Goose Fair (and other funfairs)

[George 1978]

I know that not many people have heard of it, but it happens to be the annual funfair that is local to where I am, and it does have huge 1970s and 1980s nostalgia value - the first week in October for people familiar to Nottingham meant Goose Fair, an annual funfair that has been traditionally going for over seven centuries, with the odd year off for wars and all that excepted. It was mostly the first Thursday, Friday and Saturday in October, although this was extended for its 700th anniversary in 1994 and every year since 2010.

Back in the 1980s my family went on the Friday evening - the Infant and Junior Schools gave us that day off to go the fair, but the Comprehensive Schools didn't - cue the truancy levels increasing during the first week of October. We mostly went on rides without being sick (but not the ones that gravity defined), and got the toffee apples, candy floss (when we still thought of it being cotton wool dyed pink), and the helium balloon with some 1980s children's television or cartoon character on it - managed to get it home and see it float to the living room ceiling until around a month later when its helium was lost and we threw it away.

We won soft toys as consolation prize which my nephews later played with - we lost my sister in the crowds who turned up at home the following morning, and I could never get the hang (no pun intended) of the Hook a Duck, even if the locals say "ey up me duck" [sic] locally. And I was nothing like Eric Bristow when it came up playing darts either. A goldfish was won at one of the local funfairs and my parents went ballistic when we returned home with it inside a transparent bag.


In 1999 I was at the fair walking past and exploring, and I was then invited by a resident Fortune Teller to step inside her caravan and have my palm read for a price - she said that I would have some big changes in my life in December of that year (not surprisingly because of the new millennium and Christmas coming up). Two months later I had found that my late mother had passed away in December 1999 from lung cancer, and it made me wonder whether the Fortune Teller was accurately predicting that news to me as a way of "changes in my life", or whether it was just a pure coincidence considering the time range? She seemed to be almost "spot on" to be honest.

I know that not many people are not local to Nottingham (or even Great Britain) on here, but I was wondering whether anyone had ever travelled to Nottingham to visit Goose Fair in the past, or indeed visited a local funfair similar to that close to where they live? I suppose that we can extend this thread to funfairs in general. I have to say that I love the irony that Simply Red's "Fairground" was number one in the British charts during Goose Fair in 1995!

I know that a lot of Nottingham location themed books and films have implicated the annual fair - Alan Sillitoe's books (which are mostly set in Nottingham) are a fine example of this - Sillitoe's short story "Noah's Ark" was one of them, and so was "Saturday Night and Sunday Morning". I have to admit that since teenager Danielle Beccan's killing in 2004 when she was returning with friends from the fair - it had put me off going for a few years because of when it happened, but I have been back since. I have to admit that the crowds and the high crime rate that Nottingham has had in recent years is at least a couple of reasons that put me off going every year these days.

Has anyone visited Nottingham to see the Goose Fair in October (or was it a bit too far and therefore visited a funfair a bit more local to where you live?) I wouldn't blame you if you didn't to be honest.

[Twocky61]

Re: Goose Fair (and other funfairs)

In Cirenceater, Gloucestershire, UK, there is still a mop fair I believe; again in October, like the Nottingham Goose Fair

Fair's nowadays operate a wrist band scheme

Each wristband offers unlimited rides for two hours; different colours for each two hour period

These wristbands cost around a fiver

[angliaknight]

Re: Goose Fair (and other funfairs)

As i write Hull's annual fair is on, its big.
Boston in Lincs has its annual fair at the beginning of May which takes over the whole town centre and much of the local park, haven't been for a few years now but used to attend regularly for a number of years growing up, i swear i saw the same guys at the front of the attraction that i'd seen years previously and in the same clothes!Back in the '60s i recall a bit of a stir by someone writing in the local paper about being shocked at seeing something in the freak show tent, iirc it was a human fetus very deformed in some way amongst other unusual items on display.in the end someone pointed out it probably wasn't real, but people should be prepared to be shocked when entering such side-shows.Lots of the early old rides have gone now being replaced by faster and more nail biting attractions, gone is the "cake walk" "twin yachts" with its steam engine between them, the "rib tickler" a strange experience, you'd sit on a form and hold on tight while 2 guys front and back made it swing slightly while the outside spun around giving the painted interior the impression you were going much higher than you actually were.The Boston May fair dates back to the middle ages and the Magna carta. In Spalding the long established Roger Tuby's fun fair attends twice a year, May and October, always amazes me how everything is put together and trucks lorrys parked in such a small space and the same spaces every time they visit and so tightly and neatly.
I still enjoy the noise and smells of the fair, don't go on the waltzers anymore but like watching, rides such as the Caterpillar still survive as i remember them from 50 years ago! "the Whip" where you have that peddle you operate with your foot to make the car spin, ofcourse the dodgems are still a feature as well as all the stalls, all the fun of the fair, might be a bit pricey these days but have some really good memories. Hold tight riders, the louder you scream the faster we go, as the man in the middle used to scream as he operated the "speedway" and played the music even louder.
Come home with a goldfish and a coconut and and a upset tummy!

[80sChav]

Re: Goose Fair (and other funfairs)

I know that not many people have heard of it, but it happens to be the annual funfair that is local to where I am, and it does have huge 1970s and 1980s nostalgia value - the first week in October for people familiar to Nottingham meant Goose Fair, an annual funfair that has been traditionally going for over seven centuries, with the odd year off for wars and all that excepted. It was mostly the first Thursday, Friday and Saturday in October, although this was extended for its 700th anniversary in 1994 and every year since 2010.

Back in the 1980s my family went on the Friday evening - the Infant and Junior Schools gave us that day off to go the fair, but the Comprehensive Schools didn't - cue the truancy levels increasing during the first week of October. We mostly went on rides without being sick (but not the ones that gravity defined), and got the toffee apples, candy floss (when we still thought of it being cotton wool dyed pink), and the helium balloon with some 1980s children's television or cartoon character on it - managed to get it home and see it float to the living room ceiling until around a month later when its helium was lost and we threw it away.

We won soft toys as consolation prize which my nephews later played with - we lost my sister in the crowds who turned up at home the following morning, and I could never get the hang (no pun intended) of the Hook a Duck, even if the locals say "ey up me duck" [sic] locally. And I was nothing like Eric Bristow when it came up playing darts either. A goldfish was won at one of the local funfairs and my parents went ballistic when we returned home with it inside a transparent bag.


In 1999 I was at the fair walking past and exploring, and I was then invited by a resident Fortune Teller to step inside her caravan and have my palm read for a price - she said that I would have some big changes in my life in December of that year (not surprisingly because of the new millennium and Christmas coming up). Two months later I had found that my late mother had passed away in December 1999 from lung cancer, and it made me wonder whether the Fortune Teller was accurately predicting that news to me as a way of "changes in my life", or whether it was just a pure coincidence considering the time range? She seemed to be almost "spot on" to be honest.

I know that not many people are not local to Nottingham (or even Great Britain) on here, but I was wondering whether anyone had ever travelled to Nottingham to visit Goose Fair in the past, or indeed visited a local funfair similar to that close to where they live? I suppose that we can extend this thread to funfairs in general. I have to say that I love the irony that Simply Red's "Fairground" was number one in the British charts during Goose Fair in 1995!

I know that a lot of Nottingham location themed books and films have implicated the annual fair - Alan Sillitoe's books (which are mostly set in Nottingham) are a fine example of this - Sillitoe's short story "Noah's Ark" was one of them, and so was "Saturday Night and Sunday Morning". I have to admit that since teenager Danielle Beccan's killing in 2004 when she was returning with friends from the fair - it had put me off going for a few years because of when it happened, but I have been back since. I have to admit that the crowds and the high crime rate that Nottingham has had in recent years is at least a couple of reasons that put me off going every year these days.

Has anyone visited Nottingham to see the Goose Fair in October (or was it a bit too far and therefore visited a funfair a bit more local to where you live?) I wouldn't blame you if you didn't to be honest.

Thanks for the great detailed info George - it is highly appreciated and as well to be told it by a Native as these days the Internet/Inter-web is such a harmfuil thing in my opinion for finding out facts from Magazines etc or when I had Homework My Mum's Readers Digest Encyclopida if it could not be sourced School Library or School wy

I often recall in either Year 7 or 8 (in Todays currrency) from 1988 or 1989 we had a kid join my then school in either of those Years and as it is known yhere I am not far from Nottingham in the Yorkshire/Derbyshire/Humberside Region he went down a storm and was very "old Father/Farmer Giles Lincolnshire Farmer voice like a South Western Farmers Farmer accent and he often mentioned the Goose Fair and yeah we took the slight Mikey out of him - but all in good jest and no harm - it was amazing how he did not fit in only "50 miles up the Road" but yeah we tried with him on many a front - though for whatever rewason 9dunno if he was being Educated while Parents was on Buisness up here etc or what-not) but he sure gave us an insight into -90% made up but he was a great laug indeed , though we tried too to educate him in wearing his Tie thin (which he did - but "fake thin" with the proper side for the knot , which did'nt endorse him may-be to us as much as we should have taken him on

Regardless though my point - it just shows that 40/45/50 miles shows a vast difference in cultures and even comparing Middlesbrough to Newcastle/Sunderland - which all belong in the North East - even though Middlesbrough historicaly belonged in Yorkshire pre the 1970s vast changes in County's. I sure don't know how the Americans cope as so - with places beng "near" but in reality 70 to 100 miles away as Neighbours like you mentioned the other day week in your Football reply re Plymouth to Newcastle or v versa
that would be viewed "very local" in America I think - even though the Mid west States are miles from East and West ones each way - this sure goes to show the greatness of these sadly dying events 9or the ones i know of at least) and how each reflected that Town or County's culture. I know i will never meet that kid again - but i'd love to and given him a fairer hearing - but it is totaly impossibe as he moved out of school after a week (if that) and I bet he was like Harry Houdini - but upon you giving your description it adds more to an happier memory of this Kid at a time when cultures embrazed from nr by (ish) places, but sadly wat is to be now - is just that 9including in my area/s - the dying trend/popularity of similar fares to the renowned Nottingham Goose Fair

80sChav

[Donald the Great]

Re: Goose Fair (and other funfairs)

I know that not many people have heard of it, but it happens to be the annual funfair that is local to where I am, and it does have huge 1970s and 1980s nostalgia value - the first week in October for people familiar to Nottingham meant Goose Fair, an annual funfair that has been traditionally going for over seven centuries, with the odd year off for wars and all that excepted. It was mostly the first Thursday, Friday and Saturday in October, although this was extended for its 700th anniversary in 1994 and every year since 2010.

Back in the 1980s my family went on the Friday evening - the Infant and Junior Schools gave us that day off to go the fair, but the Comprehensive Schools didn't - cue the truancy levels increasing during the first week of October. We mostly went on rides without being sick (but not the ones that gravity defined), and got the toffee apples, candy floss (when we still thought of it being cotton wool dyed pink), and the helium balloon with some 1980s children's television or cartoon character on it - managed to get it home and see it float to the living room ceiling until around a month later when its helium was lost and we threw it away.

We won soft toys as consolation prize which my nephews later played with - we lost my sister in the crowds who turned up at home the following morning, and I could never get the hang (no pun intended) of the Hook a Duck, even if the locals say "ey up me duck" [sic] locally. And I was nothing like Eric Bristow when it came up playing darts either. A goldfish was won at one of the local funfairs and my parents went ballistic when we returned home with it inside a transparent bag.


In 1999 I was at the fair walking past and exploring, and I was then invited by a resident Fortune Teller to step inside her caravan and have my palm read for a price - she said that I would have some big changes in my life in December of that year (not surprisingly because of the new millennium and Christmas coming up). Two months later I had found that my late mother had passed away in December 1999 from lung cancer, and it made me wonder whether the Fortune Teller was accurately predicting that news to me as a way of "changes in my life", or whether it was just a pure coincidence considering the time range? She seemed to be almost "spot on" to be honest.

I know that not many people are not local to Nottingham (or even Great Britain) on here, but I was wondering whether anyone had ever travelled to Nottingham to visit Goose Fair in the past, or indeed visited a local funfair similar to that close to where they live? I suppose that we can extend this thread to funfairs in general. I have to say that I love the irony that Simply Red's "Fairground" was number one in the British charts during Goose Fair in 1995!

I know that a lot of Nottingham location themed books and films have implicated the annual fair - Alan Sillitoe's books (which are mostly set in Nottingham) are a fine example of this - Sillitoe's short story "Noah's Ark" was one of them, and so was "Saturday Night and Sunday Morning". I have to admit that since teenager Danielle Beccan's killing in 2004 when she was returning with friends from the fair - it had put me off going for a few years because of when it happened, but I have been back since. I have to admit that the crowds and the high crime rate that Nottingham has had in recent years is at least a couple of reasons that put me off going every year these days.

Has anyone visited Nottingham to see the Goose Fair in October (or was it a bit too far and therefore visited a funfair a bit more local to where you live?) I wouldn't blame you if you didn't to be honest.

George this would have been perfect for the Trip Down Memory Lane thread.

[George 1978]

Re: Goose Fair (and other funfairs)

George this would have been perfect for the Trip Down Memory Lane thread.

I always believe that if something is important to mention such as this, I think that it deserves its own thread just in case it is buried within several pages and overlooked. Besides, I do get concerned in case I turn a thread off-topic if I mention something which is different to what had been written previously.

I am quite aware of the Hull Fair as Anglia Knight had mentioned upthread - the fact that it can often overlap with the Goose Fair is obviously an issue that has happened in recent years, and as Nottingham's fair is older, I assumed that it was Hull that put their annual fair on a week later. I have always been trying to make an excuse to visit Hull, and the Aquarium sea life centre there was probably one of the reasons why I would visit Hull for my birthday, travelling there by bus while staying in Bridlington, although it was Berkshire that won in the end this year.

[angliaknight]

Re: Goose Fair (and other funfairs)

I'm afraid Hull might disappoint you, it might have been named city of culture but there is another side to it.

[George 1978]

Re: Goose Fair (and other funfairs)

I'm afraid Hull might disappoint you, it might have been named city of culture but there is another side to it.

Thanks for the warning - Nottingham might disappoint you if you ever visit it.

[Arran]

Re: Goose Fair (and other funfairs)

Thanks for the warning - Nottingham might disappoint you if you ever visit it.

In what way? Has the Goose Fair succumbed to the worst of capitalism and now charges extortionate prices for mediocre products and services like many funfairs have since the 1980s?

Nottingham seemed to be famous for the following:

Sherwood Forest - just a few trees on the outskirts of the city
Robin Hood - I suspect that fewer than half of all kids who live in Nottingham have fired a longbow
Raleigh bikes - they don't make them in Nottingham anymore
Players cigarettes - the factory closed down due to the decline in smoking
The castle - actually a decaying stately home
Lace - there are still a few people who want frilly knickers and tablecloths but otherwise it's just a cottage industry

My experience of Nottingham is a city with many rundown areas where most of its residents are either quite poor or students. There are some plush suburbs but they tend to be officially outside of the city boundary. The university used to be good for medicine. I get a sense that Nottingham is a bit isolated unlike urban areas in the West Midlands. Vaguely similar to Stoke of Trent.

[George 1978]

Re: Goose Fair (and other funfairs)

In what way? Has the Goose Fair succumbed to the worst of capitalism and now charges extortionate prices for mediocre products and services like many funfairs have since the 1980s?

Nottingham seemed to be famous for the following:

Sherwood Forest - just a few trees on the outskirts of the city
Robin Hood - I suspect that fewer than half of all kids who live in Nottingham have fired a longbow
Raleigh bikes - they don't make them in Nottingham anymore
Players cigarettes - the factory closed down due to the decline in smoking
The castle - actually a decaying stately home
Lace - there are still a few people who want frilly knickers and tablecloths but otherwise it's just a cottage industry

My experience of Nottingham is a city with many rundown areas where most of its residents are either quite poor or students. There are some plush suburbs but they tend to be officially outside of the city boundary. The university used to be good for medicine. I get a sense that Nottingham is a bit isolated unlike urban areas in the West Midlands. Vaguely similar to Stoke of Trent.

Don't forget Boots the chemist; Torvill and Dean; Roy Skelton (the voice of Zippy and George on Rainbow); and civil recovery organisation Retail Loss Prevention (who ironically enough, have Boots as one of their many clients). Oh, and if the John Player factory had closed down due to the lack of people smoking then it is a good thing - I have had members of my own family die from lung cancer - they didn't smoke JPS but they still smoked and it caused them harm.

Can I ask, have you ever lived in Nottingham yourself, and I mean, the inner-city part rather than the suburbs or villages? I assume that you are not directly local to Nottingham, and probably only see the city from a tourist's perspective. Mind you, even I think of other run down areas in Britain as not being too bad as I am only visiting those areas.

I had lived in inner-city Nottingham for over three and a half decades of my life, and I can vouch that crime has been quite high over the years - in 2006 it was officially seen as the worst city to be in for crime - "Shottingham" was one nickname that one of the tabloids used. As I said above, someone was shot dead by gunmen returning from the Goose Fair back in 2004 which illustrated my problem. Even someone who was in my class at school back in the 1980s was murdered just before Christmas 2016 - ironically, the BBC News figures for fatal stabbings in that year (which was revealed a couple of days ago) was a round number as a result - 600.

The main problem is that the bias towards Nottingham City Council which serves mostly inner-city areas. Someone on the BBC News Have Your Say page back in 2006 even said it was biased as it ignored Rushcliffe and Gedling-type areas which would give a more balanced perspective if included. I moved to the suburbs as a result - something I wanted to do 20 years previously. When the "Shottingham" thing was about, Jeremy Vine did a phone in on Radio 2, and he had Jon Collins, the leader of the council on the programme as a guest (who incidentally is retiring at this year's local elections). I was actually one of Collins' constituents at the time (although I have never voted for him in local elections), which had prompted me to take part in the phone in itself. I just could not believe how many people were praising the city, and I believed that they were mostly tourists or lived in "out of bounds" areas of rural Rushcliffe such as Bingham or Cropwell Bishop.

Don't get upset Arran about what I have written here, but I have just lived in Nottingham all my life, and so I obviously know what goes on here - I would like to put you right on some things that is obvious to myself that you probably don't even know about.

[George 1978]

Re: Goose Fair (and other funfairs)

Also, if you look at the letters page of the Nottingham Post, nearly all the contributors live in Gedling, Broxtowe or Rushcliffe areas, and hardly any from inner-city areas, (where as the old "In the Courts" column in the paper back in the early 1990s - think of those who were fined for not having a TV licence and all that - it was the other way round). Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells would be Disgusted of Burton Joyce from a Nottingham perspective. I used to hate all this inner-city - suburb divide, and when Nottingham City Council became a unitary authority on April Fools' Day 1998, it felt to me as if it like scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Thankfully, I now live close to the countryside than I do to the City Centre these days (thank the Lord), and I am just thankful that I have members of my own family who are knowledgeable in the ins and outs of the British housing system in which that had helped me to move. One day I hope to move to a village or somewhere like that.

[Arran]

Re: Goose Fair (and other funfairs)

I am vaguely aware of high levels of violent crimes, including shootings, in Nottingham in the 2000s. Was a high proportion of it carried out by black Jamaicans?

[George 1978]

Re: Goose Fair (and other funfairs)

I am vaguely aware of high levels of violent crimes, including shootings, in Nottingham in the 2000s. Was a high proportion of it carried out by black Jamaicans?

I wouldn't want to comment as I am not in an official position to do so - I always assume that crime committed can be of anyone regardless of race, age or nationality. Thankfully, Nottingham has never had a "Stephen Lawrence"-type killing, mostly because Nottingham news is more incognito from national perspective.