banjo48 928 Posted February 1, 2013 Report Share Posted February 1, 2013 Remember going into one of those freak type sideshows, as a kid, and seeing a man with no arms at all (probably thalidomide victim) anyway he did his little act which involved doing lots of things with his feet ! amazing really how the human body can cope with such a disability. He could thread a needle, play a piano and lots more. Another of my favourites was the boxing boothe's, where the local lads gave it a go with the hardened bruisers that were earning a living on the fair. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted February 1, 2013 Report Share Posted February 1, 2013 "Thalidomide" you say? Those people were born in 1961... I remember going to a fakir show mid 60s. He laid out a sheet which contained broken glass and started stamping on it. I was leaning on the edge of the small stage and he stamped so hard that a piece of glass shot out and hit my arm. I put my arm over it and put it in my pocket. Later examination it was a multifaceted piece of green glass all edges were blunt, probably heat treated? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
piggy and babs 544 Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 in the sixties some of the girls from white hart worked on the stalls and side shows my mate barb ran a darts stall got a few good prizes of there another one was the snake girl, some of the lads took us in there because they had heared it was one of whitehart girlsi did not want to go in as i have never liked snakes was very glad when i got in to find a glass or plastic cover all the way round and i must say i breathed a sigh of releaf sat in the middle ver skantily clad said girl srrounded by snakes of all sizes and around her neck was a snake of about 7 ft long i can tell you i was out of there as quick as i could be. and of course on noel st side was the wall off death got to know some of the guys and girls who worked this as it was next to red cross lost childrens hut that i often volunteered to help on . one day on e of the guys came off durring his act and although he was not seriously hurt he was covered from head to toe in spinters, as the first aid hut was on the other side of the fairhe was brought in to us we took out as many splinters as we could but still had to send him by ambulance to the old general hostpital to get the deeper ones removed course after that we got in free to see the wall of death show when ever we wanted. another vivid memory of my red cross duties at the fair was a 3 year old girl going missing we search round the fairground till the early hours looking for her with the police but never did find her or ever find out what happened to her as it was a saturday night, but can only think she must have been founf safe and well as never saw or heard anything in paper or on the radio about her.. well going to sleep now more memories later. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beachbum 68 Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 We used to go and see the fat tattooed lady, now I just walk down Mabo High St, especially in the summer, theres lots of them. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tomlinson 879 Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 There used to be a flea circus and before the fair began, an item would appear in the personal column of the Evening Post reporting that the leading lady flea had escaped, last seen wearing a fur coat and high heeled shoes. Anyone seeing the same please ---- etc. etc. Occasionally, newspaper lads would turn up selling 'Billy's Weekly Liar' in which there were reports of dead skeletons found under Blackpool tower and so on. Happy, interesting days! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fynger 841 Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 Dead Skeletons ???....as opposed to...??? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tomlinson 879 Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 Dead Skeletons ???....as opposed to...??? You'd have to ask 'Billy's Weekly Liar' about that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Michael Booth 7,364 Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 The 'live skeletons' are to be found on the catwalk at fashion shows. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Braddy 160 Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 The giant Scotsman in his kilt who was tall and shook your hand, yes with his massive HAND and that's was it, in one door and out the other easy money. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 Ah , George the 'Gentle Giant' "He isn't half a man" etc.. I took our dog in the flea circus once , and it stole the show ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 George Gracie- The tallest man of Scotland Gentle Giant Quote Link to post Share on other sites
annswabey 599 Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 Oh I recognise George, the tallest man! The snake girl was promoted as being very exotic but when I saw her she was sitting there scoffing a Hot Dog! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NewBasfordlad 3,599 Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 It lost some of its character with the passing of the steam traction engines. I remember them with what seemed like huge generators strapped over the boiler. Never quite the same without the smell of coal and steam. Colin 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
banjo48 928 Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 We used to go and see the fat tattooed lady, now I just walk down Mabo High St, especially in the summer, theres lots of them. Just love it ! There's a lot here in oz too ! My assumption of the armless man being a Thalidomide victim was just that ! he must just have been born without arms. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pixie 162 Posted February 4, 2013 Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 Not much on here about Goose Fair,...... any photo's I wonder. ???? Candy Floss and Toffee Apples............. ....Mushy pea's, brandy snaps, helium balloons wafting in yer face, Hot dogs, 'Rat burgers', The gypsy's offering readings on the stretch just outside of the fair, the little model of goosefair in the library oposite. Cant wait to take my little girl this year, i think as she'll be 2 by then she may enjoy it Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paulus 541 Posted February 4, 2013 Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 Well done Pixie, they're the positive things to remember, and don't cost owt either!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pixie 162 Posted February 4, 2013 Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 Thats just the things that spring to mind when someone mentions goosefair. I dont go on any of the rides, i dont feel that their safe, i know their possibley 100% safe but the fact their taken down and put back up so many times make me feel uneasy. Im sure me and paige can have ago on huck a duck and have a ride on the tea pots when we go Quote Link to post Share on other sites
piggy and babs 544 Posted February 4, 2013 Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 you are right rides much safer now than in the 60s always loved the fair goose fair and the wakes all over before and after. used to love the waltsers and speedway dodgems ect but my worst memory of the goose fair 1967 went down with all the crowd from whitehart at the end of the night they desided to go on the old swing baskets for those too young to remember a bit like swing bouts today but no safety rails to hold you in .just a big rope net round the sides and the back a bit that pulled back in the middle at one side were the steps were to let you get in no hight restrictions either for those who have not met me i am only about 4ft 11 inch tall , but because every one else going on so did i got into the seat next to back row five or six of the bigger guys behind us including piggy big mick ive and half crown bob all using the net to hold on with in the rows in front you had to hang on to back of seats and wedge your feet on the floor, every thing was ok untill it started to go up really high and i could not reach the floor so started to fall forwards and would have endded up the other side of the basket and possible have been killed but some how the guys behind me managed to grab hold of me pull me back over the seat and wedged me in between them. by the time the ride stoped i way in tears and trembling like hell i was never to go on that ride again. at that time i had been out with dave a few times but not a serious relation ship seeing how bad i was he decided to take me on the catterpiller to get me away from every one and give me time to calm down a bit by the time we got off 3 rides later i was much calmer and had stopped crying and that was the real start of our relationhip growing and the rest as they say is history 45 years later and we still together. i always say if they had not grabed hol of me i would not have been hear to tell the tale 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,458 Posted September 24, 2013 Report Share Posted September 24, 2013 Came across this, which, according to the date on it, my dad took at Goose Fair 1964. It's a completely random shot; all the people are strangers who just happened to be there at the time. There's a remote chance someone might recognise themselves from 49 years ago. Another sign of getting old; Goose Fair in the past always seemed better than it is now. 5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pixie 162 Posted September 24, 2013 Report Share Posted September 24, 2013 Not long before its back! I llove the atmosphere and smells. My partner was mugged there a few years back and now refuses to go because of all the 'chavs' who cause trouble there. But he's agreed to take little one with me during the day can't wait, she'll love it! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
carni 10,094 Posted September 24, 2013 Report Share Posted September 24, 2013 #38 Babs Did you have a snog when that cover came over on the Caterpillar, I did, well i thought that's what it was for? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bilbraborn 1,594 Posted September 24, 2013 Report Share Posted September 24, 2013 We used to take girls on the Waltzer so that they would hold on to us in fear. Happy days. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pixie 162 Posted September 24, 2013 Report Share Posted September 24, 2013 Not sure what paige will go on. She's only 2. Possibly a game of hook a duck, a merry go round, treat her to some doughnuts.... I haven't been in about 5 years! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted September 24, 2013 Report Share Posted September 24, 2013 The 'Dive Bomber' was a killer. Especially if you were passing... coins would fall out of peoples pockets. The old penny came keen on the back of your head! I have some slides taken at GF around 1977. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bilbraborn 1,594 Posted September 24, 2013 Report Share Posted September 24, 2013 Can anyone remember the big swinging baskets. You weren't strapped to anything. You just held on to the sides like grim death. I used to love the side shows and look at the worlds smallest man and the like. My son used to like the cranes that pick up money. He is very good at it but they chucked him out because he kept winning. His daughter is also good at it but she is frightened of getting the same treatment. My wife and I go and just soak up the atmosphere these days. It is too expensive. We might just have some doughnuts. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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