Dates

• Existence: 28 February 1929 - March 2016

Biography

Kevin was born in Crowle on 28 February 1929 where he spent all his life, apart from two years of national service, which he served in Germany after World War II.

Kevin’s interest in fairs began as a teenager when he worked with Jim Wroot’s travelling fair which was based in Johnson’s Lane, Crowle. Kevin travelled to local fairs with Wroot’s, always enjoying as he called it ‘building up and pulling down’ the rides where he learned about their mechanical construction and operation. Kevin also spend hours riding on Jim Wroot’s Dodgem cars and Speedway where he collected fares and prided himself on being able to stand up, unaided whilst the Speedway ride rotated at a very quick pace! Kevin was a good friend to George Simpson of Crowle who had an extensive range of slot machines and travelled with Wroot’s fair.

Kevin also worked as a lorry driver from the age of fifteen during the Second World War years.

He married Barbara in August 1952 at St. Norbert’s RC Church in Crowle.

Kevin was a very practical and ingenious man, who hated waste. As a lorry driver he travelled thousands of miles, always happy scouring junk shops and scrap yards to find any odd piece of metal or timber he could make into something useful. Kevin could never resist the happy jingle and melody of fairground music or the ‘fun of the fair’. At the family home in Chancery Lane, Crowle, in the early 1960’s, Kevin built his own model fair organ, a roundabout and swing boat for his children to enjoy and play on.

In August 1962 Kevin’s work was featured on the BBC’s “Today in the North” programme and several national newspapers.

Throughout his life, Kevin had a passion for all things related to fairs and he regularly visited his local fairs, fair organ recitals and traction engine rallies with his family.

Kevin became disabled through arthritis in his early fifties, but despite this he persevered and built many smaller models of traction engines and agricultural vehicles.

Kevin amassed a significant collection of photographs, books and memorabilia throughout his lifetime. He passed away in March 2016 aged 87 years old.