Transcript A Brief History of Loughborough Fair

A Brief History of
Loughborough Fair
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Markets & Fairs Staff
Head of Service
Sylvia Wright
Markets & Fairs
Manager
Mr Michael Bird
Markets & Fairs
Assistant
Jean Revell
Town Centre
Operations Assistant
Mr Jonathan Smith
Operations
Supervisor
Mr Steve Reeve
Several Casual
Market Operations
staff
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A Brief introduction to Loughborough Fair
Traditionally the ending to the travelling season, Loughborough has a special place
in the hearts of the travelling show people. Loughborough commences on the
second Thursday of November, dating back to a charter granted by Henry III in
1228. The fair was traditionally held on the Market Square, but now covers most of
the town with showmen occupying major streets and spaces.
According to The World's Fair reporter writing in 1949: "The People of
Loughborough are very proud of their ancient Fair, dating back to the thirteenth
century and held in the streets and squares of the town."
Over the past seven centuries the relationship between the local people and the
November fair has survived despite various attempts to move the festivities to the
outskirts of the town. Like any Charter Fair, Loughborough has a rich and varied
history and in the words of Henry Morley reveals the unwritten story of the history
of the people. The original Charter was granted in 1221 and pertained to an annual
event on the 31st of July. This was reaffirmed seven years later and extended to
cover three days around the Feast of St Peter. A third Charter was further granted a
year later in 1228 by Henry III to Hugh Le Despenser Lord of the Manor of
Loughborough and related to the Feast of All Souls. The changes to the Calendar
introduced in 1752 resulted in the loss of eleven days and the date of the fair
became the 13th of November. However, in 1881 local officials obtained an order
to stipulate that the opening day of the Fair would always fall on the second
Thursday in November and the date has since remained constant.
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A Brief introduction to Loughborough Fair
The medieval fair was allied to the weekly Thursday Market which has also
been granted by Henry III and many of the goods on sale reflected the
trading nature of the original event. By the 14th Century Loughborough
had became associated with the buying and selling of cloth and wool and
such was its fame as a Market town that it was mentioned as such on
Saxton's map published in 1576. Over the centuries two more fairs were
granted and the 1783 edition of Owen's New Book of Fairs lists five
separate fair including November 13 for the selling of horses cows and
sheep. Despite the decline of trading fairs in other parts of the country
during the mid nineteenth century, the November Fair continued to be
associated with the sale of cattle on the opening Thursday. With the
introduction of mechanisation and the impact of steam powered
roundabouts on the fairground landscape, by the end of the century the
beast market was gradually moved to other locations in the city and the
dispensing of amusements became the main theme of the fair. Like many of
the late Victorian steam fairs, the local people patronised the array of stalls,
booths, mechanical wonders and shows to be found on display.
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A Brief introduction to Loughborough Fair
The show families associated with Loughborough Fair from this period are still
familiar to the present day fairgoers and include famous names such as Collins,
Proctor, Hall, Richards and Holland. The arrival of cinema in the form of the
bioscope in 1897 had been preceded by the annual visit of Wall's Phantoscope from
the 1880s and the popularity of the shows continued in the twentieth century with
Harry Hall's boxing booth, Sedgwick's lion show and Proctor's cinematograph. The
1913 fair featured rides such as Pat Collin's racing motors, gallopers by Harry Hall
and Bolesworth and Richard's cake walk.
Loughborough Fair like many of its counterparts was closed for the duration of the
Great War and opened again after hostilities ceased. By the 1920s the showmen
introduced the latest attractions to entice the local fairgoers with the arrival of the
Globe of Death and the Wall of Death in 1929. However, the fair attracted its usual
dissenters with some commentators describing "as a Fair with a mile of caravans"
and "that it should be removed from our streets" with the now familiar argument
over the disruption caused to motorists due to the loss of parking for the duration of
the fair. The people of Loughborough remained loyal to the tradition of their street
fair and this was reflected in the editorial that appeared in the Leicester Mail which
stated: "That most ancient form of diversion, the fair, is still attractive because it
appeals to the people's robust sense of fun ... Thousands of people are attracted to
the town to participate, much to their own and other people's enjoyment ... if they
remove it from the centre of the town it would dwindle and decay as so many other
fairs have done, and an old age channel that has brought grist to the town would be
permanently closed. So Loughborough as a whole, is not only disposed to grin and
bear it, but to welcome it somewhat in the spirit of the song that bids us `Come to
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the fair.'"
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A Brief introduction to Loughborough Fair
By the period leading up the Second World War, the fair settled back into its
traditional routine with an average of twelve major rides attending every year
including regular attendants such as the Collins', Proctor's and Holland families.
Although The World's Fair reporter in 1933 laments the decrease in side stuff, the
report includes a multitude of spinners, wheel em'ins, sheets, and shooting saloons
on offer presented by the Hall's, William's and Richard's family to name but a few.
By 1933 the Ghost Train, Noah's Ark and the Dodgems were the dominant
attractions at the fair with Shufflebottom's Wild West Show and Wood and
Sketchley's boxing academy continuing the tradition of live entertainment.
The 1940s saw the arrival of the Farrar family with their Waltzer and Dodgems
standing alongside such familiar attractions presented by long term tenants such as
the Collins family. Henry Armstrong and Sons Noah's Ark, Dodgems and Airways
stood alongside Arthur Holland's Monte Carlo Rally and Moon Rocket in Bedford
Square with the spinners retaining their popularity among the stall holders.
By the 1950s the annual event has become one of the main fairs of the year for show
people and locals alike with the World's Fair reporter commenting in 1955 that:
"On the stroke of twelve the Mayor declared the fair open and for three hectic days
Loughborough lost its customary dignified character as the centre of the famous
Quorn Hunt and gave itself up to the spirit of carnival ... The powers that be are to
be congratulated on providing a really outstanding fair this year. The rides were far
more varied while the introduction of fresh machines definitely attracted a lot of
interest."
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A Brief introduction to Loughborough Fair
The World's Fair reporter describes the 1955 event as five fairs held in various fairs
and linked together by stalls, games and juvenile machines in the streets adjoining.
The attractions included John Farrarr's modern Waltzer, Charles Thurston's Skid
and Henry Armstrong's Caterpillar and alloy Dodgems. Ten years later the fair
underwent another change with the whole of the Market Place given over to
amusements and resulting in the fair attaining greater prominence in the town
centre. Over the following years the fair continued to adapt and develop in line with
the improvements taking place on fairgrounds around the country as the show
people continued to invest in new equipment and constantly providing the latest in
high speed technology and innovation.
The story of Loughborough historic association with its annual fair can be found in
Loughborough Markets and Fairs by George W. Green and M. W. Green published
in 1964. Over seven hundred or so years the fair has been the cause of dispute and
merriment in equal measures, but the strong relationship that exists between the
town people and the fair is emphasised by the authors when they paid the following
tribute: "The `fun of the fair' is still very much in evidence and the November
Pleasure Fair remains an `occasion' in the local calendar and a time for family
reunions."
Loughborough also serves as a gathering point to the many fairground enthusiasts
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Some of the Royal Charter papers from 1221
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Translations of the Latin Text from the Royal Charter
C54/24
LATIN TEXT
TRANSLATION
De mercato de Luteburg
Dominus Rex concessit Hugoni Dispenser quod habeat usque
Ad etatem suam unum mercatum singulis septimanis per
Diem Jovis apud manerium suum de Luteburg,Nisi
Mercatum illud etcetera .Et mandatum est vicecomite
Leics quod mercatum illud ei habere faciat,Teste ut supra.
(Teste H,apud Turrim London xxii die Januarii).
De feris de Lugteburg?
Dominus Rex concessit Hugoni le Despenser quod habeat
Usque ad etatem domini Regis unam feriam apud
Manerium suum de Lugteburg’ singulis annis in
Vigilia et in die sancti Petra ad vincula et
Mandatum est vicecomitem Leicester ‘quod feriam
Illam ei habere faciat,Teste ut supra per eundem
(Apud Westmonasterium xxxvii die Januarii anno
Regni nostri v)
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Of the Market Of Loughborough
The lord the King grants to Hugh Dispenser that
He have ,until his (Lawful ) age ,one market every
Week, on Thursday, at his manor of Loughborough.
Unless that market and the Sheriff of Leicestershire
Is ordered to cause him to have that market.
Of the Fair of Loughborough.
The lord the King grants to Hugh le Dispenser that
He have until the (lawful) age of the lord the King
One fair at his manor of Loughborough every year
In the vigil and in the day of St Peter ad Vincula
And the Sheriff of Leicestershire is ordered to cause him
To have that fair.Witness as above by the same
(at Westminster,xxviith day of January in the fifth
year of our reign
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Translations of the Latin Text from the Royal Charter
C53/18
LATIN TEXT
Pro Hugo Dispensar – Innovatur Alibi Cart.13 H.No .249 3m.13.
Henricus dei gratia etcetra, Archiepiscopis,Episcopis etcetra
Salutem,sciatis nos concessisse dilecto et fideli nustro Hugoni
Dispensar quod ipse et heredes sui habeant et teneant in perpetuum unum
Mercatum singulis septimanis per diem Jovis apud manerium suum de
Lucteburg et quod habeant ibidem unam feriam singulis annis per tres dies
Duraturam scilicet in virilla et in die et in crastino beati Petri ad
Vincula ita tunc quod mercatum illud et feria illa non sint ad nocumentum
Vicinorum mercatorium et vicinarum. Concessimus eciam eidem
Hugonem quod ipse et herdes sui et homines sui de Lucteburg’ Burton
Hukelescot’ Fretheby & Erendesby sint imperpetum quieti de sectis
Comitatis & hundredo et de auxiliis vicecomitis et de visu franciplegio.
Quare volumis et firmiter precepimus quod predicto Hogo et heredes sui
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Translations of the Latin Text from the Royal Charter
C53/18
LATIN TEXT
Habeant et teneant predictum mercatum et predictam feriam libere quiete et
Integrecum omnibus liberatibus et liberis consuetudinibus ad predictum
Mercatum et predictam feriam pertinentibus et quod ipsi Hugo et heredes
Sui et predicti homines sui de predictis villis de Lucteburg’ Burton
Hukelescot’Fretheby et Erendesby sint quieti de sectis comitatu &
Hundredo et de auxilliis vice comitis et de visu franceplegio imperpetuum
Sicut predictum est Hiis Testibus E.London’J.Bath’ & R.Sarr’ episcopis,
H de Burg’ Justicio nostro Rand’ Comite Cestrie & Lincoln’ Steph’ de
Sedgrave Willelmo de Eyneford’ Ricardo de Argent’ Senescallis nostris
Willelmo de Cantil’ Henrico de Capella et aliis,Datum ut supra apud
Westmonasterium XII die Februarii anno etcetra XI
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Translations of the Latin Text from the Royal Charter
C53/18
TRANSLATION FORM PREVIOUS PAGES
For Hugh Dispensar’ Renewed elsewhere Charter 13 H.No.249.3.m.13.
Henry, by the grace of god, & c. To the Archbisops,Bishops, & c.greetings,
Know that we have granted to our beloved subject Hugh Dispensar’ that he
And his heirs have and hold for ever one market every week on Thursday
At his manor of Lucteburg’ and that they have there one fair every year
For three days duration, to wit , in the vigil and in the day and in the
Morrow of St .Peter ad vincula. So then that market and that fair
Be not to the damage of neighbouring markets and neighbouring fairs, We
Grant also to the same Hugh that he and his heirs and his men of Lucteburg’
Burton’ Hukelescot’ Fretheby and Erendesby be for ever quit of suits
To the county and hundred and of Sheriff’s aids and of view of frankpledge.
Wherefore we will and firmly order that the said Hugh and his heirs have
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Translations of the Latin Text from the Royal Charter
C53/18
And hold the aforesaid market and the aforesaid fair freely, peacefully
And wholly, with all liberties and free customs to the aforesaid market
And his aforesaid fair belonging and that the same Hugh and his heirs
And his aforesaid men of the aforesaid vills of Lucteburg, Burton
Hukelescot’ Fretheby and Erendesby be quit of suits to the county
And hundred and of Sheriff’s aids and of the view of frankpledge for
Ever as is aforesaid. These witnesses, E.London, J.Rath, and R.Salisbury,
Bishops, H..de Burgh’our justice, Rand’Earl of Chester and Lincoln,
Stephen de Sedgrave, William de Cantil’,Henry de Capella and others.
Given as above at Westminster 12th day of February, the year & c 11th
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Translations of the Latin Text from the Royal Charter
C53/21
Pro Hugo Dispensar’ alibi Cart. H H.3.p.1.m.34
Rex Archiepiscopis Episcopis etcetera salutem, Sciatis nos concessisse
Dilecto & fideli nostro Hugni Dispensar quod ipse et heredes sui habeant
Et teneant imperpetuum unum mercatum singulis septimanis per diem Jovis
Apud manerium suum de Lucteburg et quod habeant unam feriam singulis annis
Per tres/dies duraturam scilicet in vigilia in die et in crastino beati Petri
Ad vincula. Ita lunc quod mercatum illud et feria illa non sunt ad
Nocumentum vicinorum mercatorum et vicinarum feriarum. Con cessimus eciam
Pertinentiis et de Burton Hukescot Frethebi et Erendelby sint imperpetuum
Quieti de sectis comitatu et hundredo et de auxiliis vicecomitis et de
Visu franciplegio. Concessimus eciam pro nobis et heredibus nostris eidem
Hugonemet heredibus suis quod ipsi habeant imperpetuum hinc liberatem
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Translations of the Latin Text from the Royal Charter
C53/21
Videlicet quod non ponantur in assisis Juratis vel recognitionibus.
Quare volumus etcetra quod predictus Hugo et heredes sui habeant et
Teneant imperpetuum predictum mercatum et predictam feriam libere quiete
Et Integre cum omnibus libertatibus et liberis consuetudinibus ad predictum
Mercatum et predictam feriam pertinentibus et quod ipsi Hugo et heredes
Sui et predicti homines sui de prodictis villis de Lucteburg cum
Pertinentiis et de Burton Hukelescot Frethebi et Erendesby sint quieti
De sectis comitatu et hundredo et de auxiliis vicecomitis et visufrancipleg
Et quod ipsi Hugo et heredes sui habeant imperpetum predictam libertatem
Quod non ponantur in assisis Juratis vel recognitionibus sicut predictum
Est Hiis testibus J.Bath’ R.Dunhelm’ ct W.Carled’ episcopis H.de Burgo etc.
R.Comite Cestr’ et W,Comite Mareseallo, W.Comite de Ferr’ J.Constab’
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Translations of the Latin Text from the Royal Charter
C53/21
TRANSLATION FORM PREVIOUS PAGES
For Hugh Dispensar. Elsewhere Charter II Henry III pt.1, m.34.
The King to the Archbishops, Bishops,& c.greeting.Know that we have granted
To our beloved subject Hugh Dispensar that he and his heirs have and hols for
Ever one market every week on Thursday at his manor of Lucteburg and that they
Have one fair every year for three days duration, to wit, in the vigil in the
Day and in the morrow of St.Peter ad vincula. So then that the market and
That fair are not to the hurt of neighbouring markets and neighbouring fairs
We grant also to the same Hugh that he and his heirs and his men of Lucteburg
With the appurtenances and of Burton’ Hukescot, Frethebi & Erendelby be for
Ever quit of suits of the county and hundred and of Sherriff's aids and of view
Of frankpledge. We grant also for us and our heirs to the same Hugh and his
Heirs that they have for ever this liberty, to wit, that they be not placed in
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Translations of the Latin Text from the Royal Charter
C53/21
Assizes, juries and recognisances . Wherefore we will , do. that the aforesaid
Hugh and his heirs have and hold for ever the aforesaid market and the aforesaid fair
Freely, peacefully and wholly with all liberties and free customs
To the aforesaid market and the aforesaid fair belonging and that the same
Hugh and his heirs and his aforesaid men of the aforesaid vills of Lucteburg
With the appurtenances and of Burton Hukelescot Frethebi & Erendesby be quit
Of suits of the county and hundred and of Sheriff’s aids and view of frankpledge
And that the said Hugh and his heirs have for ever the aforesaid liberty
That they shall not be placed in assizes, juries or recognisances.These
Witnesses, J.Bath, R.Durham and W.Carlise, bishops, H.de Burgh & c. R.Earl of
Chester, W.Earl Marshal, W.Earl Ferrers, J.Constable, S.de Sedgrave, H.de Molis,
Richard de Argent, Henry de Capell, Bartholomew Peche and others. Given by the
Hand of R.Bishop of Chichester, & c. at Westminster 6th day of February, the
Year & c.13th.
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Some old fair pictures
Armstrong's Machines in the
School Yard 1958
Rose Brothers “Meteorite” in
Market Place 1958
Henry Warwick's traditional
Devonshire Square, 1963.
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Shooter in the 'Golden Fleece'
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yard, 1960.
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Pictures of the fair in modern times
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Further Information
Approximately 100 individual show people attend each year, presenting between
them some 20 large rides, numerous children's roundabouts, game and novelty
stalls, and the usual popular refreshment stands.
The Fair aims to cater for everyone, young and old alike, and those who just like to
sample the general fairground atmosphere and observe the various spectacles,
which are visibly stunning, particularly at night, when they are all lit up Amongst
those pleasure rides presented this year will be the old favourites such as Waltzers,
Twist, Dodgems, Galloping Horses, together with the more spectacular rides such
as the Freak Out, Big Ben, Move It, Wild Mouse, Sea Storm, Kiddies' Corner and
the Extreme Ride and perhaps one or two surprise attractions
The Council's Markets and Fairs Service has responsibility for directing the
arrangements connected with the Fair. Tel 01509 634624 or
email [email protected]
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Thank you for watching
We hope you’ll pay us a visit soon.
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