Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

After getting a lot of reply's to questions and answers, they sent my mind back to the time I can remember about the fair.When you walked accross the ground from Hyndburn Rd to King St you realised just how large an area it was,people used it to learn how to drive,but now you can understand that a large piece of land could not be left empty for 50 weeks of the year.
With that in mind it brought back good memories, of hearing the music being played even before you turned off King St, and as children, or even young teenagers, excitement built up inside.
The first ride you saw was the very fast one with the motorbikes on the outside,but also with rails to hold on too,then next down was the Caterpillar,then the Waltzer, and last the dogem cars,at the side near to Hyndburn Rd would be a Big Wheel and a lot of side shows like knocking cans off a shelf.
As you walked back up you would have to go through a lot of roll a penny small round stalls and different side shows again to win a teddy bear or large doll, or even a gold fish.As you got back up to King St to leave there was a large tent with chairs and tables to sit and enjoy a bowl of black peas.
I hope I haven't bored you with my ramblings and other webbers will have different views, but to be honest I got a little bit excited just remembering those times and putting it down to read.

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

Pretty accurate memory yon Claytonx, glad yeh remembered the black peas at the King St end,was always aport of call after n hour or two on the rides.:)

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

That's were they took the last bit of money you had left, But still good stuff when you were hungry.

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

Ya hadn't been to the fair unless you'd had some black peas:D

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A friend of mi mams used to go just for black peas

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

Just wondered were "Black Peas" pigeon peas that they sold in pet shops?

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

Your answer might be here -
http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/f...eas-53941.html

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

Yeh got a better memory n me Margaret, I'd forgot all about that thread.:o

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

How did you manage to remember that and the web page.

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

Top of the page "Search" facility ;)

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My brain isn't seized up with any prescription drugs :D

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

Nah but the herbs are deadly.:D

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

I remember things that I would rather forget.

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

Oh I don't know, not that deadly :)

Parsley sings: 'The Friendly Lion' (1968) - YouTube

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Used to get them for ammo for the peashooter when we were kids:D

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

That's called hallucination Margaret, where do you get your mushrooms from:rolleyes:

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

Your definition of the word hallucination needs revising, but I'm amazed you spelt it right -well done.

Do you ever wonder what life would be like if you'd had enough oxygen at birth?

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

There is nothing wrong with my eyes though, if you want to get really personal, we can go down that road, and there would only be one winner and it wouldn't be you deary;)

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

...

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How can a post remembering the pleasure of the fair, end up with, I should think friends calling each other?

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

Evolution. :rolleyes:

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

the black pea guy at accrington fair was butterworths, but i had to text someone to find out, sinility setting in

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

used to live at number 17 ellison street,happy memories over the bus depot and the fair,but bloody noisy when it was on,

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Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

Had some mates on oxford st, The mulrooneys, woulda been quicker cutting across the back alley, oer ellison st n on the hippodrome back.:D

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

I am really glad that people are getting a bit of pleasure looking at the post's which have been put on here.As you get older your memory seems to improve on times gone by,but not on the present.
I can now remember comming off Hyndburn Rd, from the Accrington end onto the fairground, and all along back to the road were large tents, inside one was a boxing ring trying to get the big lads of the town to beat there man for a good lump of cash Sorry to say pride was dented those evenings. Other tents would have(trying to be carefull here)people who were deformed like Joseph Merrick was --The Elephant Man--- or animals born different. This is how it was in those days people were a lot harder and they lived in dificult times. There Ive gone again.

P S Iwould think this was just after the 2nd world war.

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

I always wondered-what was on Ellisons Tenement before it became a wasteland of cinders?
So central to the town, it must have had something built on it.
Retlaw to the rescue?

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

Yeh nailed it yon wi the memory business mate, I can remember one tent containing "Hairy Mary, Victim Of The Mau Mau" twas n owd lass wi more body hair than a monkey.:rofl38::rofl38::rofl38::rofl38: They would no doubt get prosecuted now fer that.:D

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

Hey Cashman, they new how to get money out of us gormless and inquisitive people.

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

Yep they sure as hell did.:D

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You as well ? I'll own up.

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Yep twas dead exiting to young lads..............until the penny dropped.:D

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

Hi just found this site iam researching my family tree my great grand uncle worked on the ellinson fairground on the shooting gallery in 1921 he was killed in an accident involving braking in a horse which was attached to a motor lorry on 31st october 1921 there was an inquest on 1st november i was wondering if you would know about any newspapers that may have reported on the accident.
Iam not from accrington myself
many thanks

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

The accrington observer would probably have covered the incident, its all in accy library reference room.:)

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

Enquire at

[email protected]

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

an old post, but i remember a firm when i worked on the fairgrounds, was whites, a scottish firm with a load of mis-shape-en animals two headed sheep ect,a guy used to stand on the outside shouting, "all alive on the inside alive" it came to accrington one year, but on having a look inside, some of the exhibits was in bottles of light brown liquid,
not very alive, but when they had your cash---,

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

:rofl38::rofl38::rofl38::rofl38: Palming the punters change was better, they never bitched about it,cos they never knew.:D;)

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Looking back at that time I don't think that most people had the confidence to complain as they would do today

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

not much money handled now, alot of tokens, 5 ride tickets, entry fee, ride free,the gaff is gone as far as the lads are concerned, the safety has gone mad, thats why you never see any of the old speedways, ect, the insurance is so high no one will pay it, so many new rides now, in my day they was called novelty rides, now the new generation showmen are governed by insurance costs, fuel is sky high wages have had to keep up, and now there is not the same atmosphere, a lot of showmen are taking up other ways of making a living, and living on permanent sites, just opening the rides and stalls at weekends

Re: Ellisons Tenement/Fair Ground
 

It was called Ellison St and tenement because it was owned by the Ellison family, which had been in Accrington for centuries before the fairground appeared. I don't know what, if anything, was on there before it was cinders. Maybe it was cindered to give an all-weather pitch instead of a field which got boggy.