The Showmen's Guild of Great Britain (Established 1889)
Dates
- Existence: Established 1889
Biography
The United Kingdom Van Dwellers Association was founded in 1889 with the purpose of fighting the Moveable Dwellings Bill of 1888.
Between 1884 and 1891 George Smith attempted to legislate the movements of all travelling people. The basic tenets of this Bill included the registration of all moveable dwellings, the compulsory school attendance of all Gypsy and van dwellers' children and the introduction of a series of regulations concerning the number of people permitted in a given living space. However, the main recommendation was the power to grant the local council the authority for an officer of the law to enter a van with a warrant, in order to inspect the dwelling for sanitation, health and moral irregularities. These proposals caused widespread anger throughout the travelling fraternity.
Aware of how this would affect the fairground business, in 1889 the leading showmen of the day were contacted through the pages of The Era newspaper and asked to attend a meeting to be held at the Black Lion Hotel in Salford. As a result of this and subsequent gatherings, the Van Dwellers' Protection Association was formed. A membership fund was started and in the first year over five hundred showmen contributed to the cost of fighting George Smith's proposed Bill.
Early founders of the Guild gradually introduced a set of guidelines which eventually formed the basis of the rules and conditions found in the Showmen's Year Books. Throughout the past hundred years the Showmen's Guild has effectively been carrying on the mandate set by the founders in 1889: to separate showpeople from traveller-gypsies and to defend the homes, liberties and way of life of the showpeople of Great Britain. The present day Guild not only represents 95% of the community at both national and local levels, but it also operates a code of conduct within the fairground community.
Until 1907 the Guild was highly centralised, with a 28-strong Executive Committee and an almost equal number of vice-presidents and other offices. In that year it was decided to divide the Executive Committee into seven divisional committees, each having responsibility for a particular region. In 1917 the Showmen's Guild of Great Britain, as it became known, was recognised as the trade association of the travelling funfair business and acquired the right to stand as representatives for the business at both local and national levels; a position it still occupies to this day.
The principal object of the Showmen's Guild has remained the same for over 100 years; to protect the interest of its members, travelling showmen who gain their livelihoods by attending funfairs. It does this in two ways; by its code of Rules and through the constitutional process of the land.
The Guild is organised into ten Sections and is accepted at both national and local levels as the negotiating body for travelling showmen. Through it's parliamentary agent, the Guild contests any proposed legislation that discriminates against its members, or seeks concessions when legislation threatens their ability to make a living. In matters involving local authorities a delegation of officers will usually be called upon to represent member's interests.
Found in 198 Collections and/or Records:
Showmen's Guild Diary, 1960
Diary containing annotations concerning the day-to-day running of the Guild. Manuscript.
Showmen's Guild Membership Tablet, c1940 - 1949
Blue, oval, enamel sign with cream type reading Showmens Guild of Gt. Britain and Ireland. This tables it the propery of the Guild. Membership Tablet. The sign was taken off McIndoe's Fowler traction engine 'Rob Roy'.
Showmen's Guild of Great Britain Item, 12 November 1986
Showmen's Guild of Great Britain with Mss notes on reverse.
Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain Membership Card, 1927
Yorkshire section membership card.
Showmen's Guild Scrapbook, 1935 - 1954
Scrapbook containing Guild news, articles on licences, Second World War, legislation, goods vehicles, transport, taxes, fairs, Newcastle Town Moor festival, Blackpool Bill, annual dinners and galas, Glasgow Fair and Pat Collins from various newspapers.
Showmen's Guild Scrapbook, 1934 - 1972
Scrapbook containing news about changes and the demise of the British fairground, Pat Collins, the Second World War, living wagons, the circus and Bertram Mills from various newspapers.
Showmen's Guild Scrapbook, 1934
Scrapbook containing Guild news, articles on legislation, the deaths of Ben Hobson and William Savage, vehicles, transport, gramophones and playing music, betting, various licences, coconut shies, legislation, Stevenage Fair, news from the Scottish section and the history of the Guild from various newspapers.
Showmen's Guild Scrapbook, 1926 - 1929
Scrapbook containing news on taxation, roads, gaming and gambling, women working at the fair, Mitcham Fair, Nottingham Goose Fair, legislation, transport, circus, charitable donations, accidents and safety at the fair, coconut shies and Whimsical Walker's retirement from various newspapers.
Surrey County Council Opposition Book, 1931
Surrey County Council arrangement of sections containing information about lands, protection of streams, establishments for massage and special treatment, control of public entertainments, sale of coke, moveable dwellings, road, town planning and amenities, Barnes Street works, finance and miscellaneous information with inserted Showmen's Guild petitions to the Council and related correspondence. Typescript.
Tables of Fairs and Development Plans, c1951 - 1953
Large ringbinder with metal spine containing tabulated records of fairs across the UK locations, dates and types of fairs and records of development plans, remarks and actions. Typescript and manuscript.
Taunton Corportation Oppostion Book, 1931
Taunton Corporation arrangement of sections containing information about acquisition of lands, waterworks and water supply, markets, streets, buildings, sewers and drains, infectious disease and sanitary matters, common lodging houses, twon planning, police, electricity, extension of boundaries, financial and miscellaneous provisions with inserted petitions from the Showmen's Guild and related correspondence. Typescript.
The Showmen's Guild Calendar, 2002
The Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain Golden Jubilee calendar.
The Showmen's Guild of Great Britain Collection
The main extent of the collection contains yearbooks, meetings and minutes, correspondence and a record of day to day activities within The Showmen's Guild of Great Britain.
The showmen's Guild of Great Britain Say No to Drugs and Stangers Campaing Poster, c1980 - 1989
Red and black type on pale yellow background with illustration of fair on top section and red border.
The showmen's Guild of Great Britain Say No to Drugs and Stangers Campaing Poster, c1980 - 1989
Red and black type on pale yellow background with illustration of fair on top section and red border.
The Showmen's Guild Safety Scheme, 29 October 1985
Orange spiral bound booklet containing information on the history of the Showmen's Guild safety scheme, actions, code of practice and guidance notes, costs, rules, information about engineers, advantages and disadvantages of the scheme, legal system and conclusion.
The Showmen's Guild Year Books, 1900 - 2003
Showmen's Guild year books containing minutes of meetings, financial information, membership information, articles of interest, rules and legislation, lists of members and various forms.
The Showmen's Year Book, 1912
The Showmen's Year Book, 1913
Contains a list of the members of the Executive Council and Divisional Committees, the Showmen's Guild constitution and rules, the twenty-fourth annual report, the Guild Chaplain's report, list of subscriptions to the Guild for 1912, sypnopsis of bye-laws, a list of wakes near Manchester, Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and other towns fairs and feasts in England, Scotland and Wales and commercial advertising. Some articles are illustrated with images.