Pat Collins Fun Fairs (Established 1899)
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:
Bill Garbett Collection
Colour and black and white photographs mainly taken by Bill Garbett of fairgrounds, fairground rides, fairground organs and transport owned by Pat Collins Fun Fair, Carters Steam Fair and the showman Alfred Stevens.
Blueprints for Ride Structures and Platforms, c1911 - 1939
Blueprints for ride structures and platforms, including the Whirlwind Racer, the Rocket and Revolving Speedway and cars, Gorleston Ghost Train, No.1 Swoop and Noah’s Ark.
Blueprints of Plans and Elevations for Various Fairground Rides and Details, c1915 - 1949
Blueprints of Plans and Sketches for Fairground Rides, c1887 - 1940
Coaster Track Plan, c1930 - 1939
Track plan and elevetion of coaster for John Collins at Yarmouth. Scale 1" to 20Ft.
Design for John Collins' Globe of Death, c1920 - 1939
Design for John Collins' globe of death procenium, showing frontage structure and lettering. Pencil on paper.
Detail of J. Collins Ride Design, c1900 - 1920
Car detail for a J. Collins ride with some annotations and dimensions. Pencil on paper.
Drawings and Plans for Ride Designs, c1880 - 1939
Drawings and plans for ride designs including juvenile pay box, John Collins globe of death, Yo-Yo domes and droppes, No.4 wall stage and canopy, Midget ride and dodgem pay box, rail cars and heraldic decoration.
Joy Tubes Design, January 1913
Design of sections of Pat Collins' Joy Tubes with annotations, scale 3/4".
Original Artwork, c1900 - 1929
Drawings and designs used for the decoration of fairground rides.
Orton and Spooner Collection
This collection contains a large selection of archives from the Orton and Spooner Company. The collection comprises photographs and cabinet card images showing carved work, structural work and classic painted work, 4 boxes of notes, invoices and clippings, 8 drawers of plans and blueprints, 2 folders of ride specifications and order forms, accounts books and a library of source books showing turn of the century art used by the artists in the company.
Photographic Album, 1899 - 1955
Photographic Album, 1941 - 1955
Photographs, 1937 - 1994
Black and white and colour photographs of fairgrounds, fairground rides, fairground organs and transport, mostly by Bill Garbett.
Photographs and Postcards, c1899 - 1969
Photographs, postcards and negatives of fairgrounds taken by Rowland Scott and other fairground enthusiasts.
Photographs of Fairgrounds Taken by Bill Garbett and Other Contributors, 1937 - 1994
Black and white and colour photographs of fairgrounds, fairground rides, fairground organs and transport. Most images taken by Bill Garbett including Pat Collins firms' steam engines, Carters' Gallopers and Octopus, Arthur Stevens' Lighthouse Slip and scenes of fairs such as Nottingham Goose Fair.
Photographs of Fairgrounds Taken by Bill Garbett and Other Contributors, 1937 - 1994
Black and white and colour photographs of fairgrounds, fairground rides, fairground organs and transport. Most images taken by Bill Garbett including Pat Collins firms' steam engines, Carter's Gallopers and Octopus, Arthur Stevens' Lighthouse Slip and scenes of fairs such as Nottingham Goose Fair.
Photographs of Fairgrounds Taken by Bill Garbett and Other Contributors, 1937 - 1994
Black and white and colour photographs of fairgrounds, fairground rides, fairground organs and transport. Most images taken by Bill Garbett including Pat Collins firms' steam engines, Carter's Gallopers and Octopus, Arthur Stevens' Lighthouse Slip and scenes of fairs such as Nottingham Goose Fair
Plans, c1916 - 1939
Blueprints of electric parts for fairground rides supplied by Mather & Platt Ltd and Hackett & Co., Electrical Engineers to Orton and Spooner.
Plans and Drawings for Ride Mechanisms and Components, c1890 - 1939
Plans and drawings for ride mechanisms for organs, J. Collins big boats and scenic car axels and boxes, details of horizontal shaft and tee swift for juvenile roundabout, water dodgem drifters, W. Davis top motion gallopers, electric yacht bearings, break return ropes for whirlwind racer, floor bearers and sleepers, helter skelter washer plates, cotter bolts and pins.