UK GALLOPER NEWS
SPRING 1999 UPDATE

A Visit to Brighton plus Two New Books

Rundles-built modern gallopers on Brighton Palace Pier
 

  The other machine is to be found on the seafront between the Palace Pier and the old West Pier. But, as is obvious from this photo, it was not open to the public at the time of my visit in late-April. In fact, on that day the organ in the ride was receiving attention from Mark Waltham, who is particularly known for his electronic control systems for playing fair organs without the need for an operator to feed in book music. This ride has recently been purchased by showman Owen Smith from David Corbin, who rebuilt the ride after its repurchase from the USA, minus its original horses. The ride dates from 1888 and was originally built by Allchins. David Corbin fitted it out with a set of quality fibreglass horses and cockerels to traditional carving designs and added a Dean-built organ plus a steam centre engine. The organ remains with the gallopers, but the engine was not included in the Smith’s purchase.

Above:  Owen Smiths gallopers (1888 origin),
but with apologies for being closed in this photo!

And Now Something Different - Brighton West Pier

  The West Pier started life in 1866 as a Victorian parading pier, where people would take the air and enjoy the view, whilst perhaps listening to a band playing on the pier.

Its role gradually changed into a pleasure pier with the addition of two main halls, one part way along and one at the outer end. This work was completed in 1920. It was a major steamer stopping point and excursions to France often took place. The pier evolved into an essentially funfair pier after World War Two. It was closed to the public in 1975 and since then it has come very close to being totally derelict. Now it has been saved by the award of a major Heritage Lottery Fund grant in 1998 and restoration has commenced. It is Britain’s only pier with a Grade One listed status. It is hoped to complete restoration by 2002.

West Pier Pavilion and former theatre at start of restoration, April 99

(Acknowledgements are due to Fred Gray for his book “Walking on Water” for some of the information given here)

A Palace on Wheels   Paul Braithwaite’s book on showmens living wagons, entitled “A Palace on Wheels” was launched on 8 May 1999. The launch took place in a traditional round stall (a hoopla stall) with media personality Libby Purves in attendance. John Carter was himself involved in writing some parts of the book and the launch booksigning session had all three personalities busy with their pens. Left:  John Carter (in foreground) and Paul Braithwaite at book signing

Pinkneys Green fair is the Carter family’s event of the year where the aim is to power all their rides by electricity generated from steam showmens engines, as well as using their own Galloper and Yacht steam-powered rides. On this occasion a major feature was the large number of traditional showmens living vans in attendance. Anna Carter’s recently restored Brayshaw-built wagon was there - readers can see several photos of this, as featured in the book, in the Spring 1999 UK Galloper web report.

Front page from the living van hardback book
 

The Travelling Cinematograph Show

“The Travelling Cinematograph Show” by English fairground historians Kevin Scrivens and Stephen Smith is a new and comprehensive book on this relatively overlooked subject. It covers the timespan from the first reported instances of moving pictures on the fairground in 1896 to the end of their era after the First World War, in a handsome black and white book of 180 pages. The social context is suitably covered in earlier chapters and the reasons for demise of this travelling entertainment form as fixed cinemas became established in towns throughout the country, often by entrepreneur showmen themselves, is documented. The book is well illustrated throughout.

Front cover of this softback book, ISBN 0 9535067 0 2

Three-quarters of the book is taken up by comprehensive descriptions of all the English operators with travelling bioscope shows. As is often the case with such treatments, these chapters can be seen as overfilled with historic fact and trivia, but one reader’s trivia can be another’s content of major interest, especially if related to the family involved.

Some editing down to allow the inclusion of a full index would further improve this worthwhile publication.
  

Manders Waxworks Show, opening also with
“Edison’s Electric Animated Pictures”
Hull Fair 1904 (courtesy of Stephen Smith)  

and This Way to the Book Shop »

Index of Brian's reports