Clearing some old photos out, I came across the one pictured below which was the first side stall I had built on a vehicle. In this case a Ford Cargo seven and a half tonner, which gave sterling service for about 6 years before finally expiring with a bang on its very last journey. A con rod came through the side of the engine on the A1 about 3 miles from our depot. At the time I had lost my mobile phone and had to walk a mile to the nearest call box to ask my Father in Law to tow me in. On the way back to the vehicle I stopped and picked up the offending con rod from out of the middle of the carriageway.
I remember 2 incidents associated with this particular stall. The first was whilst I was in the middle of constructing it. At the time the stalls in the UK hadn't begun to take on the continental format of being built on trailers or lorries and being built big. Most stalls were still constructed from wood and stood about 7 feet tall. I designed and built this stall and it stood about 16 feet tall at its highest point. Whilst I was stood back looking at the height and planning the lighting system, another showman, an old timer, came sauntering up and casually remarked, "have you got your feet and inches mixed up son, that's far too tall for what its supposed to be".
Well, within about three years, that particular stall went from being the biggest on most grounds to being distinctly average, with some 40ft long, 22 feet high examples appearing at the major fairs.
The second incident happened at the Leeds Asian Mela which was held in Roundhay Park. A member of the Showmen's Guild committee walked up as I was erecting the stall and told me that he wanted the artwork covering up. If you look at it you can just see that it contains scenes from the history of the Special Air Services Regiment. This gentleman claimed that the Asians at the event would be offended by it, jso it seems that political correctness isn't really a modern invention. Anyway I refused point black to cover it up and he said "On your head be it". In the event, not a single asian visitor mentioned the artwork, so it just goes to show that it's actually the liberal busybodies that are creating most of the tension in this country and everyone would be happier if we were left alone a little bit more just to get on with life.
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I remember 2 incidents associated with this particular stall. The first was whilst I was in the middle of constructing it. At the time the stalls in the UK hadn't begun to take on the continental format of being built on trailers or lorries and being built big. Most stalls were still constructed from wood and stood about 7 feet tall. I designed and built this stall and it stood about 16 feet tall at its highest point. Whilst I was stood back looking at the height and planning the lighting system, another showman, an old timer, came sauntering up and casually remarked, "have you got your feet and inches mixed up son, that's far too tall for what its supposed to be".
Well, within about three years, that particular stall went from being the biggest on most grounds to being distinctly average, with some 40ft long, 22 feet high examples appearing at the major fairs.
The second incident happened at the Leeds Asian Mela which was held in Roundhay Park. A member of the Showmen's Guild committee walked up as I was erecting the stall and told me that he wanted the artwork covering up. If you look at it you can just see that it contains scenes from the history of the Special Air Services Regiment. This gentleman claimed that the Asians at the event would be offended by it, jso it seems that political correctness isn't really a modern invention. Anyway I refused point black to cover it up and he said "On your head be it". In the event, not a single asian visitor mentioned the artwork, so it just goes to show that it's actually the liberal busybodies that are creating most of the tension in this country and everyone would be happier if we were left alone a little bit more just to get on with life.
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