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The Fair in Stechford!

Frank Parker

Frank Parker

https://frankparker.website
The fair is at Stechford now and it got me wondering how many years it as been at the Stechford Lane site? Also was it ever anywhere else in Stechford before its current location? :rolleyes:
 
I'll get the ball rolling and say I think I remember it from about 1963 but I'm probably not the oldest person on here at a young 53!

Have a good weekend

Ron
 
bluebrummie, I remember the fairground at Stechford pre WW2, it was Drakeleys fair, they owned the site and when winter came they would stay there until they went on the road when the good weather started in the next year, there were many attempts to stop them holding a fair on the site on the grounds of road congestion as you see all failed, they were never as big as Pat Collin`s fair, i don`t know if the Drakeley still own the site. Len.
 
Frothblower, No buildings that i remember, they lived in their caravans during the winter. All posters on this thread Google " Showmans Guild of Great Britain" its a great site. Len.
 
WOW great memories folks! I had no idea it went that far back!! I can only remember going in the 70's as a kid. :)
 
Hi, talking about fairs etc., I had a moment of 'de ja vou' some years back. I crossed the road where the bridge over the river Cole goes under the Stratford Road nr Springfield ( if I remember rightly - its over 40 years ago). However I suddenly visualised my mother crossing what appeared to be the same road and the same bridge, when I was a child, so that would have been in the forties. On the bank the other side was a gypsy caravan of the type where the door was in the middle, running around were lots of chickens. I remember being told this was my aunt Mary's caravan. Gt. Aunt I should think,

However I gave it no more thought until I started researching my family tree and I questioned an old uncle. He told me that my Granddad had a sister named Mary who ran off with a trapeze artiste named Monseuir le Blond from Collins circus.

I know Collins had a fair but not a circus, although i think they did have various acts in the open at the fair. I thought that the fair came to the River Cole area at Hay Mills, so I thought that mught have been the place. But someone told me that the fairground people wintered at the rive Cole in Yardley ?, just before you turn right for the Hunters Moon?

I think I have set out my locations right, but do any of you fairground buffs, know anything that might help me find out about Gt. Anut Mary? I suspect that Monseuir le Blond is really Fred White!!! thats why I cant find her marriage anywhere.:biggrin:

Incidentally do you remember the parade of animals and artistes when the Circus came to town, and one day I think an elephant escaped. Even if we didnt get to see the Circus, the parade was always exciting. Thanks, Marie.
 
mariep, Shipway Rd is down from the roundabout and the River Cole bridge on the Coventry Rd, Bob Wilsons house is there and the fair wintered behind, on the right hand side of River Cole at Hay Mills, i remember there were sideshows, Boxing booths, Giant rat (Coypu) and other unusual animals, Belly dancers and Magic shows etc, Bertram Mills & Bill Smarts circus came to Hay Mills Recreation ground and in recent years Zippos. Len.
 
John My Gt Grandparents were Knight's I am still researching these people.

My Grandmother was Lily Knight born 1881 (she married William Clifton - I think they could have been cousins cause Cliftons & Knights come into my tree twice in same generation) - her father was John Knight born 1832 (John's father was also a John Knight born c 1810 maybe)

they are still a work in Progress.
 
Thank you all for your replies. Have investigated the link you sent. Looks good. Will let you know if something good comes of it.. Mariep
 
John,
I to am a Knight. While i never lived in Cromwell st, my grandfather and gt grandfather did. Grandad's name was George Richard Knight, and he married Mary Elizabeth Clives in 1918.
Gt grandfather was Joseph william Knight born 1849. married Harriett Cutler in 1876.
Do you know any of these names? I'd be very interested to hear from you either way.
Eddie
 
Eddie,
You have just sent a shiver down my spine.
Your grandad was my father !
Which side of the family are you from, I have a few photographs.
By the way hello relative.
 
John and Eddie
Is there any chance some of your Knights people connect to my Knight family? Is their anywhere I could view either of your trees?

I know I've a lot of Knights my gt Grandma was Lily Knight born 1881 - they are a big family so I am just wondering whether there may be connections somehow!!

It's great you guys turned out to be related by the way!!
Happy New Year to you
 
john knight said:
Eddie,
You have just sent a shiver down my spine.
Your grandad was my father !
Which side of the family are you from, I have a few photographs.
By the way hello relative.
Click to expand...
I just love it when this happens........it's what this site is all about reuniting friends and family!:)
 
Hiya Elizabeth 1,
I have my tree on genes reunited and Ancestry.co.uk My email address is [email protected] feel free to contact me and i'll try to upload a gedcom of the knights part of the tree and send it to you.
Happy new year to you and yours
Eddie
 
I am trying to work out something my grandmother told me: she remembers as a child being taken to visit her paternal grandparents, who lived in a gypsy caravan in Stechford, possibly by a biscut factory? Their surname was SMITH and they made mother of pearl buttons.
After emailing my dads cousin, she has a different story, that the person who lived in the caravan was a foreign man, and her mum (my nans sister) remembers visiting him, but they couldn't pronounce his name, so they refereed to him as Uncle Abu.
Does anyone have any stories or info. Thanks, Leighanne.
 
bluebrummie said:
The fair is at Stechford now and it got me wondering how many years it as been at the Stechford Lane site? Also was it ever anywhere else in Stechford before its current location? :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Hi, I'm trying to research something my grandmother told me:- her grandparents lived in a gypsy caravan in Stechford, possibly near a biscut factory (Palmers)??? And they made mother of pearl buttons. Surname SMITH. any info would be appreciated. Thanks, leighanne
 
Leighanne said:
I am trying to work out something my grandmother told me: she remembers as a child being taken to visit her paternal grandparents, who lived in a gypsy caravan in Stechford, possibly by a biscut factory? Their surname was SMITH and they made mother of pearl buttons.
After emailing my dads cousin, she has a different story, that the person who lived in the caravan was a foreign man, and her mum (my nans sister) remembers visiting him, but they couldn't pronounce his name, so they refereed to him as Uncle Abu.
Does anyone have any stories or info. Thanks, Leighanne.
Click to expand...
Hi, It seems we have two similar experiences, at least mine and your Grandmother. Wouldnt it be funny if we are talking about the same caravan couple. I have no idea what the surname of my Gt. Aunt Mary would be, other than her maiden name of Johnson. Monsieur le Blonde could well be a 'stage' name. which does not rule out the fact that he may be foreign. Aunt mary lived nr. Wellington in Shropshire in her youth and every year the 'Wakes.' came to Oakengates nearby.which is where she probably met him.. I always thought that the company was Collins. My Gran used to launder the dresses of the theatre troupe that came with them called the Johnson theatre troupe. I have not been able to establish whether they were related or not.

have you any further information?

regards mariep
 
Hi,
I have found out today that the couple who lived in the gypsy caravan were POSSIBLY my grandmothers Aunt and her husband or common law husband! Her name was Mary, but she used her middle name Adelaide. Her maiden name was Lynch, but she could have been married before. (Maybe to a Johnson!?). We are unsure of the mans name, but my nans sister referred to him as uncle Abu, as he was foreign and the children couldn't pronounce his name. My dads cousin told me her mum had told her this, and that he had a funny moustache, and drank from a cup and saucer which had a moustache "protector" in, which now belongs to my dad. Interestingly, I have found a marr record of a Mary Lynch to an Antonio Cerroni in 1914, B'ham. I intend to order the cert, as I'm hoping it has Mary's father as the same as my records!
 
There was also a McVitie & Price biscuit factory near there on the other side of the river Cole, fairly near the Bulls Head.
My grandparents lived next to the shops on Stechford Lane/Stechford road & my mother worked at McVities when ahe was in her teens. It must have been fairly close because she walked to work ('''Flaxley Road???).
I remember the fair from about 1950 & also a coal yard on the same site(Jenners?).
 
lencops said:
Frothblower, No buildings that i remember, they lived in their caravans during the winter. All posters on this thread Google " Showmans Guild of Great Britain" its a great site. Len.
Click to expand...
My great uncle married a Drakeley ( Sorry can’t remember her name), they lived on this site in a house, I visited many times with my grandmother must have been 50’s. His name was Albert Rose, we had coal delivered by his sons for many years.
 
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