Old fun fair ground on farmroad/granville road

[Fareast]

Nigel W.

 

I think the fair at Norfolk Park used to be, normally, the last week in July and the first week in August. However, for reasons unknown [to me] they sometimes stayed on an extra week.

 

I worked there for about 3 weeks as a teenager in 1958 and remember the terrific atmosphere that many people have referred to on this thread.I was a real fairground addict in those days and couldn't keep away from them.

 

Attached to the fair was a sort of Sheffield Show, which, I think, mainly operated in the afternoons and early evenings.[ I remember the High Diver, well ! ] The fairground went on until about 10 p.m.-10.30 p.m

 

I would guess that a lot of stuff we used to enjoy at fairgrounds and which added a bit of spice to life [ the boxing, the striptease, the strange exhibitions ] have disappeared under the dead hand of the Health & Safety Exec. Plus, I guess so many people like to sit watching " t' telly " that fairgrounds are a bit of a risk, these days, financially

[Nigel Womersle]

Nigel W.

 

I think the fair at Norfolk Park used to be, normally, the last week in July and the first week in August. However, for reasons unknown [to me] they sometimes stayed on an extra week.

 

I worked there for about 3 weeks as a teenager in 1958 and remember the terrific atmosphere that many people have referred to on this thread.I was a real fairground addict in those days and couldn't keep away from them.

 

Attached to the fair was a sort of Sheffield Show, which, I think, mainly operated in the afternoons and early evenings.[ I remember the High Diver, well ! ] The fairground went on until about 10 p.m.-10.30 p.m

 

I would guess that a lot of stuff we used to enjoy at fairgrounds and which added a bit of spice to life [ the boxing, the striptease, the strange exhibitions ] have disappeared under the dead hand of the Health & Safety Exec. Plus, I guess so many people like to sit watching " t' telly " that fairgrounds are a bit of a risk, these days, financially

 

Thanks for that Fareast. You are right, the atmosphere was brilliant. They would have finished coming to Johnson Lane, Ecclesfield, in the mid fifties, as Barworth Steels had been built on the site. However, they came again when the Farm Grounds had been built on. This would be around 1963/64. This time they came to Mill Road and stayed three weeks. I remember a man who had a Bingo stall - his first name was Joby - his surname could have been Cantrell but I can't swear to it. I saw him years later, still on the Bingo stall, but at Skipsea near Bridlington. I also remember Mrs Ling. They were nice people. A fantastic British institution, now fast disappearing.

[blades2007]

yes lot of fairgrounds in sheffield were lost to development my grandad always talks about the fair at grimesthorpe

[Springslass]

As a teen in the 60s I recall going to Sheffield Gala on Granville Road.

Didn`t they have fireworks display Sat night....

[lazyherbert]

Can you remember the fair that was beside the Victoria station approach?

[Springslass]

No but I do recall there was one besides Midland Station.

I remember I was very cold so not sure what time of year it was.

[handypandy]

I remember it being called the Sheffield Gala. Mom and Dad would take us in the late 50's or early 60's. I recall a steep bank to one side where we'd sit and eat our picnic. One of the sideshows was an escapologist called Alan Alan. He'd be hoisted by rope on a crane, upside down in a straight jacket. The rope was set alight. Of course he would always make it safely back to terra firma. I was always under the impression that the Gala was the precursor to the Sheffield Show.

[danradclife0]

http://www.nfa.dept.shef.ac.uk/ go on there and look for sheffield

[Jemima B.]

|The fair at the Farm Grounds used to be on (I think the last week in July and the First week in August) these were the works holiday weeks. In the summer of 1955 I got a job there working with Adsetts who used to have the ice-cream and food stalls there. I was 14 at the time,it is also where I met my husband,he was also working there, having just left school and not yet started his new job. Four years later we were married and living in Dorset, now we live in Australia.