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The Showmen’s Guild Of Great Britain
The principal object of the Showmen’s Guild is to protect the interests of its members - travelling showmen who gain their livelihoods by attending funfairs. It does this in two ways: by its code of rules for members and through the legal and constitutional processes of the land.
The Guild’s rule book ensures that all members have equal status within the Guild, regardless of the scope of their operations as individual businessmen. The rules, which are enforced by the Guilds own disciplinary tribunals, cover such matters as the orderly running of fairs and the conduct of members both on and off the fairgrounds.
The administration and operation of the Guild is democratically determined by its 4,700 members. (the actual total of persons involved in the business is considerably higher as the membership lists only heads of families.) Forming the base of the Guild’s structure is a system of ten regional Sections covering the whole of Great Britain.
Each Section is run by a committee of members, elected annually by secret ballot. The ten Sections have their own offices, each managed by a paid staff of officials. Four members from each Section committee are appointed to serve on the Central Council, the national governing body of the Guild. In addition to the Section delegates, the Central Council includes the six Officials of the Guild and all Past Presidents.
The Guild requires all members owning rides to submit their equipment each year for thorough examination. This annual inspection scheme is carried out by engineering inspection bodies who are accredited and registered. The scope of the inspection is comprehensive and can involve, in the case of certain components, non-destructive testing. If the examination proves satisfactory, the inspecting engineer issues a pass certificate of inspection and a small circular sticker confirming the ride is safe to operate. Should a ride fail the test, the engineer issues a stop order with immediate effect. This bans the operation of the ride until it can pass a further inspection.
The provision of winter quarters and the loss of fairgrounds are of constant concern to the Guild. When the travelling season is over, the showman needs a permanent base where he and his family can spend the winter months. Ideally it should be within the reach of schools and shops, and be large enough to enable him to carry out the vital maintenance work on his equipment.
Equally important is the safeguarding of fairgrounds. Redevelopment schemes have taken their toll of sites, particularly in town centres where fairs have been held for centuries. Their loss, especially where no alternative is offered, is unfortunate in several respects: the town loses part of its heritage, local people are denied the continuing opportunity of an essentially popular form of entertainment and the showman loses part of his livelihood.
In environmental terms, fairgrounds merit the same attention as conservation areas or public amenities such as open spaces. They represent an important element in the history of towns throughout the land as well as providing a unique and valuable form of recreation.
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