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

Photographs and scrapbooks compiled by Bernard Fielding. Each scrapbook contains a mixture of press cuttings including Fairground Mercury and World’s Fair, photographs, postcards, Paul Braithwaite history and patent material. Augmented by handwritten notes and research from other enthusiasts.

Scope and Contents

Black and white photographs of rides, engines, shows and acts as well as scrapbooks of newspaper cuttings from 'The World's Fair' including British Fairground Society Notes, 1949-1963 and scrapbooks relating to fairs, particularly in the Lancashire area.

Scope and Contents Black and white and colour photographs and negatives of fairgrounds, fairground organs, steam engines and other transportation systems with annotations by Jack Wilkinson and other sources, such as William Keating, James Davidson, Philip Bradley and Jack Mellor, as well as notebooks, scrapbooks, journals, books, correspondence, research material, audio tapes of fairground organ music and some 3D items including Jack's recording equipment and a model of a fairground organ. Jack Wilkinson’s...

Scope and Contents

Copied articles on Switchbacks, their centres and organs. Material from World’s Fair, Tober, Friendship Circle of Showland Fans, Merry Go Round and Key Frame.

Scope and Contents

Newspaper cuttings of fairs, rallies, transport, advertisements for rides, machines and organs.

Scope and Contents

Large album of newspaper cuttings from the World’s Fair, consisting of articles written by R.A. Taylor on the history of machines and show families, compiled in collaboration with Ken Jackson.

Scope and Contents

This collection contains photographs both taken and collected by Paul Angel, associated notes, newspaper cuttings and 2 videos relating to fairs, seaside and amusement parks and the preservation movement.

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

This collection comprises articles, correspondence, diaries, notebooks, printed ephemera and photographs, compiled by Stuart Johnstone, relating to his interest in fairs, amusement rides, traction engines and transport, as well as his involvement in the Circle of Showland Fans. The notebooks include chronological guides to fairs, and lists of fairground machine and equipment for sale, and information on showmen and their families, taken from the World's Fair Newspaper.

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of the complete run of The World's Fair Newspaper from 1904 to the present day. Issues from 1904 to 1950 are on microfilm.