Past to Present
Huthwaite Carnivals
Mrs Betty Smith donated this Huthwaite Carnival scene, where her sister Midge Fox sits front of a yearly crowned 'Miss Coal Queen'. This particular year was recalled by Bill Harrison at 1951, having clamoured across a packed Roker Park to glimpse the central guest celebrity. Randolf Turpin was Britains first black world class boxer, recently beating Sugar Ray Robinson to shortly hold title 'world middleweight champion'.
My parents are shown amongst those children participating in this past annual event of dancing around the Maypole. Here dated May 24th 1946, fronting the Church School which still stands on Common Road. That marked Empire Day, on birthday of Queen Victoria and Empress of India, when all schools throughout the entire British Empire were encouraged to celebrate with patriotic remembrance their global rule. Through political correctness and a falling empire its celebration faded out, renamed 1966 as Commonwealth Day
The annual Huthwaite carnival ended dramatically in 1937. Held that year among fields below the Welfare Park, the reported tragedy left this sad scene, included among the family album of Mr Adrian Everley
Written 14 Nov 11 Revised 18 Apr 12 © by Gary Elliott
