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2006 TOM BROOME - "Memories
Are Made of This”
I went to my first Fair in
1932. I can’t remember
anything about it, but as I
was not quite a year old
that’s not surprising.
Unfortunately like most of
my generation the number of
Fairs we were able to attend
was sadly curtailed by the
Second World War which too
place during 1940–1945,
during which the Fairs were
of course cancelled. I seem
to recollect one Fair before
the war when it was very wet
and the procession was
turned at Wevlings and I
returned home to Corbiehall
with the red dye from my
school cal running down my
face but maybe that was my
imagination running riot.
After 1939 the next Fair was
in 1946 but even after this
the boys of my age had to
miss another two Fairs
because of national service
when we became soldiers,
sailors or airmen for
eighteen months or two years
and were posted to Germany,
Malaya, Hong Kong etc… I
personally went to Germany
but after this like most
Bo’nessians we didn’t miss
anymore Fairs unless it was
absolutely necessary! I
remember hearing about one
lad who met another Bo’ness
boy in Hong Kong and when he
was told it was the Bo’ness
Fair that day he replied,
“They’re getting a smashing
day for it!”
I got married in 1954 and
then (like most Bo’nessians)
started hoping we would have
a daughter who would be in
the Queen’s class and chosen
for the ultimate honour,
Queen of Bo’ness Fair! We
were blessed with four
daughters and one son, so I
thought we had more chance
than most families but it
was not to be and now we
hope that one of our
grand-daughters or indeed
great-grand-daughter will be
granted with the ultimate
accolade, I won’t hold my
breath!
Our children attended the
Grange School and while we
didn’t have the Queen from
our family, we certainly had
our share of fairies, flower
girls and presentees. I can
still remember those
wonderful days, from the
times early in the year when
we were first told they had
been chosen, to the times
when their frocks were
designed and made. The
arches were planned and
erected and we looked out
the window throughout the
night hoping the weather
wouldn’t deteriorate,
checking the weather
forecast and praying what my
father said was true, that
“God was a Bo’ness man” and
we would have good weather
for the big day. At first
light we wanted a glorious
sunny day but sometimes you
settle for a dry day at
least until the crowning and
procession were past. On
reflection I think we have
had more good days than bad
and sometimes I feel it’s
amazing we have rotten
weather up to the Fair E’en
and then lo and behold it
clears up for the big day.
Although I attended the
Bo’ness Public I feel the
best presentees ever (in my
opinion) came from the
Grange School and they were
the Black and White
Minstrels. I thought they
were marvellous even though
in the present climate of
political correctness they
probably wouldn’t be allowed
today. Next to them I liked
“The Diddy Men” but I was
probably biased as my
daughter Jill, was one of
them. I remember that Mr
Alex Ritchie, Headmaster at
the Grange School wrote to
Ken Dodd telling him what
was happening and he
responded by sending
photographs of the Diddy Men
together with details of the
costumes which the mothers
helping to design and make
some evenings in the school.
My wife was of course one of
them and I don’t know who
enjoyed things more, the
children or their mothers!
The Fair wouldn’t be the
Fair without the wonderful
processions. Can anything be
like the feeling you get
when you hear the strains of
the music played by the band
leading the way through the
town? We used to watch the
procession in North Street
then when it passed hurried
up the Bog and Erngath Road
to watch it again on Dean
Road. I think if it had been
possible to see it once more
we would have done so. We
never got fed up shouting
“Hip, Hip” to the children
and they never failed to
respond “Hooray!” I say we
used to hurry up the Bog
etc..., to see the
procession for a second time
but I’m afraid the passage
of time has put a stop to
that and now we only see it
once on Dean Road but still
enjoy it as much as we ever
did.
I don’t think anything
anywhere will beat the
Bo’ness Fair for sheer
enjoyment for children and
adults alike, from the
judging of the decorated
vehicles in the morning to
the crowning ceremony in the
Glebe Park, the procession
and finally the Queen’s
Revel’s in the Douglas Park.
Although I am now in my mid
seventies I still look
forward to the Fair and am
sure I always will. There is
always someone you know who
has been chosen to be a
fairy, flower girl or
presentee, or even higher up
the scale a bower girl,
herald, pageboy, champion or
ultimately the Queen
herself.
Just to finish up and ensure
a great day this year I have
just heard my Grandson Ross
has been chosen to play
Elvis Presley in the Kinneil
School presentation this
year.
Oh Happy Days!!!!!
TOM BROOME
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