The man who could paint anything The Sid Howell story Fairground art is rarely given a second thought, yet most people encounter it more often than, say, a work by Monet. Fairground artists are just ordinary people who never become household names, yet like any art form there are those […]
Mixing it with the big boys A brief history of the R.J. Lakin company What was the true golden age of British fairground? Ask some experts and you’ll be told things have never been as good as they are today, ask someone else and you’ll be told the effect of […]
Burton’s Finest Factory of Fun A brief history of Orton and Spooner These days there are not that many companies in the fairground game that manufacture rides and shows – and those how do are not exactly household names. But there is one company that is just as famous now […]
The oldest swinger in town Sailing away and not a drop of water in sight Everyone with the remotest interest in fairground these days would know the name Harry Lee. And whenever that name is uttered it is always in relation to Steam Yachts. Harry Lee’s name will always be […]
A bit of a Grey area Will the real Fred Gray please reveal himself! Family research can be hard work, the truth difficult to find. Dark alleys, wild goose chases and the dreaded Deed Poll are all part of the game. Fairground historian Steve Smith digs as deep as ever […]
Ain’t nobody here but us chickens Tale of a fairground legend Until the 1960s Chicken Joe was a legend in the North of England. Mention his stall in places like Hull, Leeds or Newcastle and people would tell you about the brown paper carrier bags of groceries topped with a […]
King of the Jungle The Albert Howell Story Sid Howell is recognised as one of the great fairground artists, but where did all that creative talent come from? His dad Albert, of course! Albert Howell was born in Bristol in 1877 and was educated at the St. James Boys School. […]