Sheffield retro: 10 pictures to bring back memories of trips to Riber Castle zoo

Built in the 1860s, Riber Castle was famous locally as a wildlife park after it was converted into Riber Castle Wildlife Park in the 1960s, and was a popular attraction for both school groups and families, groups heading there from Sheffield to see the birds and exotic mammals such as lynx on the site.

I visited, as part of a school trip from Sheffield, in 1979, taking home a rubber toy eagle bought from the gift shop, with elastic attached to its back so it would bounce up and down. I think it cost £1.

Plans were later drawn up to convert to landlark building, in North Derbyshire, into flats.

Our picture gallery shows the building in its days as a visitor attraction, showing the building and the animals that attracted schools from all over Sheffield.