The March edition of The Fairground Mercury, the quarterly magazine of the Fairground Association
of Great Britain, has been posted to all its members. In this issue: Ian Trowell returns to the subject
of Octopus rides, writing about the many examples he has encountered on his travels through
Ireland; early forms of roundabouts are described with contributions from both sides of the Atlantic;
and the history of a recently-sold 130-year-old set of juvenile dobbies is recounted. The Feedback
section includes, among others, further information on Coney Beach at Porthcawl, Charles Evans’
Orton Ark, the late and often lone Northern showman John Nichols, and that Sergeant Pepper’s
drumskin painted by fairground decorator Joe Ephgrave. There are tributes to the late showman
Charles Drakeley and Mike Willis lists all the recent machine changes.
The Fairground Mercury is sent free each quarter to all members of the FAGB. If you would like to obtain this edition and the next three issues please send a subscription fee of £16 (over 65s and under 14s, £13) to: The FAGB Membership Secretary, c/o 11 Orchard Coombe, Whitchurch Hill, Reading RG8 7QL. Payment should be made out to The Fairground Association of Great Britain. Should you be overseas please add a supplement of £5 to the subscription as a contribution to air mail costs.
Payment can be made online by PayPal – see Membership on this site. All new members will be sent a free copy of the FAGB’s booklet produced to mark the 900th anniversary of Hereford May Fair – Britain’s oldest fair.
Non-members or if you need an additional copy of Volume 48 No3, it can be purchased from our shop
