

Copy of letter to W.M. Steele, Solicitor, acting for Dr English from Whiteley and Bevan, Solicitors, acting for Mr George Mottershead discussing final negotiations regarding the allotment of shares and other terms for the Oakfield Zoological gardens.

Attendance register for the council of The North of England Zoological Society Limited for meetings between 19th November 1934 and 1st July February 1950 and for The North of England Zoological Society from 2nd September 1950 to 9th February 1952. Each page of the book shows the signatures of those attended a particular meeting.

2 First Mortgage Debentures, nos 95 and 96, in the name of Albert Ramsbottom dated 28th June 1935 both for a value of £25
7 Second Mortgage Debentures all dated 6th January 1936 in the names of the following people: No 17, Corporation of Chester, for £26 12s 3d, No 26, Samuel Yates for £4 11s 9d, No 27, W H Wilson for £21 1s 9d, No 32, H Whitlow for £1 6s 0d, No 37 for £15, No 52, Jolliffe, Hope & Wickham for £14 5s 2d, No 53, E Rees for £5. All of these had been cashed in in January 1947 and have receipts for payment on the last page of the debentures.

Letter, May 1934 from The North of England Zoological Society Ltd to Customs and Excise applying for entertainment tax to not apply to the entry cost to the zoo. Letter in reply, June 1934, from Customs and excise admission prices to the zoo will be exempt from the tax.
Certificate indicating that a country fair at the zoo would be free of entertainment duty, dated 23rd May 1936.

2 insurance documents for the period 1934 to 1935. 1 renewal policy for 1965 and 1 public liability policy dated October 1952.
Summary of Insurance Document from 1967, A policy schedule for contingent third party liability policy dated 1966 to 1967.

Land search document, dated July 1931, for a parcel of land, .940 acres, that adjoins Oakfield.

Legal copies of legal charges(Mortgages) taken out on Oakfield. One dated 27 November 1930 between GS Mottershead and Messrs CP Smith and J Eustace Jones for £2300, another, dated, 28th March 1931 between GS Mottershead and Richard Stanley Wood for £350.
Legal charge(Mortgage) document dated 8th July 1931 between GS Mottershead and Barclays bank Ltd signed on 29th June 1931 with acknowledgement of payback of £100 dated 27th September 1934.

Letter, dated 26th January 1931, from the town clerk from City of Chester to JG Lightfoot informing him that the inquiry by the inspector of the ministry will take place in the town hall on February 6th 1931

Letter, dated 12th May 1931, from the Town Clerk, City of Chester Council to Messrs Whiteley & Bevan informing them that the Ministry of Health did not want to add any further conditions to the planning decision and that their client could now proceed with the development outlined in the letter of the 12th March 1931.

Letter from GS Mottershead to the Ministry of Health, dated February 8th 1931, detailing a list of animals that GS Mottershead would be happy to draw from. His principal collection would be birds.

Letter, dated 19th May 1931, from Messrs & Bevan to Mr G S Mottershead informing him that the Ministry of Health had given formal effect to the Ministry of Health's decision regarding the planning matter regarding Oakfield and enclosing a copy of the Instrument and other copies of letters detailed already in CZ-LEG-2-11.

Letter, dated 21st January 1931, from the Ministry of Health to Messrs Whitely and Bevan regarding the appeal against the refusal of City of Chester Council to allow the Oakfield to open as an Aviary and Zoological gardens. The date of the inquiry being 6th February 1931. It details how the inquiry should be advertised to owners of neighbouring land.

Letters detailing the results of the inquiry by the ministry of health inspector with his reasoning why he is allowing the application to proceed with the conditions that need to be complied with.

Copy of letter, dated 1sy May 1931, from the Town Clerk of City of Chester Council to Ministry of Health asking for a further condition be applied to the planning permission given by the Ministry of Health for the Aviary and zoological Gardens at Oakfield. Letter, dated 11th May, from Ministry of Health to the Town Clerk of the City of Chester Council informing that the Minister is not justified in adding the extra condition, an instrument will be sent to the council asap. Letter, dated 18th May 1931, from the Ministry of Health to Messrs Whiteley & Bevan informing them of the decision by enclosing the letters above.

Memorandum and Articles of Association for Oakfield Zoological, Gardens (Shavington) Limited Registered 27th Day of May 1930

Minutes of Chester Zoological Gardens, dated from 26th November 1933 to 14th march 1934. This was dealing with the initial proposal of forming the The North of England Zoological Society. This proposal was abandoned in the final meeting of 14th March 1934.
Separate copy of the minutes of the meeting held on 28th December 1933

Minute book of The North of England Zoological Society Limited from the first meeting 12th June 1934(page 1) to a meeting held on 1st July 1950(page 271), when new articles of association were adopted.

Includes photos of George Mottershead, Robert McCann, grandson of George Mottershead, Joy Mottershead, Muriel Mottershead, June Mottershead, Fred Williams.
There is a folder of mixed colour and black and white photographs with titles and descriptive texts that were used as a display at the wake of Fred Williams held in Oakfield House in January 2012. These are all laminated.

1 letter, dated 1982, from Walker, Smith and Way, solicitors, returning share certificates to Mrs Williams. 5 share certificates for Chester Zoological gardens Ltd. They are no31, no32 and no33 all for 500 shares and no34 and no35 for 250 shares each. All in the name of George Saul Mottershead.

Receipt, dated 4 August 1931, for a total of £96 9s 11d in settlement of costs and out of pocket expenses carried out by Whitely & Bevan for G S Mottershead.

Record of communications conducted by Whiteley and Bevan in regards the partnership with Dr English from August 1929 to July 1930 includes invoice and acknowledgement of payment from George Mottershead.

Register of first and second mortgage debentures relating to Oakfield and freehold land buildings.
1 written loose page indicating debenture holders and interest paid from 26th March 1937 to 1st December 1946

Solicitor letter sent from Booth, Dutton and Whittaker to Messrs Whittingham and Son. The subject of the letter is the formation of the North of England Zoological Society Ltd from Chester Zoological Gardens Ltd and the question of title which they Mr Mottershead would be able to supply

Summary conveyancing accounts from Messrs Whiteley and Bevan, Solicitors, for purchase of Oakfield by Mr George Mottershead

Stock transfer forms dated 1936, 1937 and 1939

5 pages summarising the legal work of Whiteley & Bevan, solicitors, conducted in the purchase of Oakfield between August 1930 and November 1930. They detail the costs which overall were £40 16s 6d