Travelling Circus & Travelling Fair
in Llangefni, Anglesey.

by Gordon Weare
(New Zealand)

(Up, Down and Right) Reuben + Donna; Me & Marilyn;Ben + Louise

(Up, Down and Right) Reuben + Donna; Me & Marilyn;Ben + Louise

Dear Gentle Reader and Old Friends out there,


Do you also remember this?



Always in the Summer the trucks, generators, irons and ropes would appear in the field backing on to the 'PreFabs'.

Animals in wheeled cages! One concludes that it's the Circus.

Chairs, coloured boards, small tent and canvas roofs - that was the Fair. Giving a hand, running around collecting stakes and boards and ropes, all day, a kindly clown would then lift up the canvas drape to let us poor boys in. Do you get that today?

The fair came annually. The excited sounds, dings of bells, rumble of generators, hisses and ratatats. In the amusement tent, the penny machines tinkled & rattled, the smell of metal friction present, air rifles, darts and roll-a-penny. You could win a whiskey glass, a biro, even a Goldfish!

Girls danced to Elvis on the juke box. 'Good Luck Charm' it was. The constant DONG! of the missed coconut, and the big boys who never lost their balance on the bumping cars. Showoffs!

Un tro, roedd yna screchian diawledig ac yna ymafael mewn un hogyn gwallt coch. (Once time there was a heck of a scream and then grappling with a red-haired lad). Amid these slaps and yells of Ouch! the noise of the fair went ceaselessly on.

Then there was the 'Hammer of Strength', where He-Men would slam a large mallet to sprang a steel wad up, to
the bell - if you were man enough! Just the once, my sister stood too close and caught the mallet under her chin, it was all in hand.

Sam was the man with a million keys around his neck, giving change, and emptying the machines. Did anyone ever win more than Threepence on the roll-a-penny? Strangely, thunderstorms always came at this time too, I wonder why.

I think the Fair came for a week, or so it seemed, then left. No idea to where. Memorable.




Dear Gordon and Family,

I thank you for your delightful family photograph, and how you all glow in your smiling.

As an education for your children, Gordon, I'll explain that the 'Prefabs' were the pre-fabricated homes that a post-War government built to address the serious housing shortage.

Many family friends lived in these prefabs, which came complete with an amazing fridge and fold-away table.

Now, the Fair I remember it well and your description brings back the tinkling and confusing speed and colour of the rides. The smell of ozone from the Walzers and the Bumping Cars, cuts searingly through the memory.

The Newsome Family - who finally settled in Benllech - ran the small fair, Ffair Bach, and every early Summer it would arrive in the football fields above the cemetry.

Thank you for your story and for allowing me to fill in my own gaps.

Also, please convey my warmest wishes to your family.

Wil

Comments for Travelling Circus & Travelling Fair
in Llangefni, Anglesey.

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Nov 10, 2023
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1950’s NEW
by: Anonymous

I remember the fair with great affection. We stayed for our summer holidays at Owen’s Stores which was just up the road from the fair. Our highlight of the day as kids, was going down to the fair early evening and going on the horses roundabout and the dodgem cars. I can still conjour up the smell and noise of the diesel generators. Wonderful times and memories.

Jan 02, 2023
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Newsones’ fair, Benllech
by: Anonymous

Does anybody have any photographs of the fair at Benllech?

Jun 12, 2020
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Family tree - Sioe Bach
by: Anonymous

Hi
Sorry Samuel and John's grandma called Emily Chapman?
Thanks
Caroline

Jun 12, 2020
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Family tree
by: Caroline

Hi Was Samuel's Mum called Emily Chapman? working on my family history and hoping I have found the right one.
Thanks
Caroline

May 26, 2020
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Sioe Benllech
by: Anonymous

I was born and brought up in Benllech and left the village when I was 18 and I remember well the Newsome family who ran the fair. Johnny and Sammy were brothers and they were a very hard working family and Rose ( Johnny’s wife) had a great sense of humour. Great memories from the 60’s.

Mar 28, 2019
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funfair bellech
by: jonathan newsome

You can contact me on facebook under the name jonboy martin

Jan 02, 2019
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Jonathan Newsome
by: Anonymous

I need to locate Jonathan Newsome or relations of who used to own the Market Hall in Holyhead - I work for a solicitor firm and will discuss on contact - nothing serious...need to locate documents

May 23, 2018
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Jonathan
by: William

Hi Jonathan

I used to teach you.

Wil

Dec 08, 2017
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Benllech Fairground Family
by: Jonathan

My name is Jonathan and I am the grandson of Johnny Sioe our family ran the fairground business for over 100 years.

I am now a new founded silver surfer and I am amazed to find out about my family's history online. Thank you all for your lovely comments and memories.


Feb 11, 2015
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I worked the fair
by: gareclark

Hi AW

You are quit correct. Sam was electrocuted in a terrible accident (God rest him). His brother and family kept the fair going and I worked the Waltzers. I collected your sixpence to either spin the car or hold it still, it did not matter to me as you were all "visitors" and by August you would all be gone until the following year.

I left Benllech in 1967 to join the RAF. Good memories!
Best wishes

Feb 24, 2014
Rating
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Newsome's Fair.
by: andrew weare

The man with half a ton of keys about his being was Sam Newsome of that family that ran the annual Fairground's visits.

He must have been extremely patient listening to all those kids that forever called his name as these kids would try to retrieve their penny/pennies from a quieter malfunction of these 'flick a ball bearing' type machine. The ones using the spring powered lever device that sent the ball reeling its pattern around the convoluted lanes inside and hope to make a scoring hit into the hole to retrieve an extra penny or more.

Sam Newsome "Sam!" "Sam!" died sadly in an accident I believe of some electrical type. He is buried in and at the graveyard in Isgraig, Llangefni where once stood the fairground.

The other location was across the road in the football field.

Thank you Sam, for your help and patience!!

AW




Thank you, Andrew.

I taught a kid who must have been ne of Sam's grandchildren many years ago. His name Jonathan.

A very astute business family with property in many parts of Anglesey.

Wil

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