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Pat Collins Fun Fairs (Established 1899)

 Organisation

Dates

  • Existence: Established 1899

Biography

Pat Collins Fun Fairs was established by fairground showman Pat Collins in 1899 although he had been travelling fairs with his family for many years before that.

Pat Collins Fun Fairs headquaters were based in Bloxwich in the borough of Walsall, and ran fairs across the whole of the Midlands and presernted rides and entertainments at the most important fairs in England including in Nottingham, Lancashire, Yorkshire, the Home Counties. As well as rides Pat presented films on the fairs and cinemas and owned several skating rinks.

In 1943 upon Pat's death, the firm passed to his widow and descendants and continued to dominate the British fairgrounds. In 1979, Pat's grandson Pat Collins joined forces with fairground showman Anthony Harris, sharing ownership of the business until 1983 when Anthony acquired sole ownership of Pat Collins Fun Fairs.

Pat Collins Fun Fairs continues to be run by the Harris family well into the twenty first century and it is still one of the most respected fims in the business.

Found in 27 Collections and/or Records:

Plans for J. Collins' Big Boats, c1920 - 1939

 Item
Reference code: 178V10.49(v)
Scope and Contents

Design showing floor section of J. Collins' Big Boats ride with annotations. Pencil on paper.

Dates: c1920 - 1939

Race Track Plan, 1934

 Item
Reference code: 178M15.30(xxii)
Scope and Contents

Plan for No.2 race car track for John Collins, scale 1/2".

Dates: 1934

Rowland Scott Collection

 Fonds
Reference code: NFA0037
Scope and Contents

Photographs related to all aspects of British travelling fairgrounds including; rides, transport, living wagons, showpeople, fairground shows, circuses and organs by Rowland Scott and other authors, a selection of manuscripts by Rowland Scott and a small amount of correspondence.

Dates: c1899 - 1989

Section of Car, c1930 - 1939

 Item
Reference code: 178M15.33(v)
Scope and Contents

Section of car for Collins at Battersea.

Dates: c1930 - 1939

Side Elevation of Track for Collins, c1890 - 1920

 Item
Reference code: 178M15.35(xliii)
Scope and Contents

Side elevation of section of track for Collins-Barry track, scale 1". Three new main principles.

Dates: c1890 - 1920

Sketch for Kaiser and Crown Prince Spinner Design, 1915

 Item
Reference code: 178V10.40
Scope and Contents

Sketch of framing structure of Pat Collins No. 314 Kaiser and Crown Prince Spinner. Pencil on paper.

Dates: 1915

Whirldwind Racer Blueprint, 3 September 1936

 Item
Reference code: 178M15.32(xxxix)
Scope and Contents

Plan of whirldwind racer in Olympia, Grand Hall, for Mr John Collins, scale 1/16". Drawing X1070.

Dates: 3 September 1936