Old Fairgrounds and Circuses

[Grappler]

oaks park............think it was lings fair. Or was it farrars fair?.

 

Yes it was, always reminds me of Summer in the 1970's!

[Glennis]

http://www.nfa.dept.shef.ac.uk/index.html

 

Some of you might be interested in this link

[okismoki]

also deans bruva there kenny,nigel fauvel 2 his parents ownd the royal across from the dog track

 

Yeh,old Shirley.....she always did afterbird,usually had Russell T Bird on ,mostly on a Saturday night.....

[fletchocs]

Yeh,old Shirley.....she always did afterbird,usually had Russell T Bird on ,mostly on a Saturday night.....

 

yeh that em.. me,der,ant,dean,kenny.frogy who worked for pat phillips,brian & jon sylvester from terrences,all used to go in evry night when fair shut..did u work gaff or just go in pub?

[okismoki]

I Knocked about with Der,Kenny and Dean......I must know you then...Paul(worked for Sam Ashcroft) was my best mate.I had an old MKII Escort,although I didn`t work the Gaff,I was always there .

[alantalbot]

I have not read all the replies to this thread so my apologies if the two following sites have already been mentioned. Before the war a large strip of land, on the left, looking down, as you walked up the LNER Station Approach had stood empty for many years. During the war, steel output intensified and the land was used to store ingots (I seem to recall those working in the steel rolling mills referred to them as billets?) approx.six feet long and four to six inches square. Morale was almost as important as steel production so each Christmas the land was cleared to make way for a Christmas fair.

 

There was a similar parcel of land by the side of the railway, on the left-hand side of Staniforth Road. The railway passed under a bridge across Staniforth Road, where twice a year before the war the land’s only purpose seemed to have been to herald the arrival of John Farrar’s Fair. For a while my father was a steam traction engine driver, and albeit this was before my fifth birthday, to follow the entire fair (the big rides went to their pitches first, and vice versa on leaving) it was quite something to follow its trail along Attercliffe Common then, aided by a traffic-duty constable, swing the locomotive, plus three purpose-built, all-wood living trailers and occasionally one small caravan almost to the opposite pavement before making the single arc that would clear all obstacles to arrive on the correct side of Staniforth Road.

 

I seem to recall it was achieved to rapturous applause from an appreciative audience who followed the first traction engine to its final destination, and did so for nothing more than to witness the mind-bending event all over again, with but one slight difference. On that second occasion, to a much larger crowd the driver, usually a Scot by the first name of Peter, was required to swing again to the opposite side of the road, then turn sharply to the left to pass, with only inches to spare, through the space left by an open five-barred gate!

 

Bear in mind that those were the days with no television and no local radio. The Sheffield Star always carried a picture of the event, but it was a ‘still’ and was no match for the real thing.

 

I have not mentioned that my father drove a traction engine for John Farrar during the early to mid-1930s. Later in life when he lived in a caravan the only ornament to grace its few shelves was a scale model of a similar class of traction engine. The only other thing worth a mention is that I was named Peter in remembrance of that show-stopping Scot whose well-polished steam locomotive shone like a new pin.

 

I could tell many stories about Peter, but on another day or another thread, perhaps. I am almost sure (although I know it is impossible) that Peter and his employer’s traction engine deserved each other. On the one hand he kept her looking good and standing out in a crowd. On the other hand, when he needed extra power, like a diesel engine she gave it to him …*again … and again … and again.

 

Hi Peter,

I remember a fair on the "fairground" station approche jus after the war I believe it then moved to Pond street, other big fairs where "The brick field, Staniforth road and one at Brightside.

[Nigel Womersle]

There used to be one in Ecclesfield, alongside the old chip shop and cobblers.

 

That was North's Funfair. Only a small one as it was on the car park of the Ball Inn. Small or not, it was magic. Alterations at the Ball Inn prevented it from coming. Happy Memories. Also Lings Funfair in Mill Road. That fair was large.

[escort1]

North's are still arround, the Dodgems belonging to Arthur North jnr are at Endcliffe Park at the moment.

[alba]

Norths used to come to HANDSWORTH first on club field then moved to the horses field at the side of parkway then they moved to handsworth recreation ground we used to help them put it up mainly the waltzer run by Robert who married a north

[hobinfoot]

I remember going to the Farm grounds with my Grandad in the early 60s. There was a Circus on the Wicker goods yards in the late 60s that let my friends and I visit the Animals I fetched my uncle a sack of elephant dung for his roses he said it was the best he'd had. I think the circus was the Bottom Brothers.