WELCOME! |
| Homepage |
| For Your Pleasure |
| FHT Site |
| FHT Pages |
| Photo Galleries |
| Links Page |
| Guestbook |
| Contact us |
|
The Fairground Heritage Trust is the UK's only organisation preserving items from our rich Fairground history. Click on the image to make an online donation. Note that the donation process uses Paypal - and you may cancel your donation at anytime. |
DINGLES – FAIRGROUND EXHIBITS 2005 - PAGE I
Dingles Steam Village is just off the A30 between Okehampton and Launceston - look for the brown tourist signs. Opening times for 2005 are Monday to Thursday from 23 May - 29 September, 10.30 - 17.30 (last entry 16.00). Don't forget the FAIR ORGAN and OPEN WEEKEND 21-22 May and the FAIRGROUND WEEKEND 24-25 September, both with lots of extra attractions. For further information, call the Dingles hotline on 01566 783425 or e-mail richard@dinglesteam.co.uk
| The rearrangement of exhibits this year is largely centred around the return of the many items which were on loan the the highly successful Pleasurelands exhibition. The largest NEW exhibit is the front from Billy Wood's Boxing Show, seen here, right and below. |
 |
||||
 |
 |
||||
 |
The Boxing Show is one of the many items from the Fairground Heritage Trust collection, now based at Dingles. The Trust acquired the showfront from the Wood family in 1994. The show dates from 1926. The complete showfront is 40' wide; only 30' can be seen at present, although it is anticipated that the missing 10' section will be in place later this year. The photo (left) shows the show in its travelling days, at Nottingham Goose Fair, 1959. | ||||
| One of the most popular features introduced last season was the Vintage Arcade, made and travelled by the late Walter Percival, and loaned by his son Edward, who was also responsible for the decor. The arcade has been used to house a selection of vintage slot machines, as well as some other items from the Dingles and FHT collections. These include a rare Edwin Hall Muffin childrens ride, on loan from John Harrison and examples of both Orton & Spooner and Lakin Dragon Chariots. |  |
||||
 |
Within the arcade are some outstanding carved Orton & Spooner panels from the Fairground Heritage Trust collection - see left and below - from the William Taylor Bioscope Show, used later by R Edwards of Swindon as a paybox in their Gallopers, and stored since the 1930's. |
||||
 |
 |
||||
| Making a welcome return this year are the front boards from Sam Crow's Lakin Dodgems. These have been missing from the collection at Dingles for the past two years, as they were with Tate Decor undergoing extensive conservation work prior to their appearance at Pleasurelands. They are now safely back on display in their original place. |  |
||||
 |
 |
||||
 |
Also back at Dingles is the superb Fish Spinner of Russell Cook's, again house in a vintage round stall from the John Harrison collection, complete with appropriate Gag Cards painted by Hancocks of Bristol. Also on display in the stall is an Orton & Spooner Ark paybox, newly acquired this winter, and a selection of Ark mounts (below right). | ||||
 |
 |
||||
| A popular item amongst a large collection loaned to Dingles by former Westcountry showman John Harrison is the superb Ben Hur Chariot Racer spinner centre, seen right. Built by Lakins in the 1920’s, it was last travelled in the mid 1960’s, since when it has remained packed away. This year it can be seen in its original stall with period Hall & Fowle decor. The stall also features its original gag cards (below), painted for former Lakin's decorator George Hancock after he had set up his own business in his native city of Bristol. |  |
||||
|
|
 |
||||
