Discover Our Archives

Scope and Contents

This collection contains copies of original photographs and photocopies of newspaper cuttings relating to the Anderton and Rowland families and their business on the fairground.

Scope and Contents

The photograph library of the Friendship Circle of Showland Fans (FCFS). This collection includes material relating to famous fairs, engines and rides. As well as containing a full bound set of 'Merry-Go-Round' journals and numerous books, letters and other journals. The collection includes various catalogues and notebooks documenting the use of traction engines on the fairground.

Scope and Contents

Black and white photographs of fairground people by Bob Chase, produced for his final university year project, also includes contact prints, negatives and notes.

Scope and Contents

A collection of 5 black and white photographs, four relate to the Silcock Brothers' dodgems and arcades in the 1950s, and one to Whites' stall.

Scope and Contents

Reels of 8mm and Super8 amateur, silent and colour film, shot by Mr George Bolesworth at various locations in England and Spain. All the themes are around, fairs and family activities such as holidays as well as other type of popular entertainments.

Scope and Contents

Black and white copy prints and negatives and three items of ephemera relating to the Williams family.

Scope and Contents

This collection contains black and white and colour photographs and postcards, some originals and some copies, including one World War I soldier photograph, and some colour photographs, as well as a newspaper clipping, a baptism certificate and a recent letter from BBC Northamptonshire.

Scope and Contents

Black and white photographs of the Marshall and Scott families, including photographs and correspondence related to Walter Marshall while serving on the RAF during WWII, the Kayes Brothers' Family Circus, the Baker Family and some images of members of the Testo family as well as other performers and acts. Additionally there are circus programmes, correspondence, newspaper cuttings, birth, marriage and death certificates and Wills.

Scope and Contents

The collection contains photographs, including early family photographs of the O'Connor family, contemporary research, journal articles and books written by Vanessa Toulmin. Also included in the collection are manuscripts and newspaper cuttings.

Scope and Contents

This collection contains photographs, Showmen's Guild membership cards and newspaper cuttings relating to the Dobson family, as well as World War One and World War Two photographs, correspondence, medals and certificates.

Scope and Contents The main part of the collection consists of material relating to the Shufflebottom family and receipts and posters advertising their latest attractions. The second half of the collection relates to the Waddington family and Margaret Shufflebottom's later marriage to Arthur Bird.The Shufflebottom collection consists of photographs, diaries, albums, account books and assorted ephemera associated with the family's history on the fair. The photographic material dates from 1890 to the...

Scope and Contents

Photographs of rides, fairgrounds, traction engines and organs taken by a number of individuals as well as detailed notebooks. His notebooks are essentially digested versions of the World's Fair and include chronological guides to fairs, machines for sale, parks, engines and families.

Scope and Contents

This collection contains black and white photographs and negatives relating to the Turner family, mourning ribbons and a certificate of marriage