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CARNIVALS BETWEEN 1889 AND THE 1970's Some memorable events and carnivals held in Barry between 1889 and the 1970's. One of the first Carnivals held in Barry was to celebrate the opening of Barry Docks in 1889, and was known as The Barry Docks Demonstration. Committees were formed to organise and raise funds for the various events that would take place on that day, and amongst these events was a procession to the Docks for the official opening led by local Friendly Societies, together with four Bands. The processional route to the Docks would be lined with highly decorated arches, and streets were also to be decorated. There was to be a Fireworks Display, a Dinner for Old People, Children's Races with prizes, and a tea for both old people and children, with each child being presented with a medal to commemorate the opening of the Docks. The Fireworks display that was set up by Messrs Paines & Sons at a cost of £190 was held in fields at Brooks Farm (off Court Road and Gladstone Road). The Children's and Old Peoples Tea would be held in fields near the old Police Station. The Demonstration was declared to be a great success. To celebrate Queen Victoria's Jubilee a similar demonstration and tea was held in 1898. The Event was organised by a Committee comprising 11 members of the Council, with Mr W.M. Thomas, JP as its Chairman, and Major General H.H. Lee, of The Mount, Dinas Powis, as its Treasurer. Funds were to be raised to help build the Royal Victoria Diamond Jubilee Nursing Home in Woodlands Road. The District Council voted the sum of £235 for the provision of a tea and of Commemorative medals, which were to be given to all the children in the District to mark the occasion. This sum of money was also to be used for the provision of bands to play appropriate music for the Event. Practically all voluntary subscriptions collected were to be devoted to the erection of the building. At 10 p.m. a bonfire would be lit at Barry Island to end the celebrations. In 1904 a further sum of £771 was raised to commemorate the Coronation of King Edward Vll, and was used to extend and improve the building. In May 1900, to celebrate the birthday of Queen Victoria and the relief of Mafeking, an ox was roast, cut up and the meat distributed to the poor. This together with a fireworks display seen by over 10,000 people was held on Friars Point. In June 1902, Friars Point was the scene of the largest bonfire ever seen in the area. It measured 120 feet round, was 45 feet high, and contained over 185 tons of fuel. It was built to celebrate the Coronation of King Edward VII. The bonfire was clearly visible from the other side of the channel. The next recorded carnival was held in 1922 at Friars Point Guest House, and was in aid of The Missions to Seamen. The Organiser was Mr Rich, and attractions included a Beauty Competition, Foot Racing, Tug-of War, Pierrot Show, and Performances by Choirs and Local Bands. One of the main attractions was The Prince of Wales Concert Party from the Convalescent Centre at the Buttrills Camp, which was run by the Ministry of Pensions for War Veterans, under its Medical Superintendent Dr T.W. David. On the 27th August 1924 the Llandaff & Barry Conservative Association held a Carnival and Fete together with a sports meeting, at the Athletic Ground, Barry Island. It started with a Fancy Dress Parade from King Square, finishing at the Island. The Barry Athletic Club grounds were the venue for a Baby Show, Balloon Race, Tug-of-War, and Foot Races. On the Island a Band Concert was also held. On the week prior to this Carnival being held a rival Carnival was advertised in aid of the Amy Evans Voluntary Hospital Funds, and attractions were nearly the same. By 1927 the Barry Chamber of Trade started organising Carnivals in aid of various charitable efforts and in that year, 1927, Carnival profits went to the War Memorial Fund. In 1928 profits went to the Town Advancement Fund, and in 1929 to the provision of X-Ray Equipment for the Barry Hospital. The 1929 carnival started on Wednesday, 31st July with a Gymkhana in Romilly Park, with prize money for the various event totalling over £17. On Sunday 4th August an Organ Concert of Sacred Music was held at the Amusement Park, Barry Island, generously provided by Messrs White Bros. The programme for the rest of the week was as follows :-
In 1930 the YMCA ran a carnival to raise funds for the Barry Branch of the "Y". It invited HRH Princess Helena Victoria to open the carnival, which was to be held at Romilly Park. The route of the carnival parade was lined by thousands of cheering onlookers as the parade, led by her car, passed through the Town. The Carnival was declared a tremendous success. In the same year the Barry Yacht Club invited the Admiralty to send some of their ships to the Club's Regatta, which was to be held at the same time as the YMCA Carnival. The Admiralty sent HMS Wallace, and four Destroyers, HMS Walker, HMS Watcher, HMS Whirlwind and HMS Vertigo. Their stay at Barry was punctuated with invites to Brynhill Golf Club and the Mayor's Parlour, and culminated in a dinner given by the garrison at Barry Island, who for the occasion moved their mess and its silver from the Drill Hall to the Marine Hotel. The season ended with an attempt by Channel swimmer Mercedes Gleitz,to swim from Pebble Beach to Minehead. Although she failed in her attempt, later in the year she did swim the Dardanelles Straits in Turkey, a distance of four miles, in dangerous conditions and currents. Carnivals ran for a number of years with varying success, mostly dependent on the weather. By the thirties the Carnival had grown more popular, with acts being booked from all parts of the country. These acts performed on the Wednesdays and Saturdays of Carnival Week, and the name of the carnival was beginning to change practically every year. By 1939 the carnival had become "The Summer Visitors Carnival of Varieties". Some of the acts appearing included "The Great Risco" tight rope walking act, "The Roylats" balancing act, "The Moxam Brothers" trick cyclists, and "Dyson & Bright", an acrobatic comedy act. In addition there were "Stern & Stern", a comedy duo, band concerts, gymnastic displays, and fireworks displays. One of the major attractions was the Bathing Belle Competition. Local organisations played a major part in the Carnival, decorating streets, making fancy dress and taking part in the Grand Parade. The organiser for this Carnival was Jacques Thomas and it was the last one held prior to the outbreak of war. After the war the Carnival took on a new lease of life as The Barry Mammoth Carnival, with Harold Blondell and Jimmy Jamieson as the organisers. Most of the events were still staged at Romilly Park, but by the late 40's the organisers were persuaded to allow it to finish at the Island. In 1950 John Collins of Barry Island Pleasure Park took over its organisation, and that year saw one of the finest Carnivals ever held in Barry. It started with a torchlight procession from the Square to Friars Point, where a haunch of venison was roasted. Nightly attractions were either fireworks displays or illuminated balloons being sent aloft. Competitions included bathing beauty, most shapely ankle, fancy dress and a jelly eating competition. The main attraction of the week was Johnny Caross, who gave performances on the fairground standing on a 100ft flexible pole, swinging wildly above the heads of the crowd and at times swooping down to within a few feet of the ground. The fairground held a nightly lonely hearts competition, where names were printed on blue heart shaped tickets for males and pink heart shaped tickets for females. Purchasers endeavoured to match their names to obtain prizes. Some examples of the names to be matched were Bonnie & Clyde, Romeo & Juliet, Jack & Jill. There were also many other attractions including gymnastic displays given by St. Aidans Gymnastic Club. One of the 50's carnivals nearly ended in tragedy for the float entered by the Barry Rugby Club, which was dressed as a pirate ship with a crew of villains. The crew were dressed accordingly, with a mixture of eye patches, bandannas, wooden cutlasses, hooks stuck out of sleeves, peg legs and plastic parrots on the shoulder. On its way along the causeway the float hit a large pothole in the road and one of the pirates' victims, who was hanging from the yardarm, slipped off the platform and was suspended on the end of the rope. His harness, which was supposed to take his weight, had stretched, and by the time he reached the fairground, his acting the part of a man hanging from the yardarm became too realistic! He was cut down in time and recovered sufficiently to swallow a few pints bought for him by sympathetic club mates. In 1951 Streets in Barry got into the Carnival spirit by entering the Best Decorated Street competition. The joint winners that year were Harvey Street and Fryatt Street, but most streets where it was difficult to decorate because of the traffic, dressed their windows. A Fancy Dress Dance was held at Bindles and a bathing beauty competition on the Promenade at Barry Island. That year the main attraction was Dick Williams, The Cornish Strongman, together with a troupe of Clowns, appearing on the fairground. The carnival procession led by a band was judged on the promenade. In later carnivals more spectacular acts were booked to appear at Romilly Park, and amongst these were "The Diavalos" High Wire Walkers led by Paul Diavalo. In 1954, Bill Deagans Hells Angels Motor Cycle Stunt Riding team, Buck Ryans Western Sports, and The Dillons Trampoline act appeared at Romilly Park. Other attractions included a 7-a-Side rugby competition, a baby show, and finished on Saturday with the grand parade. The collection en-route was in aid of "The Old Contemptibles". The evening finished with a fireworks display. At a later carnival, a High Diving Act was the main attraction, the finale of which was a dive into a tank of water with petrol poured on top and then set on fire. By 1955 the Barry RAFA Club took over the organisation of the Carnival with proceeds going to RAFA Charities. Ten jazz bands, 15 floats, and over 50 walkers dressed in fancy dress took part in the Grand Parade to the Island. One of the prizes in a competition was an 8ft rock with 'Wings Week, 1955' through the middle, donated by Alf Crane. The Carnival Queen competition, which was held at Bindles, changed its name to 'Miss Wings', and most of the other events that had proved a success over the years were retained. By 1958 the RAFA gave up the organising of the Carnival and it lapsed into obscurity until its revival in the 70's by a new Committee. In 1973 the first carnival of the new series started, and by 1977 it had built itself back into one of the finest carnivals in the area, with local companies supporting it with sponsorship, and by entering floats in the grand parade. The raft race was held as usual at the Lake with entries from local firms and clubs. Streets and pubs entered the 'best decorated' competitions, and groups from the local community competed with one another to produce the winning float. Haulage firms played their part on the day by the loan of lorries to be decorated to take part in the Grand Parade. Barry Island Pleasure Park held Mardi Gras Carnival Nights on Friday with variety acts, plus free gifts, novelties, and free rides given as spot prizes. There were also prizes for fancy dress, and jelly eating, beer drinking, and pickle onion eating competitions. The week ended on Saturday night with a Carnival Ball at Bindles. All together there were over 40 events organised for the 1977 Carnival. © T. CLEMETT 2003 I have not written about the celebrations on the end of the two World Wars, as these were mainly events organised by local groups and not a town committee.
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