Sir Garrard Tyrwhitt-Drake

Sir Garrard Tyrwhitt-Drake (1881-1964)

Garrard was born in Maidstone on 22 May 1881, the only child of Hugh William Tyrwhitt-Drake and his wife Anne Hopper. He was educated at Charterhouse School and married Edna Mary Vine in 1925.  Sent to Argentina at 18, he spent a year on a cattle ranch and returned with his first wild animal, a puma. On his return, he joined his father’s firm, Style and Winch, eventually becoming the wine and spirits buyer. He spent his spare time building up his collection of animals and working with travelling circuses.

Sir Garrard lived at Cobtree Manor where he used part of the estate to house his private zoo - the largest in the country. His magnificent collection included lions, tigers, bears and elephants.  He opened Maidstone Zoo at Cobtree between 1934 and 1954 where the public were invited to see his  wild and rare animals and travel round the Park on a light gauge railway.

Sir Garrard was first elected to Maidstone Borough Council in 1912. Between 1915 and 1949 he was Mayor of Maidstone 12 times, High Sheriff of Kent 1956–1957 and served as a County Councillor from 1933–1937. His enormous contribution to the Borough of Maidstone was recognised by Sir Garrard being made a Freeman of The Borough. He was knighted in 1936 in recognition of his public service and charitable work.

He also began collecting carriages after realising that the horse-drawn vehicles of his childhood were being driven off the road by the rise in popularity of the motor car. His energy and enthusiasm led to the establishment of the Carriage Museum that bears his name, which opened in 1946.

A popular, striking man with a genuine interest in the people of Maidstone, Sir Garrard used to ride a horse at the head of the annual Maidstone Carnival procession, used his own horses and carriages for civic events and was a familiar figure around town driving in his yellow Rolls Royce. Maidstone’s most generous benefactor, as well as the Cobtree Estate, he also gave to Maidstone, The Old College Buildings in College Road, land at Ringlestone Estate, Carriages for the Museum and many silver pieces including the Chain of Office for the Deputy Mayor. Sir Garrard was undoubtedly a major benefactor to the town, as he also donated the buildings of the College of All Saints in 1950.

Having no children, he and his wife Lady Edna set up the Cobtree Charity Trust to secure the future of the estate. The estate has since become home to Cobtree Manor Park, Cobtree Golf Course, the headquarters of Kent Wildlife Trust (Tyland Barn) and Kent Life museum. The Cobtree Charity Trust owns the freehold interest in the estate, whilst the park is managed as a public open space by the Cobtree Manor Estate Trust in partnership with Maidstone Borough Council. 

Find out more about the History of Cobtree Manor Park