to think it can't be half bad being in a travelling fair......

[LEMisdisappointed]

We have the travelling fair visiting out town this weekend. I finally relented and took DD (we are broke and these things are a money pit). It was quite surreal really - AMAZING camper-vans, if thats the right word - those superdooper jobbies with the bits that come out of the side for extra rooms when they park up - probably worth more money than my house! What made me smile was the prams - practically every ride or stall holder had a Silver cross coach built pram :) I had one for DD1, just not practical for DD2. Also a real sense of community between the fairground folk - they were friendly, but gaurded to be honest.

Sigh - I know im probably being naive because it must be bloody hard work and i can only imagine what the running costs must be, then prejudice from locals etc etc, but I felt kind of envious, travelling up and down the country, meeting folk - must be nice? Apart from the bloody shite music they have to play which would do my head in of course :)

IABU aren't i, it must be a tough life

Absolutely, mrscumberbatch. I'd have liked to have heard Solid's remarks addressed to the late mum of the family I've particular knowledge of. She helped run both fixed and travelling fairs when her husband was alive and then ran them alone when he passed away. She was still doing that and very much in charge and deferred to, until well into her late 60s, despite that her sons were grown up with rides of their own.

(I think she might have given you a roasting, Solid!).

Lol yes Rasmbososcar! Victory for the little people on their orange bikes

SGB I would say just from what I have seen, and from the showmen mums I know, that its a FAR FAR less mysoginistic culture than travellers. The women seem much more in control of their lives and very much speak up for themselves and for their families.

I thought I might be right, Pinky. I have a house a couple of villages up from you, the one known for it's village greens, thatched cottages and posh gastro pub that I never go into because it's not a "proper" pub!

I lived with a circus for a few years when I was a kid and it was brilliant! Things have changed for most circuses these days but when I was there we would all have lessons in the school bus in the morning - essentially home ed really but run as a group by some of the mums.

Afterwards we would either go and do our jobs / chores or harass the artistes into teaching us tumbling tricks / feeding the lion cubs / takings the elephant out for a graze.

When it was show time, we all had jobs to do - a few kids performed in family acts but mainly we worked in the hotdog van / box office / as ring boys helping with props. After the show there was time for acts like the trapeze to practice so we'd all go and have a play on that. Then very late dinner (10pm ish normally) and bed. Up late in the morning.

I so loved the community, the glamour of everyone in their costumes and having other kids just wish they were us. Pull down was always exciting when we'd pack up late at night - every single person no matter how small had jobs and responsibilities that night - and then we'd drive to a new town and set up the next morning.

It's such a hard life though - and I saw more domestic violence and inappropriate treatment of women than I've ever seen since. It was just an accepted thing that X has a black eye because mr X hit her again. I'm sure there was far far worse than I was aware of too.

It's an 'old industry' isn't it? One of these things that is still steeped in the history of yesteryear and hasn't changed all that much in the face of modernity.
It's part of our heritage and should be preserved. If there was more support and understanding from local governments I think that they should be a hub for the whole community to thrive around. Thus more money going to the showmen to improve/upgrade their current businesses.

For instance, the 'Glasgow Fair Weekend' is no longer a 'Fair'. Just a holiday that everyone observes for no given reason. It should be a great, safe, inclusive community event.

It would be really interesting to see a documentary on current showman life. I think it would give people a better frame of reference rather than just lumping everyone in as 'travellers', and maybe define the differences between travellers, showmen and gypsies.

Unfortunately, given the car crash television that was 'Big Fat Gypsy Hoohah', I think it would be very very unlikely.

ooh totally agree MrsCumberbatch. A non-judgemental doc would be fab... maybe on BBC3?! My MIL was horrified we had 'that sort' living near us and being friends with our children. I soon put her straight Mind you, she's not keen on eastern Europeans here either, and thinks that 'no British child should have to put up with' a multi-cultural education

My son 'ran away' to join a circus (small concern) and became a very young ringmaster. When I saw the inside of his small and not so glamorous caravan that he was living in I was far from impressed and even less so when he gave me his washing to do for the 2 seasons he travelled with them he loved it though, but it sure wasn't an easy nor romantic way of life.

In my early teens I hooked up with a chap who was in a travelling circus and was more or less living out of tents and articulated lorries. (How romantic )

My mother just about had kittens.

If memory serves, his reading and writing was atrocious but he had an infallible talent at cajoling people into parting with their cash. And looked great in a leotard

There's always exceptions in every industry but would be great to have a more balanced view of what it is all about nowadays.

As I said, mrscumberbatch, part time Romeos and second rate film stars.

Just don't tell a certain Mr Blardy Luffly none too far from me that I sais so!

I travelled with a fair a bit when I was a teenager. At the time I thought it was glamorous but looking back it was pretty seedy. I was always getting hit on by much older guys, I slept in a filthy shared trailer and I got paid much less than the minimum wage. Memorable times include the owner, who was in his sixties and married, taking me round the back of the waltzers and trying to persuade me to show him my knickers - boak - and another guy pinning me down on the bed in his trailer in an attempt to "seduce" me. On the plus side I got to hang out with my mates in the fresh air and listen to music all day, and go on all the rides for free.

P.S. The fair I worked for was established and had been run by the same family for generations.

"Education for the kids is sometimes varied - some home ed, which is fine and generally involves a lot of help from all the family, some even educate their kids in one school in the summer (where the family's bricks and mortar home is) and another in the winter (where the family own a fixed, seaside fair). That's less common now mind."

Dcs school work with a lot of the children. They have a special coordinatinor who liaises between the children and the teachers. The children are given laptops and homework is sent online etc