All the Fun of the Fair

Image for All the Fun of the FairNot currently available on BBC iPlayer

Timeshift, Series 11 Episode 3 of 12

Duration: 59 minutes

Timeshift explores rarely-seen images from the University of Sheffield's National Fairground Archive to ride back to the origins of the fairground. From the sideshows to the freak shows and early hand-powered rides to the arrival of steam and electricity, the story of fairs is the tale of one of our first forms of popular entertainment.

The film shows how fairgrounds often provided the only entertainment to rapidly-expanding industrial towns. It looks at how, from the 50s, the fairground was the site of youth rebellion and why we are still entranced by these travelling carnivals that arrive overnight and then vanish just as mysteriously.

Music Played

7 items

  • Gallopers

    Gallopers

    This picture of a set of gallopers, and the other vintage stills below, are part of the National Fairground Archive based at Sheffield University.

    National Fairground Archive

  • Boxing

    Boxing

    This picture of a boxing show front was taken in 1950.

  • Switchback

    Switchback

    This switchback speedway would have been seen at fairs in 1900.

  • Steam yachts

    Steam yachts

    Vintage Waddington's steam yachts

  • Fairground crowds

    Fairground crowds

    This view of the crowds visiting a fair was taken in 1903.

Credits

Series Producer
Ben Southwell
Narrator
Julian Rhind-Tutt
Director
Francis Welch
Producer
Francis Welch
Executive Producer
Michael Poole

Broadcasts

See all broadcasts of All the Fun of the Fair (7)

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