|
Fleet
Carnival is widely regarded as
being one of the biggest and best in the
south. It brings together members of the
community from every age-group, and provides
something for everyone in a fun-filled
week in July.
The Fleet Carnival of today is very different
from its early beginnings. Smaller one-day
carnivals were first held in the early
years of the twentieth century to raise
much needed funds for the Fleet Cottage
Hospital. The processions were much smaller
than today's: they started at the railway
station and went along Fleet Road to the
Oatsheaf pub, down Reading Road South
and on to the field at Court Moor House.
The 1939 carnival was the last one of
that era and the town had to wait for
many years to see another.
In 1955 a meeting was
held and the then Chamber of Trade put
forward the idea of resurrecting a carnival
for Fleet. The one-day carnivals had always
been very popular and it was suggested
that the new committee should try to raise
sufficient local interest to start a carnival
lasting a whole week.
The first of the modern-day
carnivals was held in the summer of 1956
on the Firs Meadow in Crookham Road, where
the police station now stands. The special
guest was the world light heavyweight
boxing champion, Freddie Mills, and the
event was a great success, Community spirit
was very strong and the whole town took
part.
Over the years
fashions change and each year the committee
of the day works hard to organise events
to suit current trends.
More information can
be found here: www.fleetcarnival.co.uk
|
